JC01tib

I have searched for a similar problem and solution to no avail

Problem: I have a 2001 tib, That seems like the timing is off when its a cold start. because it will turn over twice maybe three times, clunk and stop and the starter has to push through the compression
it only happens the 1st start of the day and usually it will clunk n stop once. then start right up, Last night It Froze in Florida. I woke up to my car with a thin layer of ice on it. got in and it wont start
tried again after work and best i got was a small back fire, and a 4 second stutter.

When I got the car the coil wires had been cut n' spliced, and the TPS wires were pinched behind the coil mounting bracket and the MAF also has a spliced wire, I have replaced the coil and wires n plugs (NGK) patched the the TPS and MAF wire.

Any help, suggestions or direction to another forum would be greatly appreciated

nos4atu

I can't help but wonder if your problems have something to do with the fuel system. When's the last time the fuel filter got changed? Or injectors cleaned?

JC01tib

I changed the filter and cleaned the injectors back in march, I'm thinking that it may be a stuck exhaust valve or or maybe the hydraulic lifters, I remember when I replaced the valve cover gasket there was alot of sludge in the head, I did take it off and and clean it, including all the lifters and took it to a machine shop and surfaced it just for good measure., That was also in march

Stocker

Does it make a difference for frozen starts if the throttle is open?
The electrical stuff sounds creepy, but if it will run at all, it should be fine.
Get a gas treatment advertised to take the water out of your gasoline, just in case you're breaking water ice in the fuel system at the initial starting attempt, making the clunk.

If you are close to an oil change I strongly recommend going ahead and running a solvent-based crankcase flush in it and installing a high-quality synthetic oil and OEM filter at least once, maybe with a 1/2 qt. of Marvel Mystery Oil in the new oil, just b/c there *was* sludge. Sludge=bad

Update:

I was thinking about you at breakfast time this morning. Another wild guess is a bad starter gear/ring gear combination. If you have a tooth on the starter and a tooth on the ring gear that REALLY don't get along together, they could be smashing in to each other for the clunk/stop, and then the starter has to overcome that same interference, in order to get the car started. To check, crank until the clunk, then remove the starter (much easier said than done) and have a peek at the teeth on the starter and ring gear. That this is only a problem when it's cold might mean it's a barely-there, marginally-bad mechanical problem. Maybe a small burr or something.

The starter *always* has to work against full static compression; if it has to work extra hard after a clunk/stop, that could be a sign that it's in those gears.

iheartmyrd

To be honest the clunk sounds like to me when you try to start a car with a battery with low cold cranking amps and you here the rhhh rhhh rhh and on the last one dosnst complete the turn dosn't start and clunks because it didn't finish the turn because it misfires.

I have worked on starters where the bolts worked loose and it grinds, dosn't sound like a starter to me.

i would check the battery because it only happens when its cold, and since you are in florida, i would say its because the battery might be on its outs.

go get the battery tested, when its been sitting out in the cold for awhile(preferably in the morning when it wont start). worst case scenario i am wrong, and your our 15 20 min. of your time.


....my 2 cents....

JC01tib

I got it running today! this is what i did after work :

Tried to start it, same thing happened, checked the battery it tested ok, I didn't want to pull out the starter so took all the plugs out (witch were black n sooty) spun it over, it sounded like a sewing machine.
so doubt the starter gear is bad, took the exhaust manifold and valve cover off to make sure all the valves were moving. They Were! and the head was still Clean (mobile 1 full synthetic/premium gas)
got pissed grabed some (sea-foam deep creep) sprayed it in my Tb,intake,exhaust ports spun it over again and again, put it back together, took about 6 try's and it started. and is still starting

two questions, why does it start now, and whats the most likely cause of the high amount of carbon build up? im guessing the Maf

iheartmyrd

ive never had a problem with a maf with out having a cell.

i had a really crappy idle for a while on moderately old plugs and wires, swapped em and it purred like a kitten.

with the old wires it came in one day and just wouldnt run right, new wires no problem.

i run q power full synthetic and it works great.

Stocker

Lots of carbon fouling (chunks) is possibly caused by leaking valve stem seals, or plugs/wires in poor condition, or maybe even a stuck PCV valve.

When's the last time you replaced plugs/wires or even gapped the plugs?

JC01tib

I did the plugs n wires in march also, but i have never done anything with the PCV

Stocker

It is worth a try, to pull and check it anyway. Hit it with some penetrating oil first, as some people report stripping the threaded insert right out of the valve cover ( ! )