O2 sensor during cold start...?

jimilane

Founding Member
Aug 20, 2001
158
0
17
Raleigh, N.C.
What role does the O2 sensors play during cold start? I know the computer doesn't use the information from them until closed loop when the engine heats up...at least that's what I can gather.

I'm still having the cold start problem. The engine starts fine, but them after a few seconds, dies. After about the fourth attempt at starting, the engine will run, but doesn't like to idle until the temp gets to about 190. I'm taking this reading from pinning the computer at the ECT sensor pin. These temps are the same as the analogue guage reading also.

Any help will be appreciated.

This is a 1990 LX, not the car in my sig.

Thanks

Jim
 
Update

Well guess what.

Read the "surging idle checklist". Like I have before...but through all the posts, I seem to have missed the the part where they say "mount the IAC backwards".

I turned it around and the car idles well now. I guess whoever put that one on didn't read the cards that come with it or something.

Why do you have to turn some of them around anyway? Is it to cover a lot of different cars? That's my guess anyway.

The car was kinda warm when I turned the IAC around. I'm going to see how it starts in the morning from a dead cold start. It's probably going to do fine.

I have a spacer between the IAC and the TB with the bleeds. I had them wide open, about 5 turns. Now they are at about 3/4 turn on each. It wouldn't idle with the bleeds all the way closed with the IAC unplugged. I'm guessing it's due to the E-303 cam. I just opened them up little by little until the idle came around.

Anyway, thanks for all the help.

I'll post another update in the morning after trying to cold start the car.

Jim