[Mk2] [Turbo] Sluggish when cold??

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willbutler1
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun May 17, 2009 8:07 pm

[Mk2] [Turbo] Sluggish when cold??

Post by willbutler1 »

HI everyone

just wanted opinions on an issue I am having.

My car (a 1990 turbo) starts fine in the morning but when I start driving it as you accelerate the car hesitates and produces very little power, it doesn’t buck around but it just doesn’t accelerate, as soon as it has warmed up its much better although to me still feels a little down on power.

I have taken a look at the distributor cap and replaced the rotor arm (it looked a bit scabby) and also replaced the coolant temp sensor (to the ECU) and the problem still persists.

I just wondered if anyone else has come across this problem?


Is it worth trying an ECU reset???


any thoughts would be very welcome


Kind regards

Will
dantheman
Posts: 1205
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2009 6:51 pm
Location: NW London

Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Sluggish when cold??

Post by dantheman »

An ECU reset might help, certainly wont hurt. Pull the EFI fuse in the engine bay fuse box for at least 30 seconds. If that doesnt work check your Cold start injector timer switch isnt broken. This is located on the coolant filler elbow
gazrev1tubby
Posts: 976
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:47 pm
Location: Eastwood, Essex

Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Sluggish when cold??

Post by gazrev1tubby »

dantheman wrote:An ECU reset might help, certainly wont hurt. Pull the EFI fuse in the engine bay fuse box for at least 30 seconds. If that doesnt work check your Cold start injector timer switch isnt broken. This is located on the coolant filler elbow


+1 on the cold start time switch. It's the grey plug on the coolant elbow. Could also be an afm problem.

Have you checked for fault codes ?
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willbutler1
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun May 17, 2009 8:07 pm

Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Sluggish when cold??

Post by willbutler1 »

Hi

Many thanks for the tips, I will give it a go the weekend and see what comes up.


Kind regards

Will
willbutler1
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun May 17, 2009 8:07 pm

Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Sluggish when cold??

Post by willbutler1 »

Hi everyone

I have checked the ECU error codes and it threw up the code number 21, according to the error code list this is the O2 sensor? Anyway I also carried out and ECU rest and this has cleared the error code but I doubt that it will stay corrected.

Also (mainly due to being a bit thick) I couldn’t find the cold start switch.


The current quote for an O2 sensor is £120, bum. but one other question is where is the O2 sensor located, would I be lucky enough for it be the just by the oil filter or is buried somewhere in the guts of the car that only a trained midget can reach??

Kind regards


Will
djpkins
Posts: 2326
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:13 am
Location: essex

Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Sluggish when cold??

Post by djpkins »

as you say...it's on the dp by the oil filter, the cold start switch is the lower of the 2 sensors (facing forwards) on the water elbow, these are sooo delicate when old, I'd start with this, they can cause running/ starting probs when broken.
willbutler1
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun May 17, 2009 8:07 pm

Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Sluggish when cold??

Post by willbutler1 »

is there any way of testing these things? as I said the o2 sensor is quite expensive and it would be nice to confirm its dead before I replace it.

Regards

Will
gazrev1tubby
Posts: 976
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:47 pm
Location: Eastwood, Essex

Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Sluggish when cold??

Post by gazrev1tubby »

If you need a rev1/2 lambda sensor, if have a good spare one here :thumleft:

The cold start time switch doesn't look like a switch per se - it's the grey sensor on the water elbow as djperkins has mentioned :)
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djpkins
Posts: 2326
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:13 am
Location: essex

Re: [Mk2] [Turbo] Sluggish when cold??

Post by djpkins »

shambala my friend...when mine went...it caused severe overfuelling to the point when it wouldn't start, and when you think of the abuse a lambda sensor goes through in its lifetime...replacing it might not be a bad idea.
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