'98 Celica 1.8 ST 7A-FE cold start problem, Auto choke does not seem to kick in? Options

[ChristianTRD]

Hi all

I've just taken delivery of my new (old) Celica ST - and I love it already!

Mine hasn't been used by previous for over a year so it needed a new battery which was fitted by me before I drove away from the previous owners house.

It started on the key (I was amazed ...) and idled perfectly and off I went.

However, a week on and it's turned pretty cold here in Wales and it doesn't like to start. It starts on the key then abruptly dies.

Engine will only stay on if I keep my foot on the accelerator pedal hold the revs around 1100rpm and let her warm up. Then all is fine. (I've been running her like this now for 5 days).

I've put new petrol in her (Shell V-Power), fitted a new air filter and have new spark plugs and an oil filter standing by. All fluid and oil levels are checked and ok. Battery working perfectly. I was thinking maybe the automatic choke is not working (if it has such a thing).

Before I panic is this a known issue with the 1.8 litre 7A-FE engine? Car drives sweetly and only has 69,128 on the clock.

Also, the accelerator pedal sticks in the up position when left for a few hours? A good prod free's it and it can be used/driven without sticking. I've sprayed WD40 on the pedal mechanism and return spring down in the drivers footwell but it still sticks slightly which is annoying. Maybe due to lack of use.

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks

Christian

[solidxsnake]

The accelerator is most likely sticking because of a dirty throttle body. Pull off the intake ducting to the air filter then spray some carb cleaner in the TB, and use a toothbrush to clean off the carbon deposits (make sure to get inside the butterfly valve as well by rotating the pulley by hand while spraying/cleaning).

As for the cold start issues, I couldn't really help you there. I'd definitely try changing the oil (I use Mobil 1 5w-30) and seeing if that changes anything.

[jlive]

I have the same issue with my 94 Celica GT (5sfe engine)

When I cold start it the RPMs will drop and the car will die (sometimes it struggles at the lower rpms for a second and then dies). If I hold the gas in for a minute after starting the car, it will idle just fine after I release it. I would like to know what the problem is as well.

[Stambo]

check and see if your iac is working properly too.

[stephen_lee]

cleaning the TB might help both issues

[presure2]

yup, thats a stuck IAC valve for both of you.
cleaning it and the throttle body will fix it.

[migs25]

hi guys mine has the same problem but i have a trick if u put the accelerator down 2 times and then start the car it should be ok

[Special_Edy]

Pumping the accelerator before starting works with carbureted vehicles, it shouldnt have any effect on EFI unless you had a TB or TPS problem.

The sticking throttle sounds like it could be extremely dangerous. I would disconnect the throttle cable from the Throttle Body and see if the resistance is in the TB or the cable itself.
I think its more likely to be the cable, so once you have the cable disconnected hold it so that it is facing up towards the sky, pull as much of the cable out of the cable shielding/tube as possible and then spray copious amounts of wd-40 into the cable housing. Work the cable up and down through the housing as you are spraying. If you spray enough in there the action of pulling the cable all the way out then pushing it back in many times will eventually work the wd-40 all the way through the housing.
When you are satisfied with its smoothness, apply some motoroil or lubricant to the inside in the same manner, because wd-40 is not a lubricant only a rust inhibitor/water displacer.
If the sticking throttle persists I would recommend replacing the damaged components. You could cause a pretty nasty accident if it get caught at WOT during the wrong moment, even if it is a manual.