Vitara plus Cold equals ??

teknosurveilance · 02-11-2008, 01:09 AM

I seem to be having a problem with my Vitara. I didnt drive it for bout 24hours and when i went out to start it, it turns over kinda but wont start. Its been kinda giving me problems as of late. Sorta bogging down when i push the gas but then busts out and its fine. It started last summer like everytime it rained or i wash my car. Anyone got any ideas?

1999 Suzuki Vitara
1.6 liter

Wuppy · 02-11-2008, 06:58 PM

It sounds like its perhaps time to change the fuel filter and have your injectors cleaned. This would be where i'd start.

jtgh · 02-12-2008, 08:47 PM

Are you saying the starter motor goes slower?
is it really cold out , like -20c or warm 5C.?
Tune it up lately?
always do that any time a car runs bad.
when it wont start does , jump starting help.
yes, then battery is bad (or is being drained or is not charging properly)

you describe a bog, but hot , cold engine or both ?

I prescribe a tune up and have the battery tested at
Autozone for free. 5min. test.
edit, no DIZZy on 1/2 COP engine.
that wet , symptom tells me your wires plugs (damp causes them to leak even more)

i dont know what engine you have 1.6v? (out of range for this posting, but it may have distributor, id do not know)

hope this helps.

teknosurveilance · 02-13-2008, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtgh

Are you saying the starter motor goes slower?
is it really cold out , like -20c or warm 5C.?
Tune it up lately?
always do that any time a car runs bad.
when it wont start does , jump starting help.
yes, then battery is bad (or is being drained or is not charging properly)

you describe a bog, but hot , cold engine or both ?

I prescribe a tune up and have the battery tested at
Autozone for free. 5min. test.

that wet , symptom tells me your wires plugs ,rotor and cap are bad. (damp causes them to leak even more)

i dont know what engine you have 1.6v? (out of range for this posting, but it may have distributor, id do not know)

hope this helps.

Over the weekend it sat for about 2days when it was close to 0 degrees F. The last time it got a tune was September 2006, when i first brought it. The starter sounds fine. I went to Advance Auto yesterday and they said my battery was bad so i got a new one hoping that was the problem, with no luck , it still wont start.

jtgh · 02-13-2008, 01:38 PM

99 vitara 1.6L no start , cranks perfect now.

sop: check all fuses with an ohm meter or fuse tester (all the ones that look good, test)see?

there are many approaches to this problem, but here is one:
first and formost is to Do no harm , just like a doctors pledge.
if your timing belt is at 100k miles then I would first make sure the cam has not slipped out of time ( engine is NOT free running).

first is to always check for spark. >>>CLICK>>>nostart

on any high mileage (unk maintenance car or known over 100k on belt) I would never
skip the Cam time validation step.
keep in mind if it slipped, it will slip some more and when it does, destruction.

after you are sure the cam is good

then check to see if you have spark.

if you have spark then I check MPI injectors with a NOID lamp to see if I have Injection
pulses ( cheap lamp and easy to do). always do the easy stuff first.

then if those things are good, then fuel pressure tests.

that aught to get you going with no damage.

cheers

RottenBob · 02-13-2008, 04:42 PM

Did your tune-up include new wires from the plugs to the distributor? I once had a Plymouth that would have trouble starting when it was rainy, or even just humid. New plugs, wires, and cap solved the problem only temporarily. I would have to pop the hood and spray the wires with Wire Drier. Finally, we replaced the wires with some serious heavy-duty well-insulated wires and the problem never recurred.

jtgh · 02-13-2008, 07:52 PM

I forgot to ask, is your CEL lamp on or off while drive.
regardless of that.
you should pull codes , even pending codes off that OBD2 ECU.
it will say, pending or real code P030n (n=0- 12) 0 = all , 1 is cyl. 1 ,etc.
your car has COIL on plug,
sq416q engine code.

this engine has the funny wasted spark dual coil engine
1/2 COP and 1/2 COIL.
you have 1/2 the wires, (2 actually)

pull all codes on engine do not reset the ECU, pull all codes and pending codes.

I now prescribe new wires (all 2 of them!) Suzuki brand , new.
and new plugs.
anytime a OBD2 car acts funny , you can usually see codes set.
it is very sensitive.

if you have codes set in the p030n realm , please post them.
some code readers (most) will not report pending codes.
so a full scan tool will be needed to find all the fact.

you could pull each COP #2 and #4 and examine its pig tail.
look for burning. look for oil filled above spark plug due to bad valve cover gasket, shorting the cop 2 or 3 or any of the 4 sparks.
sometimes you find water in there from some one who is a pressure washer nut.

if CEL lamp flashes , you are destroying your CAT.
CEL flashes on very bad misfires, the very bad kind,

cheers.

99's are rare here, thus the Title.

teknosurveilance · 02-14-2008, 01:04 AM

Yeah my vitara check engine light has been on since i got it. When i got it it had like 85,000 miles and when i ran the codes it said the EGR valve problem. So i had it fixed at the dealership for almost $400. Like 2 days later it came back on. Took it back and they could find anything wrong with it. I now have 120,000 miles on it. and the CEL is still blinking. So today i pulled into the garage, my dad said that we need to check the timing belt. So we will go from there. I will keep ya guys posted on the progress. anymore info is always helpful. thanks guys

jtgh · 02-14-2008, 02:24 AM

yes, CEL on is a failed monitor. (13 of them and then you can get gross sensor fails too )
cell blinking is a gross misfire. (not always spark )
with this does is flood the CAT with lots of air and lots of gas, and then the cat guts melt to slag, clogging up exhaust.

it is best to never drive with blinking CEL.

The cel lamp is your friend ,in fact the information it supplies can save you lots of money.
not only in parts, but in gas.

hope this helps.

cheers

RottenBob · 02-14-2008, 09:50 PM

Was it blinking both before and after you took it into the dealer? Or was it a steady light before, and then blinking after? If it was a steady light before and then began blinking, you might have multiple problems (1st problem caused the light to glow steady; a 2nd more serious problem caused it to start blinking). I would follow jtgh's advice and pull your codes again.