Over the past 2 weeks out of nowhere, my FD when starting up cold, it barley wants to start, and then it runs horribly and idle is very low with a LOT of bad vibrations. When I step on the gas, the rpms feel very heavy and doesn't respond very fast (if that makes any sense). After about 30 seconds of revving the engine, the rpms will go to normal, and then if I turn the car off and back on again, its like nothing ever happened, and everything starts perfect. This only happens at the VERY FIRST cold start of the day after sitting for a long time.

Recently its been getting worse, to the point where today it almost left me stranded somewhere and it sounded like it wasnt getting spark or fuel or something and just kept cranking. I tried again and it barley started and almost wanted to die. The most recent thing i've done to the car is a brake job, and that was about 2 months ago and havent had this starting issue until the last couple weeks. Anybody have any ideas what could be happening?

Heres a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loOZdRdCBd8

 

Check your coils, sounds like it's running on a dead plug.

 

I'm surprised you got barley to start at all.

 

I checked my coils last year during my vacuum hose job and resistance tested within oem spec on every one, and I replaced plugs and wires last year as well with ngk platinum.

Is there a way to test the coil packs on the car without spending 6 hours to remove it?

 

recheck them also get ahold of josh he might be able give you something more

 

Have you checked for fouled spark plugs or loose spark plug wire connections? Something I'd look for, but wuddo I know, I'm a noob. I ran my rotary for less than a minute to move it a couple inches and it wouldn't start again. I ended up taking the whole thing apart to do a FPD/vacuum hose job and found out it was just the spark plugs. It's been sitting for 2 and a half years now, heh.

Hope you get it fixed. I love the startup of the rotary.

 

LoL, add some hops and beer will come out the exhaust maybe.

Seriously though I'd check your plugs for fouling.

Getting to the coils shouldn't be that bad. I intentionally leave out the bottom 3rd bolt on my filler tube. Just remove the UIM and TB as one piece, top 2 filler tube bolts and you should have easy access. 10 minute job.

 

unfortunately it sounds like an internal water leak which would explain that white smoke from the exhaust you mentioned in the other thread. water leaks into one of the rotor housings after letting the car sit for a bit and is fouling the combustion for a minute or 2 until it clears out the coolant in that chamber then runs normally.

to verify, let it cool off and use a cooling system compression tester to pump up the pressure in the cooling system to 15psi, remove the EGI fuse and crank the engine for 2 seconds, remove the leading plugs and inspect them for coolant.

 

Sounds like your spark plugs are fouled. I would start by replacing them.

 

I don't think its an internal leak, because I remember seeing white smoke coming from the turbos a couple mornings ago when I popped my hood and it smelled like coolant. After warm up the smoke went away and I have not seen any smoke from there ever since. I replaced both of the turbo coolant hoses last year so if i'm still leaking coolant there, I may have bad turbos which would totally suck. No doubt im losing coolant, but it appears to be coming from the turbos.

UPDATE

I topped off my coolant this morning because it was in fact low, and so far it has not gone down again yet and I have not smelled anymore coolant smell inside the interior anymore, but I am keeping a close eye on it.

I also have a custom hidden fuel pump kill switch, and noticed that one of the wires for some reason I forgot to put insulation on the connections and the bare wires there were crispy black. I have already replaced the connection and heatshrinked the rest of the wires with high temp silicone heat tape, and repaired the burned connection and applied the proper insulation for the wiring and ever since have not had any problem starting...

I still think there is something wrong, being that my coolant was low and I had to top it off even though it starts ok now, I will report back when I have new information