Rough start up?...

[Spdracr]

I have a 99 EFI SC sambar. When I start it in the morning it is hard to keep running. It stumbles and sputters. Sometimes when it is cold it takes a few times starting and giving a little throttle or not to get it running. Then finally in a minute or so it just starts running fine. The colder it is the worst it is. What is wrong with it or what do I need to do? I didn't think an EFI engine is supposed to act like this. Shouldn't it just start up and idle right? After I get it idling right if I don't let it warm up good I will try to drive it and it won't run right and then I will give it enought gas it will just start running right. I can't figure this out. Any ideas to check? I had a 98 minicab that did the same thing then finally quit. I think it is in the distributor. Surely both of these can't be the same thing. Is this some simple fix?

[Wolfman]

May simply need a valve adjustment. They sound a bit too tight. I don't know if the Subie is the same, but my Dahihatsu has shims on the valves, and must be swapped out when they get too tight.

[Spdracr]

I am not saying it isn't the valve adj. but it runs very well after the initial rough start. It acts like it is flooding or something. Then after a little bit of rought idle it will just run fine.

[nick]

Any trucks I've gotten in that acted this way get the tune up routine. Cap, rotor, new plugs, and new fuel filter, check the air filter. That takes care of 99% of the issues. I'd do that stuff before I mess with adjusting valves etc. I've had trucks with 89,000 km and am sure I'm pulling out the original spark plugs. Often electrodes are mostly burnt off etc.

I'd at least pull the plugs, check their condition and the gaps.
Hope you get it figured out,
Good luck,
Nick

[fremontminitrucks]

we just had a mitsu running like crap and I changed the plugs and found one of the insulators was cracked and had spark shooting everywhere but down, replaced the plug and she purr's like a kitten.

[MightyHamster]

My Sambar floods out VERY easily on start up. I have to pull the plugs and dry them or replace them to make it start after it floods (I think this is because the cylinders face down, which makes the plugs sit upside down and hold fuel instead of drying out naturally). If I touch the gas pedal at all while starting, it floods. If not, it starts with a touch of the key. It runs rough until warmed up though, just like yours. It also smokes like a monkey while warming up, but then the smoke goes away. It is not burning oil though. I think it might have something to do with the crazy recirculating exhaust crap.

[greg0187]

I've seen some of the worst maintained veihicles that are fuel injected fire up in the cold with ease. It seems odd, on a fuel inj. vehicle to act this way. Are there any warning lights "on" on the dash? I don't know enough about the Sambars but I do know that some fuel inj. engines have a "cold start" valve that is similar to a choke.

[MightyHamster]

Mine has a light on. The red light that looks like a muffler with steam coming off of it stays on until the engine warms up and starts running right, then it turns off.

[MightyHamster]

I found that the battery that came with the truck was too small. I replaced it w/ a 365cca battery and the rough running problem seems to have gone away. The red muffler looking light is still lit though. Anybody know what that light means? I have the same light lit on a Mitsubishi Mini Cab.

[myhijet]

I was told that light had to do with the ox sensor in the exhaust system,

[Spdracr]

Don't EFI engine have a cold start injector like a choke on a carberator? I know I have had some vehicle that had one. Can it be shooting to much fuel in and causing a flooding situation? Also can someone cross over the part numbers and get O2 sensors for these trucks without going to Japan to get one?

[MightyHamster]

I have been reading about it elswhere on this forum. It seems like it is probably a clogged cat or O2 sensor. I will investigate those things first chance I get.

[earl660]

yO,

My sambar van had the same red light (muffler w/steam) light sensor burn out and was throbbing with revs over 3000... it was removed by the shop who just said i don't need it. Then i went on a long trip and overheated.
New van arriving soon.

[tmikewww]

We just bought a 2000 Subaru Sambar, Is it fuel injected? We know absolutely nothing about it. I 'am sure we'll be asking a lot of questions. Thanks everybody............
Tom and Tana

[Spdracr]

I am 99% sure that it would be fuel injected. From what I have read here on this forum most all 99 and after are EFI but I have a 98 mitusbishi that is EFI so I am not sure on the year. It should be though because I have a 99 supercharged sambar and it is EFI. Just look at the intake plumbing and you should be able to tell real easy. Or look and see if you have fuel injectors or a fuel rail on top then you should know.