Cold start problem

[Christopherszx]

About a month after I bought my car every time I would start my car it would crank and crank and crank and crank till finally it turned over. This got worse and worse over time but now it is just the same every time I try to start my car. I have been told it could be a cold start valve but other people say it has to be really cold outside for the cold start valve to even turn on. Please help, I need to get her running right again. It is a 1983 280zx non-turbo

Please help

Ive been told as I said before I have been told it has to be below freezing before the cold start valve starts working. Is this correct?

[siteunseen]

Try spraying starter fluid in the throttle body through one of the hoses coming off it, it should have a couple on the accordion hose going in. If it starts up it could be your cold start valve. I think my car cranks better with that small shot of gas from the CSV, I've unplugged it to see.

[Captain Obvious]

Two things that would contribute to long cold start cranking would be cold start valve system problems and fuel pressure problems. I don't know offhand what the low temp threshold is on the 83 cold start system, but I'm sure it's warmer than 32F. For example, in 76, the cold start system was activated below 57-72F.

The temp number would be in the FSM. Have you downloaded a copy yet?

[Zed Head]

I live in the Portland area and I removed my my cold start soon after getting my car. I don't notice any problems starting my engine. On the other hand, when I had a fuel pressure regulator that leaked fuel pressure I did notice extended cranking times.

The "crank and crank and crank" description sounds like it might be more than just a fuel pressure problem though. Could be a combination of fuel pressure weakness and a weak pump. Leaving a gauge on will provide a lot of information. Check the pressure before trying to start and watch it while cranking - where did it start and how long did it take to build.

The engine might also just need a tune-up. Weak spark can cause extended cranking, trying to light up cold fuel. But with these engines, knowing fuel pressure is never a waste of time so it might as well be done first. With fuel injection, proper fuel pressure is critical.

[siteunseen]

Zed Head is right, as usual, when I bought a 240 it would crank and crank. I adjusted the waaaay out of spec valves and it hits on the first bump now. So a good tune up and a new fuel filter up front may be your problem. If it did OK when you first bought it I would buy a fuel filter ASAP. Driving it for a month could have slowly clogged it up and it's taking awhile to get the pressure up.