'99 Camry cold start issue

[tonyxia]

Hi all,

I have a 1999 Camry 4-cycl. engine with about 71,000miles.

I bought the car 2nd hand and never had major engine issues for the last 2 years. Usually, the engine would start at ~1800rpm when I turn the ignition on in the morning, then it would drop to about 1000rpm after a while when the water temperature is up, etc.

Recently, when I turn the ignition key in the morning, the engine would not start the first time. Or if it "starts", it felt like it started because the RPM stays about 800rpm range. I need to press on the gas pedal to "help" the engine revs up to ~1800rpm range. Then the engine would be in "normal" state that it keeps running at higher rev. (in parking gear until the water temp is up). Everything would be normal from there.

I'm guessing the "800rpm" problem is due to lack of tune-up that some engines were not fired up, so the crank shaft was rotating at ~800rpm initially, until I step on the gas pedal.

I suspect the matter would get worse, but I would like to find out the root cause if this sounds similar to anyone's previous experience. Is this a maintenance issue, or is there something wrong?

Any help is appreciated!

[Kep]

Sounds temperature related. Have you checked any of your sensors yet? I'm thinking the engine coolant temp sensor and maybe the mass air flow sensor first off. There are others...

A similar thread from Albuynp Ryeno car wont start..... sometimes though he is still trying to track his problem down as well.

Kep

[1996camry]

i would look into cold start sensor... cold start sensor warn up (key turn on) and help when cold temperature outside to help your car cranks fire up.

if cold start sensor goes bad, cold weather hard to start...

does your car has problem to start when the temp. outside hot?

[tonyxia]

Thanks for everyone's reply! My Camry does not have a "hot start" problem. If I park it during work where there is sunshine for the day, the car starts up fine when I leave work.

This problem is obvious in the morning. Like I described earlier, the engine would start at 800rpm, then I either have to press the gas pedal or wait for a second or so, the engine would jump to 1800rpm as the normal start-up rev.

[tonyxia]

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...2085911AADhwbI

Here is a quick description of my problem, exactly like what described:

"The car starts and the RPMs run about 300 and are quite shaky, then it will rev suddenly and go up to about 2000. It steadies after that and runs fine. The only thing that it does that irritates me (though I don't know if it's related or not) is that the idle doesn't run completely steady after the engine is warm. It fluctuates between 600-900 while I'm stopped at a light or something."

[Black95Cam]

yeah thats how it is on my 95 V6.. it goes up to 1800 to warm up the engine when its cold... also try running some seafoam...

[1996camry]

it definitely cold start sensor... do a search on cold start sensor on google or on this forum..