2003 Corolla Wont Start

[lebe0024]

I've owned the car for six months and never had a problem starting the car, even in extremely cold temps (-25 F).

This morning, it's pretty cold, I started the car successfully let it warm up a few minutes while I scraped the ice off the windows. Then I drove to Target (1 mile). I was in Target for 20 minutes.

When I came out I started it, the engine ignited but sputtered out after 1 second. After that, it wont ignite. The engine keeps turning over and over, but it's not igniting.

I called my mechanic and he thought it might be flooded because I took it for such a short trip, but the car wont let me press the accelerator down while turning the engine (it stops turning the engine the moment the throttle is opened).

Any clues? Fuel pump? Flooded?

The only other wierd thing that I've noticed with the car since I've owned it is that it idles funny in cold weather. It starts high, around 2000 rpms. But after a few minutes it starts to cycle between 1000 and 2000 rpms repeatedly. It'll go from 1000 to 2000 over the span of a second or two, then immediately drop back down to 1000 and do it again. It usually does this for a minute or two before permenantly idling around 1000.

[karazy]

It could be the fuel pump, but I would try some gasline antifreeze first. I've never heard of the flooding/short trip story.

The loping can be caused by an air leak or a bad pump, but I seem to recall this being a common problem with this engine. I suggest more research. I'm getting older and the memory is fading.

[Rdkill]

Could also be a faulty ECU...modern cars dont "flood" too much. And the freezing temp of gasoline is several hundered degrees below 0 so that shouldnt be the issue. Now if there is water in your gas thats a different story.

[lebe0024]

Thanks everyone. I let it sit for a couple hours and it fired up. I put some HEET in it as well and I haven't had a problem since.