Bad Starting Then Fine All Day?

[darkan9el]

Hi all, Lexus GS300 se auto. had a few issues of late and the latest one is; First thing in the morning I try to start the car and it sounds rough, I mean really rough, like its on 2 or 3 sparks after about 10 mins of slow laboured chugging it suddenly picks up and runs as it would normally. I mean for the rest of the day it runs silky smooth as if I never had the bad start!

Any idea's people?

is there a tool to remove the sparkplugs and maybe a tutorial or guide as I think I'm going to replace the plugs anyway, but I can't figure out why it runs smooth after such a bad start.

regards lee

[Bazza]

i would hazard a guess at the choke or whatever controls the cold start

[darkan9el]

Still got the rough start, worse on wet days than dry, or the longer I leave it the longer it takes to start. Just haven't had time to look at it properly.

found a plug change tutorial though: how to change the spark plugs

[rtjc83]

cars do strange things for sure but, check the usual plugs leads, distributor, electrical connections. Sounds to me like moisture is getting in somewhere when sat cold. Hence when its warmed up and probably dried out it runs fine. Check leads for splits or tears, check dizzy cap for any moisture or worn tips. When leads are off give them a spray with some WD40, inside aswell where they connect. Is the Battery ok? Just check everything really, service parts like plugs you mentioned and look for any loose or dirty connections. Its a case of elimination with stuff like this

[Mike246]

From your pointer about being worse on wet days, I'll wager you are losing high-tension voltage due to dampness. Maybe a lead or the electronics.

[darkan9el]

Thanks for the input guys, changing the plugs over the weekend and will look at the WD-40. I keep forgetting this car is 13 years old lol!

[rtjc83]

13 years is nothing ;) Im not saying WD40 is a cure but it certainly has its place with older cars. You should never be without a can lol. I had a Carina that occasionally started fine but fired rough for about 2-3 seconds. Problem was plugs, moisture and a dirty engine. Never a good mix. Cleaned everything up, new plugs and some WD40 in and around all electrical contacts. They werent worn, just damp from poor maintanence etc. Make sure all leads are fitting correctly too of course. Try the simple stuff first mate