ImportBuilder

Im having trouble with starting my car. When I try to start my car it sounds like it wants to, but just can quite get there. Like when your car is low on gas and your on a hill, so what little gas you have is not quite making it to the engine, until you roll your car to a flat spot, let it sit and it starts.
It turns and catches(but not quite enough to start), turns and catches(but not quite enough to start), and this continues. I think it might be my distrubutor(My check engine light is on), but Im not sure. I can smell the gas, kind of like when you flood your engine. Actually when this started, I thought I flooded my engine, because I have enough gas in the tank(1/4 tank).
My car just pasted smog and my O2 sensor was changed in the process. I havent check the plugs, but there is not smoke coming out of my tail pipe.

Any help would be great. Thank you.

ImportBuilder

would my O2 sensor be causing the start up problems?

JimBlake

Your check-engine light is on? Read the code & let us know what it is.

I guess probably not your O2 sensor. It doesn't work until it warms up so the ECU ignores it for the first minute or so.

accord88

i just had the same problem with my accord. checked it out, and its the ECT sensor (also known as the TW sensor). This sensor monitors the engine temperature, and when the engine is cold it tells the injectors to give it a lot of fuel to 'choke' it. when its warm, it tell the injectors to give the engine just a little bit of gas to start it. when the sensor goes bad, it reads cold all the time. therefore, when your engine is warm, the ECT sensor causes the car to flood. henceforth, the gas smell and the starting problem

uclaccord

by 'catches' do you mean it turns over but then dies? or does it not just turn over at all?

ImportBuilder

It makes the sound like its going to start, but then it goes back to just turning. This repeats. I checked the CEL and it only blinked once. That is the O2 sensor, right. I used the paper clip method. I used platinum spark plugs and I heard they can foul.

ak3883

Possibly the main relay? These are a common thing to go on 92's, especially when the car doesn't start in hot weather. That happened to mine, it would crank but just not turn over. The first time i could give it gas when it sputtered for a couple seconds and get it to start, but that would only work once.

Not that expensive of a fix, not too hard to do either.

JimBlake

#1 is the O2 sensor, but the strange thing is that it shouldn't matter at startup. Besides, your sensor is fairly new?? Even if it's bad, it seems like that shouldn't be related to the startup business.

How old are the plugs? Sometimes if they're fouled from flooding, they don't work right again. Even after drying out. If they're not real new it's a cheap thing to try.

You just found how to read codes... Are you sure it's a short blink? One long flash is 10 = intake air temperature sensor.

ImportBuilder

STUPID BOSCH PLATINUM SPARK PLUGS!!!!!! I changed all that stuff and nothing happened. I change the plugs, with looked fouled, and bang!!, the car started. I use the platinums and changed to Densos.
Thanks everyone for the suggestions.