why does my car miss when cold??

[JP360]

hi all,
ive got an E16SE and when its cold it miss fires. anyone know what could be causing this?

cheers JP360

[Nova_Tek]

Have you checked the dizzy and leads? Are they new? Maybe they need replacing. ANytime there is a misfire I'd normally check ignition first.

[mowgli]

if your CTS is not right, it can cause trouble, as can the icv, which is controlled by the cts.

if your cold idle mixture is off, then it will run terribly.

[88ESR]

How long is it missing for?

Could be the beginning of a head gasket failure..?

[JP360]

cheers all,
all the sparking equipment is new (dizzy, leads, plugs)....

how do i check the CTS and how do i know if the idle mixture is correct?

i hope it isnt the head gasket. it misses for about 2-7minutes after start up. usually 3 but can run to 7

[John]

For all the faffing checking the coolant temp sensor, I'd just replace it. They're about a tenner iirc. Like others have said though, missing from cold is possible signs of gasket fail. Try a cts and see how you go.

[88ESR]

Think 7 minutes is a bit excessive for head gasket failure..

I would expect the miss to clear up fairly quickly..

[JP360]

cheers guys, i'll see how i get on with the CTS :thumb: can they be found on ebay or somewhere?