mike@lemons.com wrote:
Thanks. I found it right where it is supposed to be. My oil filler cap is a little different than yours. From your picture it looks like I have another hose that goes to the oil filler cap which covers most of the cold start valve. Do you happen to know if the electrical connector just pulls off or does it have a locking tab?
The problem I'm having is that the car starts right up and for a couple of seconds seems to run ok (might be an indication that the cold start valve is still working since what I read indicates it is only on while the starter is turning) and then I lose all throttle response and it sounds like it is only hitting on a few cylinders. As it warms up, more cylinders seem to start firing and after probably a couple of minutes it runs like it is supposed to. At that point I have good power. If I shut it off, I can restart within at least an hour or so and everything starts and runs as it should.
I have been messing around with my '79's CIS system for a little while now. I'm NOT an expert! I keep learning about how it all works together. It's pretty amazing, actually... when it works. I have done a lot of research and reading as I got mine working. Maybe some of this will help you. I'll try to find some references for you too.
I think that you are right that the cold start valve (and the thermo timing switch) are working. It probably wouldn't start at all if it were not getting the squirt of gas that is coming from the cold start valve. Assuming that you don't have ignition system issues, e.g., weak coil or bad green wire, which seems unlikely since it will eventually run when cold and runs when hot, it comes back to a CIS problem.
Here's the check list from my files (unfortunately, the site that I got this from no longer exists) :
"Difficulty starting engine only when cold"
BTW, it starts with, " This is one the most common problems with the K-Jet system".
1. Control pressure too high. The control pressure is governed by the Warm Up Unit (WUR). Normally, the control pressure starts low, which leads to a rich A/F mixture for cold starts and then slowly increases to a warm engine condition with a higher control pressure and a leaner A/F mixture. This is all done in the WUR, part #1 in the diagram that I shared earlier. If the WUR is stuck in the hot condition, you are getting a lean A/F mix, which does not have enough gas to keep the engine running and is consistent with why your engine starts and runs well when it is hot. You will need to get a CIS fuel pressure tester to know what your control pressure is doing.
Here's a good reference for measuring both the system pressure and the control pressure:
drive.google.com/file/d/1uuj9bm0UfVWtrbxPVGRfaoASQRbQftl3/view
It's a good reference. If you decide to go this route, be sure to record the system pressure too. It's possible that the system pressure is out of whack as well, but it's unlikely since it runs well hot.
If I were to bet, your WUR is not working correctly.
You can send your WUR off to get tested and rebuilt. I have had a very good experience with CISFlowTech, but I'm sure there are others. You can rebuild the WUR yourself too. Personally, I chose not to do that. I wanted assurance that it was fixed and set correctly!
2. Auxiliary air valve is not working or sticking. This seems to be very uncommon. You can check this yourself too.
3. Cold start injector/thermal time switch. You can test the cold start injector by removing it, crank the engine and capture the what gets sprayed. It should spray, of course. You can test the thermal time switch/circuit by measuring the voltage in plug that goes to the cold start switch when a friend cranks the engine. It should measure close to 12 Volts. You asked about the electrical connector on the cold start injector. It has a wire clip on it that holds it in place. To remove the connector, you need to push down on the back side of the clip wire with your finger or a screw driver as you pull the connector off.
I hope that this helps.
