Need help on a starting problem

[RitchieDon]

I bought my VX this summer and it has worked perfectly. Now that colder weather has moved in I find I have a problem. The VX starts and runs fine until the temperature drops below freezing. When I try to start it, the engine turns over fine but it will not fire. I have replaced the battery and run several bottles of Heet through it but it hasn't done any good. Is there some kind of a sensor that may have gone bad? Before I go to a dealer like a hog to slaughter & end up paying $500.00 for a mysterious part I wanted to ask you experts.

[V-Twin hiCROSS]

Hey RitchieDon,
A change in temperature should not have an impact on starting ability. Unless it has recently been done, I would start with spark plugs and wires. Another area of interest might be the fuel filter if it has not been changed. Two last cheap things to check would be the air filter and PCV valvle. Let us know what you come up with.

Neal

[RitchieDon]

Thanks for the suggestions, Neal, but I'm finding out the problem is a bit more serious. Seems to be an electrical thing. What is happening is when the weather is above freezing, when the ignition is turned on, before the starter is engaged, all the dash lights come on & the engine fires off fine when I engage the starter. When the temperature drops below freezing, the only lights that come on are the air bag, which goes off shortly, the battery light and the ABS light. The ABS goes off after a brief period & then comes back on. The engine will crank but the fuel pump does not send fuel and there is no fire to the plugs. Looks to me like the computer that oversees the engine is not booting! My biggest problem right now is that the weather is unseasonably warm & my mechanic says he needs the thing to act up for him so he can isolate the problem. We have it torn down & ready to trace the problem as soon as it gets cold again. Will keep everyone informed. If anyone else has had a problem like this, please let me know.

[VCrossfan]

I had a problem like this but it was the summer. It sat for about 30 min from a short drive I went out to start it and it tried to start then it got to the point it wasn't hitting at all(but turning over well). I check all I could in a Walmart lot(fire fuses etc.) I just put a new fuel filter on it 1 week earlier, so I had it towed (in the cover of night) to a very well respected foreign car mechanic. He called me the next morning and said it had a blown fuel pump fuse (under the hood right side) He put it on the scope and checked out everything and also checked the fuel pressure and it was real low and the fuse blew due to the pump getting hot. He said the fuel pump strainer might need to be cleaned. But since you have to drop the tank to get the pump out I had him install a new pump and strainer. Since yours starts at times it's not your fuse but maybe your pump pressure/strainer? Good Luck Bro!!

We need to get some of us central vx's together this spring/summer. I'm in central Illinois. I'd be glad to come down to Mo..

[V-Twin hiCROSS]

Hey, a Missouri meet sounds good to me. Down in a little town called Park Hills, there is a fantastic state park that is for off-road/motorcycle/atv use. I have ridden dirt bikes and quads down there for years. It might be a fun place to get together and do some off-roading, camping, and just hanging out. If either of you have interest, let me know and we will get this out to the rest of the the forum.

[RitchieDon]

Thanks for the response, VCFan but I don't think the fuel system is the problem. Whatever the ignition tells the engine to so to fire the starting sequence isn't happening. No lights on the dash except for the ones I mentioned. It started fine today but cold weather is stopping the electircal system from going through whatever sequence it needs to get all of the components working. It should be cold enought this weekend to get it to act up & we're ready for it. I will let you know.

I think it would be great for us "Central US People" to get together as V-Twin suggested. I live in the SouthWest corner of MO, near Joplin & I have yet to see another VX around here. I've never been to Spring Hills but I did take a float trip on the Current River once which is not too far from there. Let's see if any of the other members are interested & find out if anyone has another idea about a location. Don

[RitchieDon]

After battling this problem all winter long, my mechanic finally found the problem. The plug that goes into the Engine Control Box on the passenger side is bad. When the ignition fails, you can push down on the plug & everything lights up. Problem is when you release the pressure, everything shuts back down. He tried to fix the connection but it can't be repaired. I'm going to have to replace the control box. He has checked with all of his sources and can't find one so he called the local dealer and they haven't come up with one either, yet. If anyone has one or knows where I can get one, please let me know. There are 5 different sets of numbers on the box and my mechanic told me that of the 5, you never know which one the people he has talked to will want to identify the part so here they are:

8093755992
09375599
3.5L AUTCAL
SN# 09376671
8255995083648340

He also said the part may be a little pricey so I'm looking for the best deal I can find.

[Maugan_VX]

I'd call Merlin at St. Charles Isuzu. 636-441-4481

[RitchieDon]

Thanks Maugan but I was really hoping someone out there with a parts car could help me out without having to pay for a new unit. My mechanic tells me that this is a part that rarely fails. Mine is probably bad because the previous owner had a roll-over which most likely put a strain on the wiring harness and caused a weak connection in the control box. The part I'm looking for is located in the compartment in front of the shifter and below the CD changer. I really need some help here. The people at work are riding me pretty hard because I have a "fair weather vehicle". I know the VX can blow all of them away but it's no good if I can't start the thing.

[thebear54]

Glad you isolated the problem area.
Looking for someone with a parts car is like...well, like a needle in a whole barn full of haystacks.
Your best bet is to locate a salvage yard in California or...a (shutter) dealer.
Good luck.....John

[RitchieDon]

Latest update on this ongoing problem. Hotsauce helped me out with a new ECM (Thanks again, Hotsauce) but unfortunately, that turned out to be not the problem. After installing it, I'm still having the same problem. The weather is now warming up here & I probably won't be able to resolve this until next Fall. I have reset the wires going into the plug but it failed to start again early this week. I am still suspicious of the ABS light that comes on. I hear it "ping", then it goes off momentarily & then "pings" again & stays on. The sound is coming from somewhere behind the glove box. Problem is, when the temperature warms up past 35 degrees, everything works perfectly. This is going to drive me nuts all Summer & is going to get real expensive replacing parts like ECM's, etc.

[Green Dragon]

During the cold weather, Try removing the 40 amp ABS fuse & see if it will start. Do due to the large amount of current draw by ABS (Normal) & reduced battery capacity in colder weather a problem may exist in the ABS circuit resulting in excessive current draw.