Sooooo, I've suspected my HPFP for a while with this concern. But I've looked in cold start threads over and over, and I can't really find anyone with my exact issue. So I'm making this thread to get some ideas out there. Also when reading my story keep in mind to ignore most of the engine and DP mods in my car, I return it to mostly stock in winter time. This has been happening for the past 2 years on very cold starts. I'll run down my cold start scenario.

The Short Story:

Cold mornings below 0* car stumbles and has no power until warmed up and restarted. Also Autotemp control does not operate correctly until its warmed up and restarted. No warning lights or limp mode symbol. No torn DV.

The Long Story:

The latest cold start issue I've had has been like this. Ambient temp is -4*. I start the car. Car starts off great. After 5-10 seconds the engine starts to stumble almost dies. I blip the throttle a little bit (not the first time this has happened, so this is a habitual reaction to the stumbling) engine revs higher and seems ok. I let up on the clutch and start to move out of my garage (detatched garage). Once I get moving it stumbles again and almost dies. I blip the throttle again and sit for a few seconds while I hit my garage door button on my visor. I start to move again and no stumbling now. This is how it usually goes.

However, every once in a while though there is more to the story. This is the extra stuff that happens too. While my car is having the starting issue my Automatic temp control starts out at full blast. It doesn't matter what temp I have it set at it stays full blast. This only happens when I have it set in auto mode. If I decrease the fan speed, it will decrease. So all those function work, its just the auto temp control doesn't work as designed. I think coolant temp sensor might be off, not sure. But after a thorough warm up and restart it works ok.

Then the last thing and muse to my posting is when all this happens, the car has no power. Basically everything over 3k has the same amount of power. Almost as if its in Limp Mode. But there are no warning lights on at all. Dash Command doesn't show any error codes either. Even after driving it for 30 min on highway it doesn't have power. I drop a couple gears and go WOT and no discernible difference. Only after turning the car off and restarting will it have power again. When I turn it off and restart its within 5 seconds or so. I don't have to let it set for any length of time. Just restart it and BAM back to the world of POWER!!!

Now I have seen some people with slightly similar issues and they have found a bad DV. However, I am still using the GFB DV+, so rest assured I do not have a torn DV.




So, after reading through threads upon threads, I haven't found anything that fits my scenario quite the same. Of course I could have skimmed past one as after reading that many posts your brain starts to melt. Anyone else ever have something similar to this that wasn't the DV? Like I mentioned at the start, I'm still suspecting the HPFP, but all the other symptoms of a HPFP haven't happened to me yet.


For all those that read all of this, I really appreciate it.

 

Ok happened again today. I expected it too as well. Another thought I had. I have the cold weather intake manifold already. But, what if its not doing the job its supposed to? Perhaps all those little ports are plugged with oil junk and not keeping the moisture from freezing on the throttle body? I'll have to take it apart some time and peek at it.

 

no idea, but jeez.. our minis do not like the cold lol.

 

Well, I figured out one part of my problem. The lack of power had become consistant. Warm or not I just didn't have power beyond 3k. Possibly before. But I started hearing a vibration noise from under the hood that I've never heard before. Well after a very dissapointing run on the highway I stopped at my buddies house. Popped the hood and found the air inlet hose had popped off the turbo!!

It would seem when I took off my catch can to drain it last weekend I routed the catch can hose the wrong way and it was pushing the inlet tube off the turbo. So a quick reroute and and retightening, it feels good as new again.

But that still leaves the stumble and almost dieing up in the air as that was happening before anyway.

 

check the intercooler & piping

 

Everything good there. It runs fine once warm, and it doesn't stumble every morning, just the super cold mornings. Except, it was ok today at -8*. But I didn't drive it for a day and a half before it was so cold. I really think its just the HPFP on a very slow death. But then again, it could be vacuum related I guess. Based on the theroy there is a leak until it warms up and seals or hoses stop leaking, wherever it may be.