Car: 2009 Toyota Matrix 1.8L Manual 5 speed 203,000 miles
Upkept to manufacturers suggested specs.
New: Radiator, Sperpentine belt, water pump, thermostat, spark plugs, coils, battery starter,, solenoid, and air filter.
Cleaned: Throttle body / air intake hose and sensor, and radiator hoses. All of which were blown dry before reconnecting.
Problem: super rough start. -If it starts it takes an avg. of 8 tries, or 3 tries after starter fluid is sprayed into the air intake hose, and it has a hellatious idle (requiring a bit of flirting with the throttle at traffic lights.)
Owner /Driver /me: Saved a ton of money in the past thanks to Mr. Kilmer and his entertaining information station on the youtubes, as I have never bought a new car and have been committed to the stylings of the PT Cruiser and Chevy HHR, due to their utilitarian offerings to a musician and starving artist such as myself. My first car as a teen of the late 90's was a toyota Carolla which I traded for my first PT Cruiser and now 2 PT's and 3 HHR's later, I've come across a Toyota Matrix at the right time, place, and price. Bought at 198,000 (which is the first car I've ever bought with more than 80 000 miles on it). Unfortunately I was hit-and-run on at traffic light on the day of purchase, but every thing seemed cosmetic and fixable. 3 months later and it's my turn to bother Mr. Kilmer.
What else can I do to save this machine from turning on it, myself?
All the best to you and your'n,
C.
That's a long list of things you've checked, but I don't see adequate fuel delivery - fuel pump output/pressure, fuel lines, injectors. Problems there would give these kind of symptoms.
Glen_stet, thank you for the help!
Easy moves first: Feul system treated last night with Lucas HM, and so I'll return to these suggestions after vacuum and pressure concerns are weighed.
Scan for codes first and see what you get.
Doc, thank you for the reply.
The codes prompted me to the plugs and coils. First to coil 4 and then to coil 3, and then random multiple misfiring and so, all four replaced at once, along with plugs. Codes went away. 2 days later (now 3 days) and they are back, and so checked them all again, and all in working order. Perfectly torqued back into place but problem persists.
What were ALL the codes that you got?
Have you checked for vacuum leaks?
RussellJKelly81, thank you for your help. After hours on youtube, I figured I'd find a diagram of all hoses and lines to check. But I am here to tell you that finding a diagram of such for my 2009 Matrix / Carolla 1.8L engine has proven far more difficult than I imagined it would be. Any suggestion?
As long as all the hoses are present I just do one at a time that way I don't need a diagram...one thing you don't want to do is start pulling things off without knowing where they belong/having them marked.
If you head down to the local parts store & pick up a chilton manual I imagine the diagram will be in there, if not they'll have a diagram on there parts counter computer which most places print out for free.
These guys MIGHT have it as I noticed alot of vacuum diagrams on there, I'd e-mail customer service & ask if they have a diagram so you can "identify what you need to buy". Sometimes online companies don't share unless they think you plan to buy....
The misfire problem seems to be fuel, not ignition related. Get your fuel pump pressure tested for proper delivery pressure, replace the fuel filter. If necessary, pressure clean or replace the injectors. You may be showing a misfire code (electrical) caused by a fuel related problem.