I have a 2.5 Turbo Subi with a EMS Stinger computer. It is VERY hard to start when the weather is cold (40-50deg) first thing in the morning. On a warm day (65deg+) it is better but not like in a street car where it starts very quickly. I have been told that they can put in a vacuum switch and program it to act like a a vacuum leak to help on clod days. This seams like a sketchy way of fixing the problem. Are there other computers Link, Motec, EMS 4860 ect that would stop the problem or is it the programing of the EMS Stinger that is wrong.

They should be able to reprogram the computer for cold starts. I had the same probelm and Danzio fixed mine for the same thing. It was so bad that I would have to put the engine in the sun in the morning for a little warmth on cold winter mornings. The engine was a 2.2 with Motec (old car)

or you can get a ziptie and put it by the throtttle spring a magggie Click to view attachment<------ I do this for my 2.0 and it usually fires pretty quick and will stay running rather then me having to sit and baby it to keep it from stalling, soon as warms up a bit pull the ziptie out

John at Outback has a tune to take care of that. I spoke to him last New Years about that. He has worked with it a lot. Crarwford Did my Motec and it starts cold or hot. When it is cold don't blip the throttle just let the computer take care of it untill it has warmed up some. If you wing the throttle it will die.

I run the stinger and it starts well in the cold and hot weather.
Also, it may not be in the electronics... If there is no fuel getting to the injectors right away (leak down, or??), it won't start until the fuel arrives.

Mine won't start cold unless I hold about a 1/16inch of throttle, once running, let off really slow, then it will idle at 650 rpm till it warms up. I messed with cold start settings for a whole summer. Come home every night make a change and start it. You really only get one chance per day. Got it pretty close but never production car good. Then it got cold at the desert and started like it did before I started changing things. Really I just need to take the time to play with it when it's cold outside versus 100 degree summers.

We take out the idle air control valve when we convert the engines to sand car use. That idle air control valve allows for 1000rpm cold starts then steps rpm down till warmed up. The tuner that uses a solenoid vacuum valve is doing the same function.

I be interested in seeing one of John's motors start on a cold day.

This tune up was by John in Aug'10. Maybe he has hit on something since then. It would be nice to be able to start up in cold weather durring Thanksgiving and New Years.

about the size of a ziptie

I remember reading about the zip tie trick. Just never got around to use it. Standing there for a minute isn't that big of a deal.

I had a Link ECU and had the same problem. Then I put a Megasquirt on it and now it runs like it's from the factory. Plus, a megasquirt will control the factory IAC if you choose to use one (I don't). BTW, I live in North Texas and even in 20 degree weather with E85 it starts up just fine.

I have been putting a dime between the throttle & the stop during cold start, Take it off after 2 minutes & let it idle.works for me everytime.

zip tie worked for me. i also turned down the idle screw just a hair. warm idle at 1000-1050 RPM

Might be a dumb question but why is nobody running an IAC?

Hey Alex! Actually it's a Haltech computer. Not around anymore and John can't/won't work on it. One of these days I will get a new computer. I have the same problem though. When it's cold, it won't start on it's own. I give it a tiny bit of throttle, then I can back off of it almost immediately and it warms up on it's own just fine.

Still love the car! Done our family well.