FI hard to start cold

[jimincalif]

My 80 FI used to start right up, now I have to crank for quite a while and play with the gas pedal to get it to fire. Once warmed up it runs great. Started preliminary troubleshooting, checked the AAR (which I replaced earlier this year) it is open when cold. Next I started looking for air leaks, could not find anything obvious, but I snugged all the clamps. Looked at the plenum, one bolt on the aft inboard corner was a bit loose, so I tightened it snug, and worked my way around checking the others, they were all tight. Unfortunately when I got to the last one, the aft of the two long bolts (by the throttle linkage), as soon as I put the socket on it, it snapped. I really was being gentle, I was even holding the socket driver right at the ratchet, as I was just looking to see if it was loose.

It looks to be a 6mm bolt, 1mm thread pitch, a bit under 3.25" maybe 80mm length. Can anyone confirm this? It looks as if the plenum will have to come off to get an extractor in there unless anyone has any other great ideas for me.

On the start issue I will check the cold start valve for voltage and operation next.

Thanks,

Jim

P.S. I'm usually not such a disaster when using tools. Last week I installed a starter relay, didn't break anything else, didn't draw any blood and it works great. Guess this is payback for getting off easy on that one.

[narfire]

Jim - same thing happened to me,one of the long bolts broke off. This past Thurs. I did the nut over top and weld trick. Worked like a charm and good to go. I have to goto Kelowna to get the replacement bolts though,nothing like that in the town of 35,000 here I think that was the size, I'll take one in and match the thred to a nut.

[jimincalif]

I haven't taken the thing apart yet, but holding the broken bolt alongside it doesn't appear I will have any protruding bolt to work with.

McMaster-Carr has 6mm x 80mm bolts available.

[narfire]

Jim, the weld trick works even when the bolt is broken inside the threds.I cleaned a 13mm nut with brake clean put it over the broken bolt hole and a short zap with the wire feeder and cool for a couple of seconds and unscrew.