When I start my car in the morning or after work, it idles at 1500+ RPM! I don't understand why. If I start it warm, it idles at 550-600. I don't know if it's related to my cold engine starting problem (takes forever to start, like you had a low battery - even though the gauge reads 12+V)

 

mine idles at about 1200 when I first start it but when I turn the air on it drops to about 600.... I dont make much of it. You might want to get an idle pully witch will help the engine idle normaly....

 

the initial high idle is just the warm up loop. after a min the idle shoudl go down to normal.
as far as the hard start it may just be the car waiting for full fuel pressure to reach the injectors. our cars are supposed the be able to hold pressure in the fuel lines but over time the check valve in teh fuel pump will get a little beat. try turning the key to the run/accessary position and counting to 10 before you try to start it. tha twill give the fuel enough time to fill the lines.

later
tim

 

NJ,

When I start it it will idle for over 5 min at high rpm. I let it sit there while I got ready for work last week to test. It didn't go down until I dropped it into gear and drove around. If I pop it into gear and back out it goes back to 1500+

Also, I tried leaving it in acc for a while before starting. I even tried making sure the radio, ac and everything were all off.

The weird part is, all that hard starting will drain teh batt down to just below 10V but never kills it. At least not thus far.

 

I don't think that's right...we have the same TBI and mine doesn't work that way. The fuel pump will prime the lines/regulator/injectors for 2 (two) seconds after the ignition has been switched to 'ON.' After that, it shuts off until you turn the key off and back on. I have watched this event on a fuel pressure guage. When the key goes on, the pressure shoots up to running PSI, then after 2 seconds, the regulator slowly lets fuel into the return line and the fuel pressure falls to zero after about 30 seconds. Waiting 10 seconds won't help anything - might actually hurt his ability to start the car. If you want to prime the system properly, turn the key on, let the pump cycle, then turn it off and repeat. Otherwise, the pressure will just die out.

 

Sounds like either a bad 02 sensor or throttle position sensor(TPS). They should shoot codes and your SES light should be on.

 

No SES or codes, I've tried resetting the ECM as well.
I have an open air assembly with a 3.16x14" K&N in it
I have not found any leaks in the intake