# Cold start issues on k series engine **URL:** \ **Category:** GENERAL\ **Created:** [April 24, 2025, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567 "2025-04-24T14:30:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Andysaxo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@Andysaxo](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/Andysaxo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/1 "2025-04-24T14:30:40Z")
hello everyone, i am having a never fustrating issue with cold starting on my k24 engine, i can attached logs, maps etc if it help, so once hot it will start better, bnut cold it can be a total nightmare, we have made the trigger wheel a 12-1 now as this seem a get around but it seem to be worst on the k24 than on the k20 i had before. now, what i can see firstly is a bit of volt drop on cranking, but volts do recover, and see unexpected tooth errors on cranking/starting, and also a back fire every now, what i noticed though is the ecu going into afterstart as rpm seems to spike, ive try rasing this but it wasnt happy starting once i rasied it to stop that. it seems there is a common issue with k series triggers on the ecu master black, now would V3 software help in anyway? if anyone wants to help i can send you all the logs and map, once it run it runs really nicely and no trigger errors etc. thanks ---
**Author:** ![Ted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ted](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/Ted)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2025, 8:34pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/2 "2025-05-23T20:34:33Z")
For what it’s worth the cold start on my K20’is usually a nightmare as well, with same symptoms of backfire etc. I assumed it was map related, but am very much a noob with all this stuff and very much on the steepest of learning curves. It is encouraging to hear it’s an almost common issue with the k’s. Thanks for sharing! ---
**Author:** ![Andysaxo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@Andysaxo](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/Andysaxo)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2025, 8:52pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/3 "2025-05-23T20:52:04Z")
Hello, I have actually found a solution to my issue, a good lad called nick from Greece remotely log in and has been though it all and now I have a good cold and hot start. I couldn’t tell you everything he did. But with some playing around etc we have found a good happy medium. Now, I do still have some trigger errors but it definitely now works though it fine and starts up. We took a lot of the cranking extra off like batch injector, and use the cranking table with some pulse priming. Also had some issues with dbw crank settings too to help. Also no back firing now also ---
**Author:** ![DMETAY](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.ecumaster.com/dmetay/32/2661_2.png) [@DMETAY](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/DMETAY)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 2:22pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/4 "2026-02-10T14:22:28Z")
Hello Andy, Can you tell us a bit more ? … Or not ? I have +/- the same issue of cold start … Nightmare ---
**Author:** ![ngt](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.ecumaster.com/ngt/32/1162_2.png) [@ngt](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/ngt)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 8:04pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/5 "2026-02-11T20:04:21Z")
Maybe attatch your map and a log file ? ---
**Author:** ![DMETAY](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.ecumaster.com/dmetay/32/2661_2.png) [@DMETAY](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/DMETAY)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 7:18pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/6 "2026-02-18T19:18:41Z")
Sorry, was kinda busy lately. Here the map. logging from Feb 16th. And logging from today. [test\_20260216\_V98.emublog3](https://community.ecumaster.com/uploads/short-url/qWKvZYswi7dmX2sY4JTjglWQcJ2.emublog3) (5.7 MB) [test\_20260218\_verycoldstart\_NOKemublog3.emublog3](https://community.ecumaster.com/uploads/short-url/4Kfg7Lz44ifABwhtKYpb6iuhLmc.emublog3) (2.2 MB) And also the scope that looks good to me (not an expert on EMU). [scope\_2026216\_2115\_testscopeVVT\_invertbothsensors.emubscp3](https://community.ecumaster.com/uploads/short-url/dtw1I2Vd3HUyGI9zq0NfEzMU0x.emubscp3) (588 Bytes) Feb 16th, I worked a lot on starting (cold and then hot). And found something +/- good. Tonight, tried to start? Impossible to start the engine. Tried multiple prime pulse config, cranking fuel % … I am struggling because, from what I see, there is no continuity on the mapping. Feels like lean =\> add fuel on crank =\> flood … Ignition also ---
**Author:** ![Andysaxo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@Andysaxo](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/Andysaxo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 7:34pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/7 "2026-02-18T19:34:43Z")
Hello, my cold start was sorted in the end, few things were done, I was dbw and on start up it had too much thorttle open which was blowing though fuel which caused back fires in the exhaust. Also stop using pulse firing option. Use crank table. It was done by a wizard from Greece I got in contact with! ---
**Author:** ![Andysaxo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@Andysaxo](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/Andysaxo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 7:39pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/8 "2026-02-18T19:39:48Z")
Once we sorted it starting has been very good firing up almost straight away no issues. Only time I had trouble was at very very low coolant temps but its an area we couldn’t test when sorting it. But we took a lot of fuel out the cranking and less open thorttle. But get in facebook and contact nick aristeidopoulos he will sort it ---
**Author:** ![sourcerer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@sourcerer](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/sourcerer)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 8:38pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/9 "2026-02-18T20:38:40Z")
Your cranking airflow is too much, at %3.5 throttle oppening your engine revs up to 2000. you are trying to start engine at %4-%4.8 try to start engine between %2-%2.5 ---
**Author:** ![ngt](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.ecumaster.com/ngt/32/1162_2.png) [@ngt](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/ngt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 2:10am UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/10 "2026-02-19T02:10:56Z")
Problem with Japanese engines is they have huge ports and very low airflow speeds for fuel to vaporize. So throttling down increases vacuum to make fuel more atomized. ---
**Author:** ![DMETAY](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.ecumaster.com/dmetay/32/2661_2.png) [@DMETAY](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/DMETAY)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 7:02pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/11 "2026-02-19T19:02:55Z")
First I was at 3%. Now, I am at 1% during cranking. ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/ecumaster/original/2X/b/bfa8fbd08139a24ac0e7a4a5a3f444e126deb812.png) This was a big improvement, but 2 days later, same problem back again. Do you have logs of a cold start with DBW on this engine ? … Not asking for the map 😅 ---
**Author:** ![Andysaxo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@Andysaxo](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/Andysaxo)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 7:16pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/12 "2026-02-19T19:16:39Z")
You on standard crank pick up ring? As i have modded mine so it 12-1 not 12+1 ---
**Author:** ![DMETAY](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.ecumaster.com/dmetay/32/2661_2.png) [@DMETAY](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/DMETAY)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/13 "2026-02-19T20:07:26Z")
On standard pick up 12+1 ---
**Author:** ![sourcerer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@sourcerer](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/sourcerer)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 10:11pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/14 "2026-02-19T22:11:10Z")
Cranking air flow has different map then dbw map you should adjust it from there. Also becareful cranking air flow percentage not dbw percentage it is idle air percentage. ---
**Author:** ![DMETAY](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.ecumaster.com/dmetay/32/2661_2.png) [@DMETAY](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/DMETAY)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 4:43pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/15 "2026-02-20T16:43:34Z")
This is valid in case of airflow actuator activated. In my map, the airflow actuator is disabled. Or am I missing a point ? … Much more possible ---
**Author:** ![Andysaxo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@Andysaxo](https://community.ecumaster.com/u/Andysaxo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2026, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.ecumaster.com/t/cold-start-issues-on-k-series-engine/3567/16 "2026-02-20T17:40:05Z")
I am sure on cranking it doesn’t use the dbw map, there a option in cranking for throttle angle Honestly get on fb find nick talk to him he will remote with you and sort it