I have a 1999 Protege with a 1.6L (manual tranny).

I notice that if I start my car regularly (i.e.- do not press gas pedal and just turn key on) and drive off, my car is not very 'spirited'. It is as if there is a loss of a couple of horses.

However, If I pump the gas pedal a couple of times before I start the car, my car seems to be running at a more 'spirited' level. I have no engine mods (yet).

I know I am not dreaming this up, but I could be wrong. Do our engines run lean?

Do you think the MAF sensor could be a factor?

Just wondering!

 

You are dreaming it up.

If a car has EFI, pressing the gas pedal when the engine is off does absolutely nothing. And no, our engines don't run lean when driven hard. In fact, they generally run too rich.

 

Like carguycw said, there is no effect on EFI cars. You´re imagining it.

Pumping the gas before turning on a car was something you used to do on carburated cars. On an old Corolla I used to own, I had to do that to engage the choke, so it would crank easier, and idle faster while it warmed up.

 

what year corolla did you own? I used to have an 82 corolla 1.8 SR5 and I always had to do the same thing or it would die. I miss that car. I had to send it to the junk yard for $85 (but I only paid $300 for it, and I used it for like 2 years)

 

It was an 85 Corolla LE (four door, 1.3L... I think). It was ssslllloooowww.... but INCREADIBLY reliable, roomy, and pretty comfortable. I bought it used in 93 with about 100,000 miles on it, and in the 6 years I owned it, I put in another 50,000 miles.

It only failed ONCE and that was the MECHANIC´S FAULT, because he left some air in the clutch lines when I got the clutch replaced after it wore out at about 120,000 miles.

I bought it in 93 for about $3,000 and sold it in 99 for about $1,000. I think it ended up being a great deal.