97 civic starting problem

We have a 97 civic coupe that we passed on to our daughter. It has a strange
problem I can't figure out. Last night we replaced the battery and it
wouldn't start today. I came home and after spending about thirty minutes
checking stuff out while she tried to start it I got in it and tried to
start it giving it a little gas and it sputtered a little and a cloud of
white smoke came out of the tail pipe it and it missed a little and within
10 seconds it was running fine. After I got to thinking I remembered when we
put the battery in it she started it and let it run a few seconds and then
shut it off. I also remembered a couple of times before when I had started
the engine for a few seconds and then let it set overnite it did the same
thing. I can't decide if the engine is sweating and getting moisture in it
or if it is some kind of fuel issue? Any ideas?
Thanks,
Patrick

 

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Patrick,

It sounds like you may have the same trouble described in the 'Cranky
Civic' post, above. Read the description in your owner's manual and
you'll recognize the symptoms of engine flooding.

Same cure. . . .

'Curly'

 

I'm new to cold country (I came from Phoenix) but the locals warned me about
a phenomenon that matches your experience. If the engine is started, run
without warming up and shut off, the water vapor from combustion will
condense on the plugs. In cold weather the water will freeze onto the plugs
and the car won't start in the morning.

Mike

 

If its white smoke its burning coolant(anti Freeze). Head gasket, or coolant
is getting into the intake manifold.

Is the coolant level where its supose to be?

Tom

 

The coolant stays the same, I haven't added any water or antifreeze in
months. I'm thinking it's condensation since it only happens when you don't
let the car warm up but I was also wondering if it could be unburnt fuel
that the motor was too cold to cause to evaporate?

 

do NOT rely on looking at the bottle. if there's an air leak, the level
stays put and contraction just sucks in air, not fluid from the bottle
like it's supposed to.

 

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Ours sputtered for about ten seconds, and blew a huge puff of smoke, but
i can't say what color it was. Possibly black, which would make sense
for a flooded engine.
'Curly'

 

so the head gasket's gone before? without prior symptoms???? you're
not telling the whole story...

regarding your poor start problem, mike answered your question already.

 

I checked it by taking the radiator cap off when the motor was cold and
looking there first and it was full and the reservoir levels stays the same.
If it was a head gasket I don't think it would have gone two years and
30,000 miles since it did it the last time without other symptoms showing up
Thanks,
Patrick

 

The car has had only routine maintenance done on it. Thats all nothing else
has been done to it. After it runs for a few seconds when this happens it
runs so smooth you can't see the motor vibrate. Like I said this only
happens rarely and it always preceded by running the car for a few seconds
and letting it set overnite. We know not to do this but sometimes we
forget.