What fixed this for me was fixing the advance on the distributor. It was
sticking from lack of lubrication. I used QD electronics cleaner spray to
thoroughly flush the distributor, then added a few drops of light oil to
the little felt under the rotor. Let it run like that for a week, then
added a few more drops of oil to the felt.

Since then I've not had a cold start issue.

I suspect that the interior of the distributor had gotten dirty and just
gummed things up. Doing this also fixed an issue where I could not get good
acceleration as well. It was almost like have a carb with a bad accel pump.

YMMV.

On Saturday, November 5, 2016, Roy Nicholl <RNicholl@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

> I presume among the obvious things, you tested your battery?
>
> > On 05-Nov-2016, at 15:03, Dan N <dn92610@GMAIL.COM <javascript:;>>
> wrote:
> >
> > more info on my '88 Carat 2.1 WBX
> >
> > we bought it 2 years ago, not running. We have following done on the
> engine
> > :
> >
> > - honed cylinders, new piston rings
> > - new AMC heads with upgraded valves
> > - new lifters
> > - new hoses all around
> > - fuel injectors cleaned and calibrated
> > - new clutch
> > - new radiator and rad. fan switch
> > - new water pump
> > - new thermostat
> > - new temp2 sensor
> > - new cat convertor and O2 sensor
> >
> > so it's not the compression on the engine... it looks like when turning
> it
> > for the day something didn't wake up the next  the morning till the 1st
> > (hard) start up
> >
> > thanks
> >
> > dan
>