Not a good start...Should I be worried?

[Alison]

I got in my car to come to work this morning, and it struggled to start - it did though.  And I gave it a good telling off! Think I should be worried?

[banned advertiser]

Depends why
was if slightly flooded?
did it smokw a lot once started?
was there a sweet smell in fumes?
Did the water buzzer come on or water level drop?
Was the battery fully charged?
So many things on what could be a one off or just a simple fix

[Alison]

Ok thanks...urm
I Don\'t know about flooding..
Smoke- Yes
Normal smell
No water buzzer etc
Had no battery problems before, but haven\'t had the car long!
 

[sadgoth]

what colour was the smoke? Did it clear after a while?

If the smoke was white and it cleared after a bit then sounds like a case of slight flooding

[Martiny]

Most likely a sparkplug "fouled" - this is what causes the flooding - when where the sparkplugs replaced?

[Alison]

Yeah white smoke that cleared, I wasn\'t too worried about that.
 
It had (Or should have had) a full service at the garage we got it from just before I bought it - one of the conditions of us buying it - so beginning of June. But I suppose that doesn\'t mean that they actually did it...

[Teighto]

always make sure they give you the old parts !!  

That way you will knoiw wether it has been changed ?

[Martiny]

Can you let us know what sparkplugs are in there? ... yes, we need all the numbers and everything!..

To help prevent it happening again,

When turning off:
1) gently get revs to about 2 or 3 K.
2)while holding the revs turn the key off, but floor the accelerator at exactly the same time. Keep pedal down until engine stops turning.

[Alison]

Right I\'ll see if my fella can have a look at the Spark Plugs and let you know.
 
I\'ll remember that, thanks Martiny.

[d6277n]

Martiny - out of interest what does that little trick do?

Ta,

Chris.

[Grizzly]

it would not be the first time Plugs have been left because the guys doing the service could not find them on a Rotary also if the plug leads are Original make sure they have not damaged them pulling them off the plugs (they often stick on and take a bit of persuasion to get off (often its easier to just rag the lead off)

Yep there are some truly bright Mechanics out there.

[Grizzly]

Out of intrest, when you put it away before the bad starting problem, was it hot when you parked it up? (been out for a run etc)

Quite often Fd\'s don\'t like being moved a few feet when there cold and left overnight, its something to do with the amount of fuel it puts in when its cold and if you turn off during this cycle it just sits in the baths until you try starting it next morning (hence the exess fuel and very rich mixture).

[adib]

you did not put your foot on the gas before you tryed to start it , did that with mine when first had it and flooded it, sat there for a hour before it started

[Alison]

Out of intrest, when you put it away before the bad starting problem, was it hot when you parked it up? (been out for a run etc)
 
Quite often Fd\'s don\'t like being moved a few feet when there cold and left overnight, its something to do with the amount of fuel it puts in when its cold and if you turn off during this cycle it just sits in the baths until you try starting it next morning (hence the exess fuel and very rich mixture).

Yeah I\'d just come home back home from work, so it had been running maybe 20 minutes before I parked up. I try not to start it just to move a small distance \'cause I\'d been told about that problem before.

[Alison]

you did not put your foot on the gas before you tryed to start it , did that with mine when first had it and flooded it, sat there for a hour before it started

No, not conciously anyway, - it started fiiine this morning anyway...maybe just a one-off ??