Difficulty Starting
Discussion
Right, ran into this last weekend - a little troubling. Is this the hot start issue or something else? 1993 Chimaera 430.
1. Sunday morning, got the Chim out to take it to a show in Brooklyn. No problem starting from cold
2. Drove 15 minutes, parked up while other attendees arrived, shut off the motor
3. Ten min later, went back to move the car. It cranked for ~20s, no catch. Let off it for a few seconds, cranked again, pumped the gas this time - finally it caught, ran normally while I moved it
4. Let the car sit for probably 4 hours during the show
5. Got in to drive home - started as normal! Drove 15 min back to the garage
6. Parked up at the garage, cut the engine. Let it sit for a minute, tried to start - again, caught right away!
What does this sound like to you all? Far as I can tell everything else was normal - no temp issues, maybe 5 months since a fluid change and tune, car has been on a trickle charger the past month...? Previous owner said that he had never had hot start issues, but unclear whether that means he just never ran into them or whether the car was treated to prevent it...
Instagram link to my shots of the show, in case anyone wants to see the Chimaera surrounded by people who have no idea what it is
1. Sunday morning, got the Chim out to take it to a show in Brooklyn. No problem starting from cold
2. Drove 15 minutes, parked up while other attendees arrived, shut off the motor
3. Ten min later, went back to move the car. It cranked for ~20s, no catch. Let off it for a few seconds, cranked again, pumped the gas this time - finally it caught, ran normally while I moved it
4. Let the car sit for probably 4 hours during the show
5. Got in to drive home - started as normal! Drove 15 min back to the garage
6. Parked up at the garage, cut the engine. Let it sit for a minute, tried to start - again, caught right away!
What does this sound like to you all? Far as I can tell everything else was normal - no temp issues, maybe 5 months since a fluid change and tune, car has been on a trickle charger the past month...? Previous owner said that he had never had hot start issues, but unclear whether that means he just never ran into them or whether the car was treated to prevent it...
Instagram link to my shots of the show, in case anyone wants to see the Chimaera surrounded by people who have no idea what it is
Hot coil failure is one reasonable suggestion.
Usually happens if you get car and coil hot then turn off. Leave 10 mins is enough for heat soak to get coil very warm and it fails to give a fat spark on the next crank. Leave to cool and it works ok.
It’s similar to immobiliser relay failure as in it usually shows itself after a short stop when engines hot, won’t re start but seems to work fine as little as 1/2 hr later.
Immobiliser problems usually means no cranking or fuel pump prime but mine used to prime but not release starter circuit.
Another suggestion would be a weak or failing fuel pump but that’s rare in truth.
Check fuel pressure at the valve on fuel rail if in doubt.
Usually happens if you get car and coil hot then turn off. Leave 10 mins is enough for heat soak to get coil very warm and it fails to give a fat spark on the next crank. Leave to cool and it works ok.
It’s similar to immobiliser relay failure as in it usually shows itself after a short stop when engines hot, won’t re start but seems to work fine as little as 1/2 hr later.
Immobiliser problems usually means no cranking or fuel pump prime but mine used to prime but not release starter circuit.
Another suggestion would be a weak or failing fuel pump but that’s rare in truth.
Check fuel pressure at the valve on fuel rail if in doubt.
Belle427 said:
Does foot on the loud pedal possibly suggest overfuelling thus introducing more air to get it going?
Or even not enough air through the stepper?
Just guesses really.
10 years of running 48,000 miles in a Chimaera tells me that mine always did tend to overfuel on start up, fouling up the plugs and making (particularly) re-starting when warm an issue. I did have the hot start issue when I bought the car - absolute no response to turning the key when the engine was warm unless I waited 15 -20 minutes. That was long enough to realise it wasn't going to start, push it out of the way, call the RAC, sit and fume for a few minutes and then "just one more try".Or even not enough air through the stepper?
Just guesses really.
I have changed the plugs to warmer ones (in NGK speak, 6s) to reduce plug fouling, junked the distributor, stepper and the ECU and gone for coil packs and an Emerald ECU, and that helps (at a cost). I still sometimes have occasional starting issues compared to my wife's Saab of the same vintage, but it does always start, perhaps with a cough and a splutter.
Just leaning in the door and turning the key has a 50/50 chance of success - if it does start, it often stutters and stalls again first time. so you do need foot on the loud pedal to catch the revs and then blow the s
t out of the cylinders.Also, always waiting for the fuel pump to stop priming is essential - if you try the starter motor before that you have much reduced chances of starting because you may not have sufficient fuel pressure. And a big chance of flooding it with the fuel that does get through.
Might be an air leak. Fine when cold (everything tight) but when warm gap(s) open up.
Easy to check. Spray some easy start or brake cleaner into the plenum next time it does it. Take the vacuum pipe off and this should do.
If it fires and run then you can rule out ignigiton. Might still be fuel but also an air leak, plenum or base.
I had a hot start issue on an S (all be it a Cologne) and it was an air leak on the plenum. As it is such an easy test worth doing.
Easy to check. Spray some easy start or brake cleaner into the plenum next time it does it. Take the vacuum pipe off and this should do.
If it fires and run then you can rule out ignigiton. Might still be fuel but also an air leak, plenum or base.
I had a hot start issue on an S (all be it a Cologne) and it was an air leak on the plenum. As it is such an easy test worth doing.
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