Hesitant starting issue?

[Shrimpvende]

So I've had my car a few days now and got to grips with it's unique personality (read little problems)...

Something that has me a bit stumped is that when I try and start it after driving it somewhere and leaving it for a while (so not completely cooled) when I come to start it again it just sort of splutters into life. Fires straight away when I press the button but just sort of coughs at about 500rpm a couple of times until I give it a little blip and it returns to normal tickover. It's done it a few times but did it yesterday to the point where I got warning lights and engine went into limp mode. Ignition off and back on again and it started fine.

It also generally doesn't seem to start with as much of a flare as I was expecting. It may be from my experience with all the brand new V8's while working at the factory but it just seems a little lethargic. Has anyone experienced this or have any ideas? I don't think it's battery related - could be starter motor not turning it over quick enough? Or maybe a fuel pressure issue?

It doesn't happen from cold (i.e first start of the day) nor when its only been switched off for 10 mins or so

[tonyhall38]

Could be dirty throttle bodies.....

[Shrimpvende]

Thanks Tony,

Just checked and throttle body looks clean enough and the butterfly valve moves freely enough. I thought I might have had a quick fix there

[Fullmel]

Sounds like a leaking fuel injector.

[silverspeed]

how old is the car ? Could be coil packs ?

[embdenb]

Sounds like a fuel pressure problem. If the fuel pressure is not held by the check valve in the fuel rail at the injectors it boils at shutdown and remains difficult to start until it coos down

[hashluck]

Agree, sounds like a fuel vapourisation problem however caused

[Shrimpvende]

Unfortunately still no further on solving this one

I managed to get the car hooked up to diagnostics equipment by a friend from Gaydon, all codes cleared and engine run on the computer to go through the 5 min check procedure. Absolutely nothing in the way of fault codes. Checked fuel pressures, could see that it was priming properly on turning the ignition and then bleeding off once primed. We were both a little stumped. He had a good look over it and couldn't really find anything wrong.

The car has done almost 64k so I'm now wondering if it could be something as simple as spark plugs? I know they're due at 70k. Not sure what else it could be that wouldn't throw up a code - I would have thought that would rule out most sensors?

[dbs2000]

When were the plugs & coil packs last serviced. While it may say 70,000 it's usually accompanied with a "or 5 years"