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Fabia SDI intermittently won't start first time


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Hi all - this is my first post here having trawled through the site looking at related issues!  

I've been having an intermittent problem with my newly acquired Skoda Fabia SDI 1.9 Diesel (2003) - it was a private sale so unfortunately I cannot take it back to the dealer. Apart from the problems described below the car runs perfectly and has no other issues. It has done 75K miles. 

Symptoms

When starting from cold (i.e. the engine hasn't been run recently and so the engine is not up to temperature - regardless of the air temperature outside), after waiting until the heater plug light goes out on the dash, the engine either:

i) Turns over as normal, then splutters at very low revs for a second or 2 before idling normally as it should
ii) Turns over as normal, then splutters at very low revs for a second or 2 before stalling. When trying a second time after this has occured the engine always starts as described in (i) 

 

Attempts to solve the problem

  • Accelerator flat on the floor whilst starting - seems to make no difference 
  • Replaced the heater plugs with a new set (as far as I know they have never been changed since new) - again no improvement. 

Does anyone have an inkling as to what might be causing this? I am a moderately capable mechanic so anything i can try myself would be awesome, otherwise a trip to the garage may be due...

 

Equally if anyone has any recommendations for a decent garage in the Ealing/Twickenham/Isleworth/Brentford area that would be great! 

 

Thanks in advance! :) 

 

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I don't know much about the SDI engine but it does sound like it could be a problem with the fuel system such as a loose pipe somewhere letting air into the system giving hard starting.

 

How long does it have to sit before you get the issue. Is it just when the engine has cooled down or is it overnight

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I don't know much about the SDI engine but it does sound like it could be a problem with the fuel system such as a loose pipe somewhere letting air into the system giving hard starting.

 

How long does it have to sit before you get the issue. Is it just when the engine has cooled down or is it overnight

Thanks for the quick reply! 

It is when the engine is cold - i.e. the problem has occurred when I have left the car sitting for anything from 2-3 hours. 

I did have a nosey around under the bonnet and couldn't spot anything obvious... Will take another look tomorrow though (assuming this rain stops). 

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  • 1 month later...

just the Diesel treatment, this solution will eliminate the water that can be the source of the problem ...

I ran a full tank of diesel with Wynn's diesel treatment added and unfortunately still no improvement. Also checked for loose hoses etc. and nothing obvious! Thanks for the tips in any case.

Any other tips or things to check would be hugely welcome! The car is still running great over a thousand miles later but 2 attempts at starting + white smoke can be slightly embarrassing at times!

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Snake oil didn't cure your problem? That's a shock.

As stated right at the top of this thread it sounds like air is being drawn into the fuel supply somewhere, such a small leak would be extremely difficult to spot with your eyes,

Also consider changing the ECT sensor, these are not reliable over time and can age badly, cheap and easy to do.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Snake oil didn't cure your problem? That's a shock.

As stated right at the top of this thread it sounds like air is being drawn into the fuel supply somewhere, such a small leak would be extremely difficult to spot with your eyes,

Also consider changing the ECT sensor, these are not reliable over time and can age badly, cheap and easy to do.

 

Thanks. I've taken another look and still can't see any leaks in the fuel supply, and all the fuel pipes are connected securely. is there anywhere you can think of to check that isn't obvious just from opening up the bonnet and taking a good look?

I will be changing the fuel filter at the weekend to check it isn't that (even though it has had a new one fitted recently).  

The other suggestion from a mechanic was that the catalytic converter is blocked (and airflow is restricted) - when we put the car through an MOT it struggled to get a reading on the emissions machine due to lack of airflow out of the exhaust, even at high revs so this is what gave us the idea. Just putting your hand over the exhaust it does seem like there is very little coming out the back. At the mechanic's suggestions I've bought some Cataclean (meant to clean out your catalytic converter) so will be trying that this weekend. Just to be clear he is a mate and wasn't trying to make me buy something from him. I'll post here with the results. 

Failing all of this I will replace the ECT sensor but as the thermometer on the dash seems to work perfectly I'd be surprised if this was the issue (please correct me if I'm missing something here). 

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I had almost these exact same symptoms on my 1.9 SDI after the cambelt was changed by a garage which managed to get the mechanical fuel pump a tooth out. A small adjustment and it was back to perfect again.

 

I would get the timing checked.

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Thanks. I've taken another look and still can't see any leaks in the fuel supply, and all the fuel pipes are connected securely. is there anywhere you can think of to check that isn't obvious just from opening up the bonnet and taking a good look?

I will be changing the fuel filter at the weekend to check it isn't that (even though it has had a new one fitted recently).  

The other suggestion from a mechanic was that the catalytic converter is blocked (and airflow is restricted) - when we put the car through an MOT it struggled to get a reading on the emissions machine due to lack of airflow out of the exhaust, even at high revs so this is what gave us the idea. Just putting your hand over the exhaust it does seem like there is very little coming out the back. At the mechanic's suggestions I've bought some Cataclean (meant to clean out your catalytic converter) so will be trying that this weekend. Just to be clear he is a mate and wasn't trying to make me buy something from him. I'll post here with the results. 

Failing all of this I will replace the ECT sensor but as the thermometer on the dash seems to work perfectly I'd be surprised if this was the issue (please correct me if I'm missing something here). 

 

A collapsed cat wouldn't affect the starting but it would make it run like a slug prone to stalling and lacking in power. It's not that.

 

If the fuel filter has been changed recently then that's the most like source of an air leak, the seal may not have been replaced or may not be sealing properly. Check this thoroughly.

 

The ECT sensor doesn't directly provide the information for the dash gauge, the ECU does, it can be very many degrees out and still give a sensible dash reading. It probably isn't this but it's cheap and easy to replace.

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I had almost these exact same symptoms on my 1.9 SDI after the cambelt was changed by a garage which managed to get the mechanical fuel pump a tooth out. A small adjustment and it was back to perfect again.

 

I would get the timing checked.

Thanks for the tip! 

Interestingly I did get the Cam belt changed as soon as I bought the car (not sure if it had the symptoms before that or not), so will definitely be getting the timing checked! 

 

 

A collapsed cat wouldn't affect the starting but it would make it run like a slug prone to stalling and lacking in power. It's not that.

 

If the fuel filter has been changed recently then that's the most like source of an air leak, the seal may not have been replaced or may not be sealing properly. Check this thoroughly.

 

The ECT sensor doesn't directly provide the information for the dash gauge, the ECU does, it can be very many degrees out and still give a sensible dash reading. It probably isn't this but it's cheap and easy to replace.

 

Thanks again for the info - will definitely swap out the ECT seeing as it is cheap and easy, and will be really thorough when fitting the new fuel filter. 

Will keep you updated! 

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  • 2 months later...

**Resolved**

Turns out one injector was knackered, and another was starting to go. 

Thanks everyone for your suggestions - I now know a lot more about my car than when i bought it. 

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