Good evening gents. I wonder if anyone can cast any light on my starting hiccups.

 

'04 plate 1.4L Elegance 16v DOHC 55KW BBY engine Automatic.

 

Starts fine from cold,but if run for about half mile and stopped,on restart fires and stops. With some throttle on and holding the key it will restart.(gauge still reads cold)

If I start form cold and run to the local service station ,just over a mile, it restarts perfectly normally.(gauge has left cold position, just)

Yesterday I started it from cold moved it 20 yards in my drive and  switched off. Half hour later restarted OK,and moved back the 20 yards.

This morning refused to start,smelt very rich. Eventually after lots of cranking started and ran perfectly all day.

Temperature guage reaches just short (the width of the needle) of midway, and the heater blows hot air.

All warning lights go out and stay out. 

Idle on cold start is about 1200rpm and on hot start about 750rpm.

 

I'm thinking coolant temp sensor as my first move...any other/better suggestions?

Yes coolant temp sensor would be my first guess (if I had to guess that is)

also give the throttle body and egr pipework a good clean out as sometimes the gunge around the throttle body will cause bad starting too