Felicia 1.3 MPi - poor hot starting

[bazD]

Hi - I'm having grief with the wifes usually trusty Felicia.

If you stop and then want to immediately restart the car (for instance if stalled) the car really struggles badly to start. From a cold start or 'semi warm' (ie: left for 20 mins) it fires fine first time.

Engine is a 1.3 MPi 1997 R reg.

For the record it's got the usual thermostat issue of running cool, but has had good regular servicing otherwise.

Sometimes it feels a bit sluggish/hesitant when pulling away from a cold morning start, but otherwise it's been as good as gold.

I've a few ideas - I'll change the stat for a start, check the plugs and air/fuel filters.

Previously the intake manifold gasket leaked making the mixture very weak but that never caused a starting issue - but I'll check that too.

Any help/ideas very gratefully received.

Cheers !!

[pinkskud]

ok hear we go

clean the throtel bodys, check the gate in the air box (its probly broke) and have a look at the exhust (may have colapsed inside)

hope that helps a bit.

edd

[bazD]

problem now appears solved - the strong smell of petrol on hot starts made me think the car was overfuelling thinking it was doing a cold start.

I had a spare coolant sensor from when I changed the thermostat assembly a few years back so I warmed the engine up and tried a hot start with the suspect sensor still in - no joy at all. Then fitted new one and bingo ! instantly better !

The thermostat now reads warmer than before at just below middle reading too.

Thanks pinkskud for your reply and advice .........