Hi all.

Before I give up on my 1995 Favorit GLXiE completely perhaps somebody here can offer some advice?

Symptoms are:

Usually starts normally when cold but on the occasions when it doesn't catch first time I can get it to start if I'm quick enough to push the accelerator down a little, otherwise it will start on the next attempt but "winds up" one cylinder at a time, as below.

Usually starts normally when hot.

If half-hot and switched off will sometimes restart but usually has an attempt at starting, like a cough, then just spins over as though the fuel's been cut. This happens at random intervals but seems to go through "patches"; sometimes it'll behave for weeks then it'll play up every time I drive it (outside temperature related?). When it's half-hot I have to wait until it cools down at least until the temperature needle is down to the small gap near the bottom of the gauge's painted line then the car will start gradually, one cylinder at a time, then run normally.

It's using a lot of fuel generally!

I think it's one of the sensors (air temp, water temp, tps... any more?) but I don't know how to test them and I can't afford to trial and error it even if the parts are available.

Any ideas chaps?

Si

could be lambda sensor, also check the exhaust for blows around the manifold and down pipe, these leaking can send odd readings to the lambda sensor

Sounds like it could be, having now looked at the symptoms of a failure, but would it work intermittently? Also, doesn't the o2 sensor not work properly until it gets hot anyway? Would a dead/dying o2 sensor cause the (quite infrequent) cold starting problem when the mixture has to be rich anyway?

I'll whip it off and test it with a blowtorch tomorrow.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Si

check coolant temp switch, located at the back of the inlet manifold. the clutch cable tends to hit the connector and brake the wiring causing open circuit resulting in misfueling.

Thanks to both of you it appears to be running rather well now!

The o2 sensor was reacting very slowly when I tested it with a blowtorch. It would eventually get up to ~0.8v then fall back to -0.2v (minus point 2!) when the heat was removed. Not good. I gave the vents a good blast with the torch and tested it a few more times during this cleaning process. It now reacts really quickly up to 0.9v and then straight down to 0.1v when the heat's removed. Spiffin'! Something to bear in mind

for those whose car fails the MOT on emissions.

The CTS (not the temp sender on the thermostat - the one in the inlet manifold) was behaving oddly in that my meter flashed the resistance for a split second then showed open circuit every time I touched the terminals. A new one has now been fitted and all seems to be well. The car sounds better anyway. The MOT has run out now so any fuelling problems will show up when I get that done, I dare say.

Glad to hear its running better