318is Not Starting

Wed Dec 05, 2007 4:06 pm

Hi

Last night I tried to start the car and turns over but does not fire at all. Spark plugs are wet with fuel but when I take a plug lead off and leave on top of valve cover I get no spark. Any ideas?

Battery is strong. New Bosch one in Jan this year. Always starts first time hot or cold. Had been left for about 48 hours without driving.

Thanks

Wed Dec 05, 2007 4:47 pm

Got it started. Had to really put my foot down and eventually started. Ran like a pig for first few seconds ie about 300rpm and really lumpy. After few seconds gave it a rev and spin up the road and now fine. Also restarts without a hiccup.

Now I come to think of it it has done this to some degree before. Whenever it is left for few days, especcially in damp weather, it will be hesitant to start and run really lumpy for first few minutes. No other running problems and the fuel pump sounds very quiet so don't think there is problem there.

Wed Dec 05, 2007 5:20 pm

I have this problem when i leave my car for a few days, the first time it flooded so bad i had to leave the plugs out for several hours to let all the fuel evaporate

I think its to do with the ECU over-compensating for the cold or something like that. now when i try to start it after sitting for a while i disconnect the fuel pump first - pain in the arse. hopefully someone knows a fix?

Wed Dec 05, 2007 9:31 pm

Sounds like an injector or two may be leaking fuel into the engine when its parked.
The next time you're going to leave it parked for a long time, stop the engine by pulling out fuse 11, switch off the ignition, and put 11 back in.
See if this helps, although it still won't start for a couple of seconds, as there will be no fuel pressure in the fuel rail at first.

Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:04 pm

Any other way of telling if injectors leaking? Do they wear out then? Expensive / difficult to replace?

Thanks for your help.

Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:29 pm

Follow BrianMoooore's suggestion above. Pulling out fuse 11 will de-pressurise the fuel system, so if you do have a leaky injector it won't drip fuel into the bore when you park up. When you leave the car for a while and replace fuse 11, if it still doesn't start properly then chances are it's NOT a leaky injector...

Mon Dec 10, 2007 9:13 pm

My car is slow to start too but only when it is stopped for around a half hour or so.

It starts straight away in the mornings though

Thought it could be an injector but from reading ye're posts that would seem to only effect it when stopped for long periods...