Hi. Can anyone help out with some advice? Car was missing partic at low revs - ran ok at cruising speed. Then became hard to start. Took starter motor out and oiled shaft and cog that connects with ring gear. - no real difference. Replaced plugs and HT leads - now seems to run smoothly. Battery ok. Turns engine over fine but only starts about once in every 10-20 attempts. Engine appears to fire after a couple of seconds only and throws the starter motor out but does not catch and start. I've heard somewhere about the CPS - Crank Position Sensor - could it be a problem with this?

so once it starts it is perfect, and the only problem is that it wont start very often or easily?

that could definately be the CPS (do diagnostics check), or low compression (do comression check), or an intermittent ecu or immobiliser fault (do diagnostics check).

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. Sorry new to the site so I've posted on the Fiat forum as well. I've just discovered that if I hold the key the starter motor keeps turning over even though the cog appears to disengage with the flywheel as the engine doesn't get turned over anymore. Once it starts, eventually, it runs perfectly. Yes, it won't start very often or easily. Seems to take at least a dozen goes. If it doesn't catch in the first couple of seconds before the cog disengages, then it won't start. How do I do a diagnostic check for the CPS?

your starter must be shagged, probably the bendix is damaged so either get it reconditioed or get one from a scrappy's and change it. Only then can you investigate any other difficult starting issues..

Owen.

yeah it does sound like the starter motor is to blame. easily swapped with one from a scrapyard, should cost £10-20.

Ok - I'll do that for a start - thanks very much you guys - I'll let you know how I get on. Although, when I took the thing off to lightly oil the shaft the cog (bendix?) didn't look too bad.

the cog turns and also gets pushed out slightly to engage the engine's cog. it sounds like yours is turning but not getting pushed out to engage the engine's cog. thats the second most common starter motor fault, after a sticking solenoid.

Problem solved, got a reconditioned starter! Had a lot of trouble finding a second hand one from a wreckers.
Thanks for your help.