Evening all.

Newbie here trying to fix my wifes punto and hoping for some advice. (02 plate - 1.2 petrol.)

The car will only start 50% of the time. Normally, when it starts, it really struggles to keep going, and sometimes even cuts out. Other times the car won't start at all. It will struggle to turn over, and stop after a couple of turns.

Ive replaced the HT leads and plugs today (as they needed doing anyway) but that doesnt seem to have helped - as it started first turn, and then when I turned off and tried again, it struggled to even turn over and wouldnt start at all.

Once it does start and gets warmed up, its fine.

I have a few ideas of what it could be, but was hoping for a 2nd opinion from this vast forum!

Thanks in advance.

Nick

would you say the starting problem was related to
poor connections to starter/lazy starter
is there an air leak on the induction side
poor previous maintenance schedule
underlying problem with car
when was it last moted? any emissions issues at the time
is it using more fuel than normal
would you say engine worn
is it using oil
does it struggle on hills
any faults codes showing or pending
have you had an independant assessement of why its a bad starter

very difficult over an internet link to give clear concise reasons for bad starting/stalling but maybe something above might steer you to a conclusion

even something like a poor battery will cause starting problems,even ive had this this week all battery related

If it struggles to turn over, check first battery condition, battery connections, earth connections, connections to starter motor, starter motor.

Nickopolodis said:

Ive replaced the HT leads and plugs today (as they needed doing anyway) but that doesnt seem to have helped - as it started first turn, and then when I turned off and tried again, it struggled to even turn over and wouldnt start at all.

Click to expand...

Before fuel is burnt, an car engine is just a load on an electric motor - the starter motor.

Think about this - if you have no fuel, but a good starter motor system, you can turn the car over for a very long time, until the battery is dead. You could do the same if the HT leads were cut in half, of if there were no plugs at all.

So replacing the HT leads and plugs would definitely not have been my first port of call

I would be getting my battery checked out if I were you firstly. Your symptoms are exactly like mine before I replaced my battery...

check it isnt an earthing issue by using a jump.lead on the engine mount to the neg terminal of battery

if car starts easy peasy everytime its earthing

if it makes no differnece at all i would suspect it been battery too
due to age or poor alternator recharge


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