Technical Punto mkI starting & stalling - Driving (or not!) me mad!

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Technical Punto mkI starting & stalling - Driving (or not!) me mad!

m1t35h

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Jul 7, 2005
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I have a Punto mkI 60 SX which has trouble starting when the engine is warm. It also sometimes stalls when running idle. It always starts from cold and usually start when at high temperature.

I've taken it to a Fiat dealer to have an ECU diagnostics carried out but they found no faults at all! They had a feeling that it could be the TDC sensor but that was also tested and found to have no faults.

Let me tell you what happens when I try to start it: The starter turns the engine over but it does not fire up. With every consecutive try it seems a little more eager until it eventually does start. Sometimes when I let go of the key the engine rumbles for a couple of seconds and stalls and sometimes it does actually start. The garage could not find the fault without being able to recreate the symptoms and of course by Sod's law it worked fine when they looked at it!

Anyway, I've spoken to somebody who knows a thing or two about cars and they suggested it might be a faulty lamda sensor - it might be that the sensor is reading too much fuel in the exhaust system and preventing the supply of more fuel to start the engine and likewise with the stalling - it may be reducing the fuel level to a point where it stalls.

I've asked every mechanic within a 10 mile radius and none of them know what the problem is!!! Has anybody here had any similar problems? Does anyone know what I should do?!

Would appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks.
 
omg, i just posted in another post about....

I had the same problems as your describing. I also had some oil leak over the engine.

Basically, the engine would start most times but not always. sometimes stalling. It was very strange as when i did get it running it seemed fine, until, it started bunny hopping. but it would always run fine as soon the engine warmed up.

anyways...after replaceing spark plugs, leads and checking my ignition..... it was my head gasket! :(
 
"Anyway, I've spoken to somebody who knows a thing or two about cars and they suggested it might be a faulty lamda sensor - it might be that the sensor is reading too much fuel in the exhaust system and preventing the supply of more fuel to start the engine and likewise with the stalling - it may be reducing the fuel level to a point where it stalls."

Obviously he doesnt know very much about cars. The lambda sensor is not involved with starting the engine at all, the only parameters monitored for starting is coolant temp, rpm, and throttle position. I would agree with the dealer, most likely cause is rpm sensor, only problem is that as they say fault would have to occur to be certain as the rpm sensors go open circuit when hot, and if they are working then they test as all ok.
 
"anyways...after replaceing spark plugs, leads and checking my ignition..... it was my head gasket!"

I forgot to mention that I have already replaced the spark plugs, leads and air filter and used a bottle of injector cleaner.

NumanR, I read elsewhere in this forum that a faulty TDC sensor could cause these problems. Is it something I can change myself? is there any calibration involved?
 
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