Hi everyone, just wanted to sound this out with people.

My 2003 1.2 8v with 48k miles normally runs perfectly. I have recently had two instances of it failing to start. Both times it happened in the same underground car park a month apart. The car had been driven 5 miles, parked for 45 minutes and then would not start. Cranking the engine and pumping the accelerator pedal eventually got it started again.

When turning the engine over on both occasions it sounded like no fuel was being injected.

My heat shield went missing a few months ago whilst some engine work was being done. My theory is that the lack of heat shield and the lack of airflow in the carpark is causing heat to remain in the engine bay and causing the fuel in the fuel rail to vapor lock. Cranking the engine forces fresh fuel into the rail eventually displacing the air lock.

No engine light and no fault codes. What does everyone think, is my theory likely or could it be some other fault.

Anyones input appreciated and sorry for the long rambling post.

Thanks

If you're talking about the heatshield on the exhaust manifold I can't see it's not being there increasing the amount of heat under the bonnet. Neither can I see the heat being enough to boil the fuel. Puntos are sold in countries a lot hotter than these parts.
I'd be more inclined to think the carpark has twisty bits that are sloshing sediment around the tank.

That, or low fuel level.

I'd be more inclined to think the carpark has twisty bits that are sloshing sediment around the tank.

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Interesting idea the car park has very twisty ramps down two floors. And each time it has happened I have been around 1/4 of a tank of fuel, it also occasionally runs slightly lumpy when very low on fuel.

Apart from trying to keep the weight down, many these days can't be throwing money at filling tanks. However, pumps rely on fuel for cooling and it's probably not a good idea to be spending too much time with a warning lamp on the fuel gauge.
It doesn't take much cornering force to put a big slope on the surface of the fuel which at low levels can momentarily starve the pump and get air into the system. Even if the twisty is in the wrong direction for starving the pump when you straighten up the fuel will gallop over and up the other side of the tank and can have the same effect.