Technical Starting Problems...

[hectorshaus]

I own a '52 barchetta (pre-facelift, 3rd brakelight). Sometimes it starts first time, other times it takes 3 or 4 (sometimes 5 or 6) attempts to start. When cranking, the headlights dim and radio turns off. It has never failed to start (yet). It's had a new battery, starter motor, crank sensor, and throttle body within the last year, but still the problem persists.

This is the 3rd barchetta I've owned and is the only one to have this problem. Anyone got any ideas what might be causing the problem, or what to try next? It's been regularly serviced (just had full service with new plugs and filters), and once started it runs fine.
TIA.

 

[s130]

Suggest you try the following

1) turn off all lights
2) turn ignition on and wait for all dash lights (except oil and ignition) to go out
3) then try starting

In many cases one can insert the key and try to start before any of the dash lights have gone out, however, some Fiat cars (not just 'B's) seem to be hyper sensitive about a correctly timed start sequence. And yes this can be so annoying. Also I've noticed that once you have not abided by the rules and the car fails to start one can get caught in a "s*d you I refuse to comply" sequence.

In all cases I've encountered and ignition off, wait 5 to 10 seconds, ignition on, wait for all dash lights (except oil & alternator) and then turn to start resolves the problem.

Note! If you have tried to blast your way through the correct timing sequence a couple or more times then you have probably flooded the engine with fuel and the correct, timely long correct start sequence will often fail due to execess fuel.

Bottom line is that it is quite easy to get the ignition keycode unit out of sync/communication with the ECU.

 

[afroking]

I'm pretty certain it is the idle control valve.

A tale tell sign is giving if you give it a tap before the engine is turned over it will start straight away.

They get gummed up, you can remove and clean it with carb cleaner.

Idle control valve

 

[Nino_1975]

Has this just started since the weather has turned bad?

Any electrical changes made? Radio, Alarm etc......

You could try an expensive injector cleaner for your fuel system.

Replace the spark plugs, check they are in correctly.

Lamba Sensor.

 

[hectorshaus]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. It's been like this since I got it about 12 months ago.

One other thing, when it's been left without starting for a few days (sometimes just 3), there's little charge left in the battery. Leave it for a week and it's dead. There's obviously a drain on the battery somewhere; any ideas where? My previous b could be left for 2 weeks and started first time. The only thing on this one that wasn't on the other is an alarm, although this is switched off. Would this cause the drain?

 

[s130]

Battery could be sulphated and self discharging. How old is the battery?