What my garage said!

[A-J]

Ok I have ahd a problem with my car now for sometime, in that ocasionaly It decides not to start for a while (Motor turns but doesn't engage)

It was in the fiat dealership last week and and they couldn't find anything wrong!

So took it back today to my garage (where I bought it) to possibly return the car!!

They are willing to try one more time to fix it, now here is what they think is the problem;

The fuel does not reach the engine 'cos of not having/brocken one way fuel valve!
Does this sound plausable?

 

[Ian@Work]

Even if fuel is not reaching one of the cylinders, the car will still start on 3 cylinders, just not run exactly smooth.

I guess to me that sounds like bullshit, but I guess Tom could possibly elaborate on this subject.

Ian.

 

[A-J]

I thought it sounded ********, but when it comes to cars I know nothing!! (learning the hard way it seems)

 

[alan]

does it do it randomly or is it when it's cold / warm, just been running, been stood etc?

 

[A-J]

Random

funny though its never happened first thing in the morning! it always starts then (no excuse to be late for work)

 

[Anonymous]

how does your "code" light behave when it fails to start?

 

[A-J]

all lights are normal!

thats one of the anoying parts of it all

 

[Tom]

So they haven't done a fuel pressure test or anything useful?

 

[A-J]

not that i am aware of!

Spoke to them today and they will tak it in fro about a week to test but not until the 10/06 and the curtesy car will be a sodding old escort diesel

 

[Anonymous]

Nick

If you have a non-return valve in the system and it sticks closed, then no fuel will reach the important bits and it won't start.

If you have a non-return valve and it sticks open, then fuel can drain back into the tank and then you have to crank the car unti the fuel system fills up before any fuel reaches the injectors.

There may be a pressure regulator which could be playing up.

I have no idea if the fuel system on the Fiats has non-return valves or mechanical pumps, but on a different car, that wouldn't start occasionally if it was parked pointing up hill, fuel would drain back into tbe tank and before the system could refill on cranking the battery would go flat. Modified return valve, new battery and fixing a slightly leaky pipe on the low pressure side (presumably what let the air in so the fuel could drain) repaired sorted it out.

Presumably eventually you can get it started again. This makes identification of the fault tricky sadly.