Erratic Starting Fault

[PUGPIRATE 0]

I'm getting really annoyed with a recent habit that my 205 Gentry has recently developed of refusing to start when I least expect it.

 

If I leave it standing for more than a couple of days it just refuses to start. Its driving me nuts as its only a matter of time when it does this in a situation where I will be left stranded and dependent on the AA to get me home! Its a pity, as the car is very well looked after and only has 45k on it.

 

Battery seems fine.

Fuel tank is full.

The starter turns just fine - it sounds v. strong.

Voltage is getting to the fuel pump.

Wiring and hoses all seems secure.

Tachymetric Relay is not a problem, as contact closes when current passes through it and spare relay has also been tried in these cases.

 

In short, the starter is cranking the engine, but it just isn't sparking into life.

 

After fifteen minutes of random fiddling around in engine bay and repeated cranking of engine, with the gas pedal to the floor, it will generally start. I'm pretty sure that there's a faulty component there somewhere, but where to start? That fifteen minutes of engine wheezing is becoming increasingly more embarrassing! The car has also developed a habit of occasionally stalling at very low speed - parking etc - unusual for an automatic, but there's presumably a clue in there somewhere.

 

This problem generally appears out of the blue and, once resolved, the car runs fine for a week or two and then, after being left standing for more than, say, 48 hours, bites me in the ass again - figuratively speaking - in the manner described.

 

Any ideas?

[DamirGTI 342]

Could be lazy fuel pump or faulty non return valve (loss of pressure) prise off the tachymetric relay cover , close the relay contacts manually with your fingers and prime the system for a few seconds , then try starting the engine ..

 

Anyway , i had very similar problem once , in my case it was dodgy ignition amp. so i replaced it with second hand one and was fine afterwards ..

 

Damir