Since 75000 mile service I have had intermittent problems with hot starting my '95 Series McRae. Leave the car for more than a few minutes but less than the time it takes for it to get cold (eg to put petrol in or pick someone up at the airport) and it cranks healthily but won't start. Sometimes it starts after a few goes, others I have to bump it and today I gave up and left it. (interestingly when I went back to it when it was cold she fired on the first turn of the key but then stopped and cranked VERY fast, as if the cam belt had gone, which upset me a little, until she started)

I haven't read about hot starting problems like this, has anyone else had them, or any ideas?

 

can't offer any help, but know how gutting that kind of thing can be. I made the mistake of starting mine from cold on the driveway, moving it into the garage and switching straight off.

Blimey, you should have heard it the next morning, sounded like tractor firing up for a second or two.

 

Thanks DBM, bet that rattled the garage a bit!

Am now firmly convinced the car isn't running right, the amount of go available varies randomly and I lost power today on the motorway when I put my foot down. Is it normal to experience these sort of probelms, I've had very basic mods done, decat downpipe, scoobysport backbox and pipercross induction kit and didn't realise that the car might not run right or need further work to do so. Am on the verge of returning the car to original spec!!!!

 

hot starting problem will be the crank sensor most likely..

It is a magnetic sensor which as it gets older gets weaker and cannot work through the cak that builds up on it.

Look at the front on the engine and there is a sensor between the pulleys with a couple of wires coming out and a 10mm bolt holding it on iirc.. for reference the cam sensor looks the same and is below the oil filler..

Undo the bolt and lift it out and disconnect plug etc and clean with some white spirit, carb cleaner, brake cleaner etc with a rag..

The problem should disappear until it gets covered in cak again at which point you can clean again and know it will come back or buy a new crank sensor.. worth cleaning the cam sensor whilst you are at it.

JGM

 

Nice one. Cleaned the sensor and will see how she goes!!! Cheers!!

 

Hope it solves it for you.

JGM