Hello... and sorry for adding to the multitude of cold start problems already on this forum!
I have trawled through them, but there seem to be numerous things that could be wrong, and none relate specifically to my car, and I am hoping that somebody might have a good idea of what effects this model??
So, basically I have never really used my car that much, about 2-3 times a week but that has never really bothered it, it has always started first time. Recently I moved to the Cotswolds (colder than London I'm sure!!) and after a month or so here it started getting harder to start, to a point today where it just won't start at all. On the days I have managed to start it, it is jittery and erratic when pulling off, and will sometimes cut-out completely, even after having been driving for 10 - 15 minutes. It also stutters intermitantly in any gear if I put my foot too far down (and I'm not talking anywhere near the floor!!) for the first 15 minutes. On the odd occassion it has helped when I've put my foot down on the accelerator as it's ticking over, but not every time.
It's been serviced recently (months before the problems began) by my trusted mechanic, so I know it's not the spark plugs (unless one is faulty?). Also, I recently began filling him up with unleaded with a lead replacement/octane booster supplement. Could this have anything to do with it? I can smell quite a lot of petrol in the air after I've been trying to start him up!!
It seems to turn over just fine, but it just isn't catching.
It has suffered from a hairline fracture in the distributor cap once before, but if it was that would it not be difficult to start all of the time? Once he's warmed up he starts perfectly again!
Any help much appreciated.... I can believe things like this run up large bills in the garage!
I have trawled through them, but there seem to be numerous things that could be wrong, and none relate specifically to my car, and I am hoping that somebody might have a good idea of what effects this model??
So, basically I have never really used my car that much, about 2-3 times a week but that has never really bothered it, it has always started first time. Recently I moved to the Cotswolds (colder than London I'm sure!!) and after a month or so here it started getting harder to start, to a point today where it just won't start at all. On the days I have managed to start it, it is jittery and erratic when pulling off, and will sometimes cut-out completely, even after having been driving for 10 - 15 minutes. It also stutters intermitantly in any gear if I put my foot too far down (and I'm not talking anywhere near the floor!!) for the first 15 minutes. On the odd occassion it has helped when I've put my foot down on the accelerator as it's ticking over, but not every time.
It's been serviced recently (months before the problems began) by my trusted mechanic, so I know it's not the spark plugs (unless one is faulty?). Also, I recently began filling him up with unleaded with a lead replacement/octane booster supplement. Could this have anything to do with it? I can smell quite a lot of petrol in the air after I've been trying to start him up!!
It seems to turn over just fine, but it just isn't catching.
It has suffered from a hairline fracture in the distributor cap once before, but if it was that would it not be difficult to start all of the time? Once he's warmed up he starts perfectly again!
Any help much appreciated.... I can believe things like this run up large bills in the garage!
