Fuel Starvation A Class 2005

[CarolineSomerset]

Hi

I have a 2005 A Class that will only start when it's cold, once it has run hot it will turn over but wont fire up. It seems to be a fuel starvation problem? My car broke down on the return journey from a funeral :-(. My garages best guess is to get a throttle something? (second hand because they no longer make the parts!)

I would be grateful for any help, suggestions. I live in the middle of nowhere on the Somerset Levels, no public transport here No car = nowhere!

Thank you
Caroline

 

[mersum1es]

Crank Position Sensor (CPS) is my guess... didn't you garage read the fault codes?

Edit: is it diesel or gasser (can't remember engine sizes/fuel type correlations of these...)?

 

[mattkh]

I would be grateful for any help, suggestions. I live in the middle of nowhere on the Somerset Levels, no public transport here No car = nowhere!
Thank you
Caroline

Where is the car at the moment..?

 

[Flyinspanner]

We’re you driving along when it failed?

The fuel sender unit can fail, so you think you have fuel, but it’s empty.
You could try putting a gallon in a can, and see if it then starts?
(have you recently noticed that sometimes the fuel gauge has seemed a bit ‘variable’/squirrely?)

post up where the car is currently located, maybe you can get a good independent specialist recommended?

 

[mioba]

sounds more like a vac/hose leak

 

[CarolineSomerset]

Crank Position Sensor (CPS) is my guess... didn't you garage read the fault codes?

Edit: is it diesel or gasser (can't remember engine sizes/fuel type correlations of these...)?

Hi they said nothing came up in the codes and they couldn't replicate the problem, thank you so much for your reply. My car is a petrol drinker

 

[CarolineSomerset]

Where is the car at the moment..?

Hi we live on the Somerset Levels its in the driveway, safe and sound until I try taking it out for a run later

 

[CarolineSomerset]

We’re you driving along when it failed?

The fuel sender unit can fail, so you think you have fuel, but it’s empty.
You could try putting a gallon in a can, and see if it then starts?
(have you recently noticed that sometimes the fuel gauge has seemed a bit ‘variable’/squirrely?)

post up where the car is currently located, maybe you can get a good independent specialist recommended?

Hi We were stationery at the service station on the motorway, thankfully. We nipped in for some goodies came out and she wouldnt start! We actually low on petrol, so thats a thought. I havent noticed any squirrel behaviour but she seems to go for miles using no petrol and then suddenly Im back to a quarter tank but that might be my driving

 

[CarolineSomerset]

Hi We were stationery at the service station on the motorway, thankfully. We nipped in for some goodies came out and she wouldnt start! We actually low on petrol, so thats a thought. I havent noticed any squirrel behaviour but she seems to go for miles using no petrol and then suddenly Im back to a quarter tank but that might be my driving

Oh yeah and explaining where the car is was a top tip thank you, someone replied with a suggestion for a garage.

 

[CarolineSomerset]

sounds more like a vac/hose leak

Thank you so much I get the garage to check

 

[CarolineSomerset]

Where is the car at the moment..?

Did you suggest and independent Merc garage,in Bristol? if so please let me know where.

 

[mattkh]

Glad to hear that the car is at home on the drive and full of petrol in the tank.
Please do a test while it is on the drive and the neighbours do not mind.
Start the car. Did the engine fire up on the first turn of the key.?
If it did, leave the engine running for half an hour.
Switch the engine off. Now try to start the engine again. Did it fire up straight away..?

 

[CarolineSomerset]

Right I've done it!
So with the clutch in and no acceleration she didn't start first time!
Second time clutch in, revving the car she started, I've left her running, will update soon. Thank you Matt.

 

[CarolineSomerset]

Glad to hear that the car is at home on the drive and full of petrol in the tank.
Please do a test while it is on the drive and the neighbours do not mind.
Start the car. Did the engine fire up on the first turn of the key.?
If it did, leave the engine running for half an hour.
Switch the engine off. Now try to start the engine again. Did it fire up straight away..?

Hi Matt

After leaving the engine running for 30 mins, it started up first time easily without revving and then when I added acceleration it purred!

So I turned off the ignition and left it for 5 minutes, tried again and again started first time.

The problem seems to happen when it has been driven for a while, gets hot, is left for while, for example if I go shopping and then come back and try to start the car.

Any thoughts?

Thank you

 

[mattkh]

Thank you so much for the test.
I am interested in the reason why it did not fire up on the first turn of the key when cold.
So, tomorrow morning please do the following.
Gear in neutral. No need to press the clutch. Foot away from the accelerator. Turn the ignition key BUT not all the way to the engine turning position.
Wait 10 seconds.
Turn the key back to zero.
Now turn the key again as before not all the way to the engine turning position. Wait 10 seconds. Now, still with the foot away from the accelerator, turn the key to start the engine.
Did the engine fire up straight away..?

 

[CarolineSomerset]

Thank you so much for the test.
I am interested in the reason why it did not fire up on the first turn of the key when cold.
So, tomorrow morning please do the following.
Gear in neutral. No need to press the clutch. Foot away from the accelerator. Turn the ignition key BUT not all the way to the engine turning position.
Wait 10 seconds.
Turn the key back to zero.
Now turn the key again as before not all the way to the engine turning position. Wait 10 seconds. Now, still with the foot away from the accelerator, turn the key to start the engine.
Did the engine fire up straight away..?

Will do thank you so much.

 

[CarolineSomerset]

Thank you so much for the test.
I am interested in the reason why it did not fire up on the first turn of the key when cold.
So, tomorrow morning please do the following.
Gear in neutral. No need to press the clutch. Foot away from the accelerator. Turn the ignition key BUT not all the way to the engine turning position.
Wait 10 seconds.
Turn the key back to zero.
Now turn the key again as before not all the way to the engine turning position. Wait 10 seconds. Now, still with the foot away from the accelerator, turn the key to start the engine.
Did the engine fire up straight away..?

Hi Matt I did what you suggested and she started up no problem, so what does that mean? Also Im in the middle of a house renovation, oh joy and have to go to the dump in minute, so fingers crossed she doesnt mind!

 

[mattkh]

Thank you for trying that.
Waiting for your comments on your return from the trip.

 

[CarolineSomerset]

Thank you for trying that.
Waiting for your comments on your return from the trip.

So I went the dump and it was busy! I was there for about 20 minutes at first she started but the power dropped so I couldn't accelerate, tried again and it was ok. Then I stopped at Riches Cider for Blue Cheese and was there for about 10 minutes, went back to the car and no dice, she started but wouldn't accelerate, I did have my foot on the clutch and try to move forward when starting up. I tried again she would start, but again the power dropped so no acceleration was possible. So I followed your instructions of 10 seconds and 10 seconds and she started ok but I had to rev to get going (to keep the charge if you like). I hope this all makes sense as I don't have the mechanic wordiage ( I know boys are born with it, but I can tell you what Pantone colour something is naturally

 

[Blobcat]

So I went the dump and it was busy! I was there for about 20 minutes at first she started but the power dropped so I couldn't accelerate, tried again and it was ok. Then I stopped at Riches Cider for Blue Cheese and was there for about 10 minutes, went back to the car and no dice, she started but wouldn't accelerate, I did have my foot on the clutch and try to move forward when starting up. I tried again she would start, but again the power dropped so no acceleration was possible. So I followed your instructions of 10 seconds and 10 seconds and she started ok but I had to rev to get going (to keep the charge if you like). I hope this all makes sense as I don't have the mechanic wordiage ( I know boys are born with it, but I can tell you what Pantone colour something is naturally

There's quite a few boys that are good with colours as well...