Sluggish start

[chrissy b]

hi i just bought a SKODA FELICIA 1.3 gli mpi used from a dealer it is a 98 model when i start it up it is realy slugish and stalls sometimes or just will not fire up correctly it has just had new plugs and it has full service history i do get a smell of petrol sometimes and it is a bit of a pain can anyone tell me what this is or sounds like this is the first skoda i have had.

[ap0gee]

Battery on its last legs? If you try to start it for too long, you'll flood the engine and that could explain the petrol fumes...???

[chrissy b]

battery is only about 12 month old i will get the battery checked though at national tyres who do it for free but i did get told it could be to do with throttle body or carb as also today i noticed at idle it slightly up and down on revs and and rev clock.

[ap0gee]

If it's an MPi, it won't have a carb. A dirty throttle body is certainly one cause of rough running; another being a faulty coolant temperature sensor. The sensor also causes the temperature gauge to play up, though. I did a guide to replacing it on the Fabia MPi if it comes to it, which should apply to your Felicia if need be. Very easy job!

[anewman]

If you bought it from a Skoda dealer it should have come with a warranty, let them worry about it

If it's been standing a while it may just need the battery charging up or a good long drive once started.

I am cynical of places that offer a "free" test. They expect people to come in worried something isn't working and play on their fears by telling them "it needs replacing or else..."

[chrissy b]

i just got the battery checked and it is on 99% so that is fine the temp gage is fine so cant see it being sensor i am now thinking it could be to do with throttle body anyway thanks for everyones help.

[chrissy b]

someone has suggested the flywheel or starter motor to me but i dont know enough about these cars to say......sometimes this car is fine fires first turn of key then others it is fighting to turn over so is just a mystery to me the car only has 49000 on clock so i thought i would buy due to low mileage for year.

[anewman]

Does the starter motor sound itself sound like it is turning over slower/struggling when difficult to start? Could be a loose electrical connection or starter motor may need replacing.

Or does it fail to start and then start slowly with low revs struggling and then eventually build up revs? This would be indicative of the engine being flooded (although not sure what would cause the flooding).

[chrissy b]

it is more like the second suggestion some times when just fired it is slow slugish low revs then builds up slow or may even feel ike it wants to stall out.

[anewman]

Would rule out starter motor then.

Would lean towards leads, coil packs, sensors - that side of things.

[rigsby]

Having READ your symptoms, i would suggest getting the tappets set, changing the fuel filter and cleaning the throttle body. make sure that the correct sparkplugs have been fitted (mpi are different to spi)

[chrissy b]

i am begining to lean towards the coil pack as it has just had new spark plugs fitted fuel filter is new and throttle body seems to be working fine and there is not a snug fit with the coil head anymore. but you guys have been a great help and a weight of my shoulder while solving this.

[yorkshirecoble]

just read your thread, how has it progressed? for the record, the first place i would look is: plugs grade, plugs condition, air filter (take off and try without, but don't leave off), then valve clearances if all is well.

[chrissy b]

the weird thing now is it seemed to be when cold now it is not so bad when cold but once warm it is bad i just had tappets set new bosh plugs i fully cleaned throttle but it still could be throttle and next is new coil pack on my list.

[rigsby]

Temp senders can play up, telling the ecu it is cold when hot or vica versa

[richardsfavorit]

Did you have much of a warranty with the car? I would be frustrated if I had bought it with this issue.

Hope you get it sorted, don't forget the fuel filter may not have been changed before.

[chrissy b]

i will have a look at filter if i can find it as i said before i am clueless with these skodas and modern engines

[richardsfavorit]

The fuel filter is towards by the fuel tank, beneath the seats. You can get at it from below the car.

[harryhill]

for what it is worth i think it points towards either a dying coil pack, crankshaft sensor, or fueling fault to do with supply. The first two would be my first port of call.

Does anyone know if a fuel pump relay would cause this or is that more a case of it either works or doesnt?

[KenONeill]

IME relays either work or they don't.