Hot restart problems

[tjasper]

I was wondering about the hot restart problems that I've read about. Can people tell me what conditions lead to the problem, how long the engine cranks for and how hot/long they have been left standing for?

Is it a real issue? How much of a pain is it waiting for it to fire up?

Thanks for your feedback.....

Trevor

[lx993]

Not sure if the 3 litre cars suffer from the same problem, but my 2.5 definitely does.

Basically a cold start is immediate on the turn of the key / press of the button. If the engine is warm (even if only run for 5 minutes or so), you have to hold the starter in for 10 seconds or so. The engine will splutter and eventually fire up. On mine, you get a nice Optimax smell when this happens

It always starts, just takes longer than usual and, due to the attention the car receives, can be embarrassing when cranking over and pumping neat fuel into the air....

[Sidekick]

Mine's a 3 litre and, regardless of engine temp, takes a few seconds (2 or 3) of cranking before it fires.

[tjasper]

Does it help to start it with the throttle cracked open (perhaps that's the onlty way they start)?

Trevor

[bradders]

Hmm interesting.

When I had my first test drive in one, the dealer told me to give it a "bit of gas" to fire it up.

[joust]

My old 2.5l used to need a bit of gas to start it when warm, the new one is just plain funny.

Still - after about 10 seconds it eventually fires.

Irritating the first few times but you forget about it after a while.

J

[sidekick]

Gave it some gas when starting it from cold and it seemed to fire sooner. Tried it again when hot and it made no difference (I think). Still, when she goes, she makes a damn fine noise!

[DanH]

So is the engine mapping slightly dubious?

[joust]

Nope - the fact it's got two bloddy great big turbos stuffed on it makes it hard to start!

Any high output turbo car is similar (the Ur can be a right bich to restart when hot, always has been)

J

[DanH]

So whats the problem with big warm turbos? Do they overheat when its off, I assume the fan stays on to facilite cooling?

[joust]

Nope - it's all about what you have to do to the inlet side when you turbo charge a "normal" engine....

J

[DanH]

go on...

(what do you have to do?)

[joust]

Generally remove the idle bypass circuit....

J

[DanH]

I was hoping for a slightly depthier explanation

[amg merc]

...I'm more interested in hearing how common this hot-start condition is - comments?

[joust]

It's not a "condition" (you make it sound like a condemend man) just merely a foible of a tuned engine......

It never fails to start in the end - so don't worry about it!

[neilmurphy]

To be honest i have not got any start problems ....fires up in seconds hot or cold.. making me think now!!!

[guysh]

Same here I have never had any problems with hot or cold starting.

[DanH]

Guy, are you the Noble owner who goes on SELOC track days?

[tjasper]

Sorry, Joust, but I don't believe the turbo's make any difference to the starting problem. I do think the calibration could be improved in this area. Has anyone complained to the factory?

TreVoR