Spider starting problem

by **spyderman1** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 8:30 pm

My Spider is a bog standard road car that's never been driven hard with 9k on the clock. It covers about 400 miles each summer, but over the past couple of weeks it's developed a starting problem. I park it with the battery turned off, but when I turn it on and try to start the car it fires up immediately and dies.After 3 or 4 attempts I get it to run. This has happened a few times, but over the 8 years Iv'e owned it nothing like this has ever happened, it's always started and run without fault, any ideas?

by **BIG_MVS** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 8:49 pm

TDC Sensor maybe?

by **JohnC** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:26 pm

If it has a primer pump..... I would check to see if it starts runing when ign is switched on........ if it does not have one, it appears that the fuel is draining back, and as (usually) the fuel pump only starts to run once the engin starts turning over, the fuel is taking its time to re pressurise....... just a thought. :wink:

by **stephendell** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:50 pm

Still on the original battery? Left on a trickle charge or just disconnected?

by **spyderman1** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:21 pm

The battery is the original and in good condition. I don't know about other Spiders but mine has a battery immobiliser attached, and when the car is not being driven it is always immobilised. When the ignition is turned on the car makes all the same noises that it's always done then when turned to start the engine bursts into life then cuts out straight away. Quite baffling. I was hoping other owners of standard road cars may be able to help. Many thanks for the input to date.

by **RED21** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:05 pm

We use to get a similar problem with the company's show car yellow Spider (toy)
All I use to do was give it an warm up drive then a oil change (plus any routine maintance) followed by a harder drive which got the fresh oil around the engine and it would be OK until the next summer season.
I think only once we had an immobilser problem after a long period of non use, where the warning light would flash at double rate when the ignition was on (immobiliser active still) & was resolved by disconnecting the battery for 15 minutes to allow the internal circuit to discharge.

The only other "start then die" on a customer spider was due to rodents muncing on the wiring loom as passes down the channel between the floor & tub.

by **andyh877** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 11:53 am

bypass the red cutoff key.... when they go faulty they bring on some bizzar symptoms, see if it cures the problem,

by **spyderman1** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 4:30 pm

Thanks Red 21, I was hoping for some input from you. The last couple of times the car has started, but I descided to remove the battery and check various connections. I found the battery has a condition window which showed it was fully charged. I checked the fluid levels inside and all was Ok. After putting it all back together came the starting test and all was well. I guess only time will tell. By the way, I tried to buy the Olympian car but the sales in Bournemouth were to scared to ask Martin Hill to sell it to me.However, as soon as Westover took over I was phoned straight away and offered a trade sale but I'd already bought one. The car went to Westover Sports Cars and I believe they sold it to someone up north

by **RED21** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:26 pm

I always wondered what happened to the Olympian Spider after it it went to Sportcars,just need to remember the reg P???PEL? so I can keep an eye out for it.
I wouldn't really trust the little view glass as a condition check on the battery as they only indicate that one cell has the correct level but not the condition of the plates within or the other cells.