Tony, Yont????

[Tilly2]

Just an update on the problem. I didn't use the car yesterday at all and when I went to use it today, it just started without any problem. So, not a flat battery then? What did happen to it on Monday evening?

[tonyav]

Gawd knows, Yilly, could be just a one off glitch.

[Psybbo]

I blame the burglars!

[Tilly2]

So do I, sibs! New bikes for Christmas, I think. Or we might wait for the January sales.

Yont, Mr. T said I flooded it. What????????????????????

[jno]

loose battery clip?

[tonyav]

Mr Yilly may well be right ( how about that then, Yilly ! ).
Flooding will occur when you keep turning the engine over without it starting, when you turn the key it sprays petrol into to cylinders for the spark plugs to ignite it, if you keep turning the key ( without it starting ) the petrol soaks the spark plugs making it difficult to spark.

[Psybbo]

You probably did, Tilly, if you do it again put your foot to the floor and start it, says one who has flooded a car

[tonyav]

By the way, Yilly, wait for the Jan sales for your new bikes bet there'll be some good bargains to be had.

[tonyav]

Could possibly be, jno. Yilly have you checked that the clamps on the battery terminals are tight and secure ?.

[jno]

it happened to me a few months back, tonyav - I called the AA out, the man found the problem, and I thought, well, 40 years ago I'd have found it for myself as I used to clean spark plugs and check battery every week... but now everything's so automated and electronified it's not worth the trouble.

[tonyav]

Yes jno, there is not much you can do on a car these days without the aid of a diagnostic computer.

Yilly, just a thought, check the earth lead from the battery to the car bodywork, make sure that were it is bolted to the bodywork that the bolt is tight.

[Psybbo]

Oi you two it was cold Tilly flooded it, problem solved, don't get technical!

[tonyav]

Ok Ok.

[Hopkirk]

It never was the battery.

My Vauxhall does a similar thing occasionally, despite a new battery.
Normally it starts well, but occasionally it 'coughs' during starting and fails. When I try again it floods itself, and either struggles to start or refuses unless it is left a while.

Just in case it is linked to the immobiliser, if it fails to start I remove the key, lock and unlock then try again.

[237SJ]

Damp in the HT leads? Spray them with WD40 and see what happens

[tonyav]

Another thing that seems fairly common on GM cars is a dodgy crank shaft sensor, when they start to fail that can make it difficult to start.

Boing Boing, Hopkirk lol.

[solvitquick]

Dear Tilly,
When you tried and failed to start, were there any electrics at all- controller lights etc? Or did it make a weak choking attempt to start?
No response at all could be, as jno suggests loose battery lead - tighten these and grease.
Choking sound and then 2 days later battery fine suggests you have it checked out with your mechanic.
Dry cold air lets engine work livelier than damp warm air - any weather changes from failed to start and then OK? Was your car outside overnight before failure - I suppose you didn't then push into garage to reach O.K.!
No expert, just a history of problems, but maybe "temporary battery short - if such a thing", fine crack in alternator, loose lead to starter motor.
Nothing worse than a random temporary fault, at this time of year especially! Wait for car geek on here maybe but a professional check seems worth the cost.
Kind regards,
SIQ.

[Tilly2]

Awww, you are all ever so kind but I have no idea what most of you are on about. If it starts then, o.k. If it doesn't then it's AA.

Love to you all from Tilly xxx

[tonyav]

Hope it stays ok then, Yilly.

[jno]

as long as Mr T's diagnosis was correct - but was it? - then it's not a battery problem.

[Psybbo]

Tilly, this could go on forever