This morning I jumped into the car and went to start it as normal. I took my finger off the start button a little early thinking she'd caught but she hadn't. I then quickly depressed the button again and that starter whirred but seemed to bog down a little. It was like either the starter was knackered (which it isn't), there was a voltage drop (which I doubt) or the engine was compressing something solid (which I hope it wasn't!). I stopped trying and let her settle for a few seconds angry at my impatience between the 1st and 2nd attempt. After 15 seconds I pressed the button again and she took a good 10 seconds to sort of limp into life before settling to the usual smooth idle.

I thought no more of it and drove normally to the bypass (about half a mile). Once on the bypass I eased her up to 70mph at low revs (still cold) but she was really struggling. It felt like it was misfiring at random intervals every few seconds and was worse if I tried to move beyond 'minimum' throttle. Power was coming and going and I really feared I was going to conk out on the bypass as we started to climb the hill. I came off at the next exit to swing around to Chatham Honda and I noticed on the return leg that the problem was gone. I tried a few tentative blasts from 2000-5500 rpm and the car was fine. No warning lights at any time and oil level was checked this morning and was perfect.

Honda didn't have time to plug the diagnostic machine in or look at it but suggested I see how it fares and book it in if the problem returns.

I then went back out and started her again (first turn, no problem) and did about 10-15 miles of driving. As my confidence grew I pushed her more and more and by the end I was happy to give it full beans from 1000-9000rpm through any gear. She pulled hard, clean and with no hint of any problem whatsoever. Whatever it was seems to have disappeared and the only irregularity in my day was the impatient starting procedure. I'm crossing my fingers that this is a one off related to that start (at a guess I might have fouled a plug with fuel?!) so I thought I'd run it past the techie's on here to see if anyone has similar experience or any thoughts/comments.

Cheers,

Kenny
P.S. Tomorrow

 

I would have thought if the plug was fouled that after it had fired the missing would have gone away pretty quickly, definately within 1/2 mile? It was just the starter button no throttle? Did it feel more abrubt cutting in and out or very dull cutting in and out which would suggest fuel more than ignition?

Weird.

 

When driving the stammering was quite abrupt - it was like someone was stabbing the brakes for a split second.

 

All points to a plug fouling IMO. You could check/clean all the plugs and leads etc but if it has never happened before and is running ok now then I would keep an eye on it and see if it happens again before getting worried. For your own piece of mind you could ask the dealer to take a quick look.

 

My working, and rather ill informed, theory is that the dodgy starting proceedure caused excessive fuel to contact one/some/all of the plugs and that it took until the engine was up to a higher running temperature to burn the tips clean?

 

Yup. Possibly.

I've flooded mine being too quick on the button, but it's cleared after giving it a few seconds off to reset & a long crank thereafter.

Best way to clean the plugs is Vmax in 5th! F uck box spanners.

 

The honda alarm is shite. This happens usually when it's wet and cold, but usually at an ungodly hour so you wake half the street up.

Changing the battery helps, and will amaze you how much quicker the car starts with a new one in.

 

Badda are you posting in the right thread?? I grant you that the alarm is sh*t but its not been giving me any greif Car usually cranks first time for me which is why I pre-empted it and took my finger off the button before she fired.

 

Pleased to report that this appears to have been a one off problem.

The car started first turn on Thursday and today (was away over the weekend) and it drove fine both times in all driving conditions.

My dodgy idle seems to be back though and that started this time last year and lasted until Spring. Strong evidence to suggest this is a cold-weather issue but I'll probably replace the MAP sensor and clean the intake again to see if that cures it. If it doesn't this is probably something we as the community should investigate further as I've seen a few people starting to post up about odd low rev/idle behaviour and these posts tend to be during the colder periods.

 

sounds like flooding/fouling

If you do this in the XJR you have to pull the fuse from the fuel pump then turn it over. PITA