right came to my escort this morning and it would not start. thought i had no fuel so walked to the petrol station got some fuel and still would not start. so i cranked it over a few times still nothing checked there was fuel to the metering unit and there was with a lot of pressure. checked spark and was sparking. then eventually after a bit of turning over it started idled a bit crap gave it a few revs all seemed ok. then went to work now after it sat there for 8 hours it did the same thing again! i have searched the forum and a lot of people say take off the cold start valve. i have checked all pipes and they all seem ok. what gets me as the day before it was starting fine and i only been up the road and back and it drove fine!
any ideas?

 

try wiggleing the black plug on the side of the dizzy my used to do that

 

yeh checked that already.

 

if its the cold start valve just disconect the plug. if it starts ok just leave it disconected.

 

yeh i have done that now , will see in a couple of hours when its cold. why would this cause problems to start?

 

im not 100% but i think it floods the engine on start up when there faulty. you dont really need one. ive left mine disconected and its fine.

 

will give it a try as it does take ages to start with it on and its prob flooding the engine,
anything else it could be?

 

thats weird, when im on boost my car misfires? im thinkin my fuel pump is on its way out

 

it runs fine when its warm and boost's fine

 

well just tryed to start it, it started it spluttered a bit a few revs and it were ok.
will try again in a couple more hours. if it starts again later then its looking like the cold start valve.
does everyone that runs without a start valve get a bit of spluttering?

 

right disconnected the cold start lastnight and came to it this morning still not starting , i took off air filter and pushed the paddle down twice while the pump was priming then it start ok. so what could it be?

 

poss losing fuel pressure?

when you first go to it dose the flap on meatering unit just fall down easy when you try push it ?

 

i have a similar prob on my rst engine in the cab, when i press the flap down it struggles to start even more. is very easy to press but returns up straight away.

 

you mean before i even try starting it?

 

right well i just went ouside and pressed the flap down. it wasnt easy there were pressure there

 

One problem might be that there should be a one way valve on the fuel pump outlet (the bit that screws on), its job is to close when the pressure stops (fuel pump turns off) and keep the pressure in the lines.

Check with bridging the fuel pump first then press the flap down a couple of times to clear any air. Then try and start the car.

Usually this can also be a sign of a failing fuel pump too.

Best off getting this changed for a working one. I had a similar problem. New pump and valve and off we go!

Dodgy starting may also be air getting into the system.

 

the pump is less than a year old. there is a lot of pressure in the system as when i take off the fuel cap i get loads of pressure coming out. if that makes sense
another thing i have noticed is that i have a red plug with a red relay in it. and the relay is knackered as its all coroded. coz its a mk5 with a rs lump in i dont know what this relay is al i know its part to do with the loom.
where is the oneway valve is it on the metering unit?

 

right well i have left the car for about 2 hours so its cold just went to start it and guess what it fired up straight away it idled a bit low but it stayed running all i have done is taken off this dodgy red relay, dump valve and boost gauge. now i am not saying its sorted but i will leave it till after football has finished and see what happens again when i try and start it. i just cant seem to find out what this relay is for but its corroded
i am puzzled now.
this is the same relay i have taken out
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ford-Relay-Red...d=p3286.c0.m14