Weird issue lately with cranking longer than usual to start

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Feb 27, 2019 | 11:38 AM

#21

Woo5ie

Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2015

Posts: 168

Likes: 86

From: Saffron Walden Essex

My XK has needed a few cranks to start on a few occasions.
It normally starts on the button first time cold or hot. But when it has occurred it takes a few goes at starting ,
the engine sort of catches and then stalls. This has always happened when restarting the car has been sitting for 20-30 minutes after a drive. I believe it’s down to the temp/fuel mixture and the temp sensors and ECU not getting the mixture correct as it’s started to cool for a time. Once started it runs perfectly.
This has happened probably 4 times in 5 years of ownership and it happened to me yesterday when I had to nip back out after 30 minutes.

I seem to remember others reporting similar occurrences. I don’t see it as a major problem as it doesn’t happen very often.

Feb 28, 2019 | 08:53 AM

#22

SinF

Veteran Member

Joined: Mar 2016

Posts: 6,986

Likes: 2,158

From: Canada, eh

As a perfectionist (or OCD) I would never tolerate hard cranking. Over years, I had this issue in two of my cars. On my classic Mercedes SL that was a complicated issue with properly calibrating vacuum-controlled mechanical fuel injection, it was costly to resolve and my mechanic suggested upfront to just live with it. After it was fixed, the car always starts right away and has a better idle. On my BMW, that I frequently regret no longer having, hard start was a combination of marginal diaphragm in the fuel pressure regulator and sticking injector. After it was fixed, the car always started right away and became more responsive to throttle application.

To me, and obviously this is very subjective, seeing hard starts indicative of owner that doesn't show pride of ownership and I perceive such cars as well on the way toward becoming a beater. Now, I am just some random person on the Internet, I am sure most people wouldn't care.