Club 80-90 Forums

Hi There, in need of some advise!!!

I have an old Y reg T25, when I drive it for longer than 30 - 40mins if I pull over and turn off the engine it won't start again for at least an hour. It will fire but wont catch and tick over and then ends up killing the battery trying to start it.

Everytime I drive it, if I pull over and leave it for over an hour it will always start back up straight away.

If I go to my local garage 5mins round the corner I can turn it off in the fore court and it will start straight away.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance, nick

I had exactly the same problem, i thought it might have been over heating or something. changed the battery. The one that was supposed to be in there was twice the size of the standard size looking one that was in there before. Fixed the problem! Would start every time fist time after that.

I later replaced the alternator too. Never had problems since.

Thanks for response, I need to get another battery anyway as I've killed it now several times.

So it's not a battery problem as it turns over ok and will start after an hour. It sounds like a fuel problem. When you go to restart, do you press the throttle pedal to the floor and hold it there as you turn the key? We are supposed to, otherwise starting can be a problem. If you don't do this normally, take your van for a 30 minute drive, bring it home, switch off and try this procedure and let us know if it starts ok. Good luck!

Do you hold the pedal down fully and then turn the key?

What I usually do is pump the pedal a couple of times, then floor it as it fires up

Ralf85 wrote:So it's not a battery problem as it turns over ok and will start after an hour.

Mine would start first time, id drive somewhere switch it off, try and start it and it would not start unless i left it for half an hour or so. Swapped the battery and it never happened again.

I can confirm the foot to the floor method works every time for me.

Nick.J.Coles wrote:Do you hold the pedal down fully and then turn the key?

What I usually do is pump the pedal a couple of times, then floor it as it fires up

I don't pump it, I just gently push the pedal down as I turn the key and it starts with more energy than from cold. Let's see how he gets on.

Ralf85 wrote:

Nick.J.Coles wrote:Do you hold the pedal down fully and then turn the key?

What I usually do is pump the pedal a couple of times, then floor it as it fires up

I don't pump it, I just gently push the pedal down as I turn the key and it starts with more energy than from cold. Let's see how he gets on.

Dont need to touch pedal in mine, turn the key and starts first time every time. (Although my battery is new, starter motor, spark plugs.....oh and a new engine fitted last year)

Just thinking aloud to my self.There could be a chance the coil is getting hot. When this happens it will cause weak or intermittent spark. Letting it sit for an hour would let it cool down and be OK until it got hot again.

RCN wrote:Just thinking aloud to my self.There could be a chance the coil is getting hot. When this happens it will cause weak or intermittent spark. Letting it sit for an hour would let it cool down and be OK until it got hot again.

I completely agree. Due to heat theres expansion, like a dry joint in soldering.

I had a ropey starter motor in a 1970 Cortina. I had to thump it with a pry bar to start it when it was hot. if I ever meet you remind me to tell you about the time I took it through Customs, oh and stalled at a roundabout on a A road...

So give my idea a chance first because it doesn't cost anything and then give us some feedback!

I had a problem with Hot start, if i drove around it would not start when hot and i would have to wait for it to cool down. I checked the coil and it was corded on the HT lead connection once changing this the problem was solved.

Mine does it if I sit there with ignition left on for more than five minutes. Never figured out why. I just don't leave it on....