Intermittent Starting Problem

[jbenekeorr]

Hi all. I've only posted a couple of times before and i messed it up so i got scared and ran away! But now i'm back begging for help!

Anyway, i'll get to the point - my Mum's 2004 MCS has developed an intermittent starting fault where all the lights will come on as normal, fuel system primes and you turn the key - the starter sometimes turns slightly, not at all or it will fire into life just fine! It's happened since we've had the real cold weather recently (though it does live in the garage - spoilt brat!)

We've replaced the battery thinking that was the problem as it was the original but the problem has persisted. Everything is connected nice and tightly that end.

The only thing i have noticed is that if you turn the key back slightly after initially trying to start it then it will sometimes burst into life. It can go days without problems or will do it all day. She took it down to a garage who tried starting it a million times and ran the diagnostics on it but nothing came up.

I have found this (very old) thread which seems a similar problem-
http://www.mini2.com/forum/first-gen...-problems.html

So basically i was wondering if there's anyone else who has suffered with this or whether there's anything i can do to fix it!

Any help greatly appreciated.
Many thanks, James - and let's hope i've put this in the right place this time!!!


EDIT - I have put it in the wrong place .... again sorry!

[beken]

It could be fuel. Petrol companies use a winter and summer formulation. It depends on when they changed over. Your car may need a couple of tanks to adjust.

Here in Canada, there were some pretty drastic issues in the spring when one of the major companies switched over to their summer formulation.