[Spirit85]

My Spirt started acting up a couple of weeks back. When I start first thing in the AM no worries. After it sits all day at work in the warm California sun, It struggles to start. Once its running it runs flawlessly. The cold days we had in February resulted in the car starting first time every time even after sitting all day. Now the weather is warmer it has started struggling again. Any Ideas?

 

[Bob Johnson]

I have idea's, but they may not be the right one.

It's a common problem with most cars from the late seventies and early eighties. Although the link is for a mere Porsche (VW) 924 with the same condition, the solution is probably the same as well.

http://www.924.org/techsection/hot_start_problem_fix.htm

I've also seen this same problem with; BMW's, Mercedes and even my Corvette from he//. I'm awaiting the shop manuals so not sure the location of cold start valve (injector) on the Rolls.

 

[Spirit85]

Interesting. I have found that someone else has had the same issue with his 93 and had traced it to a faulty thermal sensor. There is a sensor for cold starts and one for warm apparently, which i guess sends the correct mixture of fuel and air to get the thing going. The warm sensor might be faulty which is why warm weather causes it to struggle.

 

[Bob Johnson]

Interesting. I have found that someone else has had the same issue with his 93 and had traced it to a faulty thermal sensor. There is a sensor for cold starts and one for warm apparently, which i guess sends the correct mixture of fuel and air to get the thing going. The warm sensor might be faulty which is why warm weather causes it to struggle.

Most vehicles are fairly close relatives, parts like sensors may differ in name, but have the same purpose. The list of manufactures that use the same system is fairly long. Link:

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/fuelFeedType.aspx?fuelFeedTypeID=36

They even missed a few less exotic makes like the Ford Capri. A few set ups will be different due to different, manifolds, throttle bodies, and other such things.

One of the other problems with valves that send fuel. Ethanol is corrosive and combines with water; aluminum and rubber does not like the stuff. With rubber it creates a petroleum paste grease like substance, that will muck up the fuel system. Despite my Spur, knock on wood, running well. My next service will be: changing fuel lines that are rubber, along with fuel filters and all the sensors, etcetera. Finish with flushing the fuel tank. Ethanol on the West Coast of The USA is almost unavoidable.

 

[Spirit85]

Well after toying with the idea of buying these sensors, I had my mechanic look at it. Turned out to be the fuel distributor. He told me it was common for these to go out. He saw it a lot on the Shadows and early Spirit/Spurs.

 

[petty]

First thing to do is to check your battery. If your battery has a removable cell caps, then check its electrolyte level. That should be at the top of split ring indicator. Then it it's low, just add water. Also check for the cables and battery terminals.

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[jimknopf]

if it's low, just add water.

Use distilled water only - never use regular water from a household water tap to fill up a car's starter battery!