Intermittent Starting Troubles

[Incontro]

Hi all,

My 59 plate 1.6 petrol (auto) has difficulty starting every once in a while. It ticks, but does not crank. When this happens, you have to retry & turn the key twice or three times.

Any ideas on what it could be? battery? Starter motor? Alternator? I'm tempted to replace the battery (still on original battery), but don't want to waste £££ if it's not the cause.

Cheers

[MONDEO TXS 2.2]

Take the battery for a load test which will determine it's health

[Incontro]

Good starting point - I'll report back once done.

[MONDEO TXS 2.2]

It's the cheapest & easiest starting point . . . :)

[theredfox]

nice to see you supporting our friends across the channel

[Incontro]

It's the cheapest & easiest starting point . . . :)

Got Halfrauds to connect their battery tester. The device alerted there was too much 'noise' on the voltage rails, and the guy was clueless as to why it might be. To rule out a faulty device, I went to the nearby Kwik Fit, and had the same result. Very, very odd. Any possible ideas as to why it might be?

They manually checked voltages with a multimeter - engine off/load off, engine off/load on, all the combinations, and all the voltages were normal. (And thus alternator seems to be working fine as well).

A bit perplexed.

[John2015]

Go to euro car parts they have a good piece of kit to check your battery and the lads know what they are doing good luck pal

Sent from my iPad using Ford OC

[MrRedman]

Hi my focus has been doing that until last week when the alternator failed it's been fine since

Another thing I noticed is it had a flat spot at 3500 revs in 2nd going uphill that's disappeared as well so all could be linked

2005 2.0L Petrol Focus

[Incontro]

Not really a solution to the thread, but still an update...

I hadn't had this problem in a long time, but it happened today after work again. Didn't start for two or three attempts - car seemed to keep cranking fine, but the engine struggled to come alive - it was almost as if it was being starved of fuel (or maybe just my imagination??). On the third or fourth attempt, I pumped the accelerator pedal a few times while cranking, and it managed to start.

For that reason, I am beginning to suspect that the fuel pump might be the culprit (I am not a mechanic, this is just my 2c)?? Is the fuel pump failing on petrol Mk2.5 a common issue? Especially on such a low mileage car? (26k miles)