non-starting issue: fuel pump or yellow connector?

Hi All,

I've been more of a lurker than contributor so far, but I'm now looking for some help in fixing a recurring starting problem I've been having with my Scots Green 97P 20v Turbo.

She only comes out in dry weather, but get's a decent runout at least once a month (a contradiction in terms, being based in Manchester, I know ), and is normally on a trickle charge when left for a while.

Anyway, recently I've had intermittent problems with starting - either just turning over without firing, or starting initially then the revs failing to pick up and dying within seconds. I've had the RAC out several times, who've sometimes got her going - without knowing why - and sometimes not

I don't think it's an immobiliser or fuel pump problem (but I'm no expert) as I've been able to get over this problem in the past, but I thought I saw a post or two on here about a yellow connector which may cause such symptoms?

All advice welcomed.

Cheers.

I don't know if relays can fail progressively, but I recently had the turning over without firing problem. Thanks to some expert over-the-phone diagnosis from Joe (CountryCruising), I changed the 2 relays located above the passenger footwell, behind the glovebox (at a cost of £9) and all was immediately well again.
Hope you get it sorted

As Jim says above. But check if you can hear the fuel pump prime when you have just turned the ignition on.
If it's priming then it may not be the relay. But they do fail intermittently at times.

Hey coupes8- nice to hear from you-

Let us know how this pans out, if you can...


I've always wondered what the yellow connector actually does!?

The yellow connector just connects the fuel pump positive feed (from the relay/fuse above ECU in passenger footwell) to the fuel cut off switch in driver's footwell (next to the bonnet release handle) before it heads back to the pump in the boot.

If any of those don't work (relay, fuse, yellow connector or cut off switch) then the fuel pump won't activate. The fuel pump relay is switched via the ECU and the fuel injection relay (also above ECU in passenger footwell) which also powers the injectors, so that has to be working as well.

That is the answer.

Thankyou for going into that, Graham...

Thanks guys, the car's being looked at this week by my local garage who does all the non-specialist work on this car, and I'll share this with him. Then, once that's sorted, she'll be off to see Howard at Allitalia for a proper check-up and service.

get the codes read as it will probably be stored if theres a problem with cam/crank sensor which can have this effect with the intermittent starting problem.
I had a similar prob with mine and codes pointed me right to problem.
i see your in Manchester & so am i so i dont mind helping another member out if you cannot get them read i can meet up with you & read them with my leads if your struggling its np.

Cheers - she's running again (though not sure why??), and probably off to Howard @ Allitalia for service and a bit for investigation - and thanks for the offer of reading the codes, I may take you up on that if this problem persists.

A very tardy update on this - this problem turned out to be decayed/faulty alarm wiring, which is now resolved, so the car is back to its usual self, not missing a beat, which I'm very pleased about.

Always good to hear a result