Scirocco Register

A little while ago I replaced the exhaust downpipe on my GTX. Whilst the downpipe was off, I replaced the steering universal joint boot. It took a while, but when it was done the car started first time. I drove it a couple of times the same day with no problems and parked it at a friend's house overnight. It was left for 36/48 hours but when I went to start it next, the engine just turned over and over and wouldn't fire and the starter got slower and slower. I had had no problems with it starting, prior to this.
I tried with fully charged spare batteries with the same result.
No electrical or fuel connections were disturbed whilst changing the downpipe and steering boot and there was at least half a tank of petrol.

Anybody any thoughts on the problem and cure ?

Sounds like coincidence that you did the work and now symptoms appear.

If its draining the battery pretty quickly then maybe a bad earth somewhere Pete? Can't thinkwhat else may be draining it. Loose wires anywhere?

I'd start by checking all the connections as said above.

It could also be that your starter has just picked this moment to 'die'. A squirt of WD40 inside and on the bendix spline might revive it a bit.

Thank you for the replies. But I left a slight clue in the heading I posted under

I first suspected electrical problems, so had checked all the connections to make sure voltage was getting to where it should. I also changed the coil, distributer cap, rotor arm, plugs and ignition leads, as I did not know how old the ones on the car were. I had not changed them since I bought it and the mileage was 174,000 !

Same problem. It still would not fire.

I got someone to trailer the car home, as it had broken down at a friend's house, so that I could start to check the fuel system. The cold start valve worked; as did injector 1. I still haven't taken out the other three injectors yet.

Same problem. It still would not fire.

I checked all the hoses and replaced the short length of, as it turned out, very perished vacuum hose that joins the front of the inlet manifold to the hose between the idle control valve and the rocker breather.

One of the books I refer to for helpful hints, suggested turning the engine over without starting it for 15 seconds, leaving it 15 seconds then doing it again, so I earthed the ignition lead from the coil, removed the fuel pump relay and tried this. Battery voltage showed that the battery was good.

I replaced the fuel pump relay and the ignition lead and went to start the car, expecting to hear the familiar whine - but no - EUREKA - the car started instantly.

I have found that if I leave the car for more than 24 hours, it reverts back to not starting. So out comes the fuel pump relay and the ignition lead is earthed as above, and it then starts when all is reconnected.

I am therefore fairly sure that it is a fuel pressure problem, but I have not yet worked out where in the system. The injectors are relatively new, probably less than 3,000 miles old. Investigations continue.