My Rover has been having some hard starts lately. It typically happens after it has sat for a while such as overnight. It doesn't happen all the time, maybe one in three cold starts. When I turn the key it cranks over at the normal speed but doesn't want to fire. Sometimes it will sputter a little and die or sputter a little and then finally gain rpm's and run fine or it doesn't start at all. After all of that if I turn the key off for half a second and try again it starts right up. It has always started up and doesn't fail me. I replaced the plugs and wires thinking that was it but it didn't help the starting (but it was much needed and ran smoother.) There are no check engine codes and everything else seems fine. Has anybody gone through this?

 

Have you checked your fuel pressure at the rail? There may not be enough pressure right away and then on the second try it does.

What year and mileage too, that will help us try to figure it out.

 

Out of habit and courtesy to the vehicle, I put the ignition in the "III" or "on" position for 3 seconds or so while I'm buckling up. This gives the car time to boot up and prime the engine with the fuel pump and perform w/e tasks it needs to.

I don't think there is a problem, maybe a weakening fuel pump. But, its probably just getting old and slow . If the problem gets worse, then it will definitely need to be addressed.

 

I've been thinking fuel pressure too but its not quite adding up. Also the previous owner said that the fuel pump was replaced 6 months ago which looks to be true because there is a new fuel pump and fuel lines. I don't have a gauge that will read fuel pressure but I am looking into getting one. What is strange is that I can crank it for 10 seconds and it wont fire but if I turn the key off for a split second and turn it back on it fires up immediately. It also acts the same when I crank it for 5 seconds and turn it off and on again. This isn't a problem that I am loosing sleep over I am just worried about the first time it will leave me stranded. Lucas, the Prince of Darkness, has an uncanny ability to strike when you need your rover the most.

 

Try this,
Turn the key to the 2nd. position for 4 to 5 seconds, turn it off, do that 3 times then try and start it.
If you are bleeding off fuel pressure, this will reprime the system giving you the proper fuel pressure to start on.