Strange starting problem

Car wouldn't start this morning (P11GT)...

I turned the engine over and it sounded very much like the solenoid wasn't engaging on the starter. When I checked in the engine, however, I found that the engine was turning, but making absolutely no attempt at trying to fire (just spinning away quite happily).

Here's the sequence of events:

Tried to start it for a few minutes.
Unscrewed a plug and checked the spark and injection : both were ok (yes, I know this screws the cat).
Tried again.
Flooded the engine.
Let the engine breath for 10minutes.
Pulled the dizzy cap off and scraped the fur off the rotor and cap pins.
Tried it again.

By now the engine was trying to start - it was actually running with the starter motor, but still wouldn't hold it's own.

Another couple of minutes turning over and pumping the accelerator and the engine started.

Since then I've started it another couple of times and it's fired up first time.

Has anyone experienced this before?

My initial thought was that the fuel system had depressurised overnight - there is a pressure relief valve which I thought had stuck open. I've just spoken to my Nissan dealership and they say that the most likely cause is a faulty distributor (£400/$600). They've never heard of the pressure valve going faulty.

Other than the engine idle being rather eratic, there are no other clues (ECU is clear).

Ideas??

I take it you had this problem on cold start ?
It does sound more like it was flooded, if it happens again try pullin
the fuel pump fuse & keep cranking for half a minute
(altho you would have probably noticed a wet plug when u removed it?)
It doesnt take alot to flood these engines
Other than that not sure ?

I did flood the engine, but that was after 10minutes cranking the damn thing...

It sounds as tho it may have been flooded in the first place,
did u happen to move it only a short distance yesterday ?
Either way, I guess I'd keep an eye on it & see if it happens again.
Sorry I cant be alot more help, if it does happen again let
me know as I've still got friends at Nissan Dealers that may be able to speak to technical 4 u.

You've just hit the nail on the head there!

It just so happens that on sunday (the day before it conked out), I literally drove about 3 metres. I needed to turn the car round to get to the boot.

So, do you fancy doing a brain dump on this subject? Why would an engine flood driving it a short distance??

Thanks!

Its basically because the engine dumps loads of fuel in on cold start,
the engine needs to warm up just a little to burn of the excess fuel,
if not the plugs are wet & when u restart the same happens again
(as the engine is still cold) & shes flooded.
Hence taking out the fuel pump fuse & cranking over helps dry
everything out.
Glad I could help mate :)

Thanks very much for your help. I don't have paranoia now!

I mentioned this to a friend earlier, he has a Mazda RX-7. He said that this is a very common problem with the rotary engine, but Mazda has implemented a "work around".

If the engine is started with the accelerator right-down, then the ECU detects this and shuts off the fuel supply, thus letting the engine clear itself.

I wonder if Nissan implemented anything like this... Don't fancy trying it meself!

Anyway, thanks very much for the reply!

You may even be able to help with my next "fixit" problem, under a new message!!!!