97 with quirky ?electrical? problems

[revrew12]

Help!

I've got a 97 1.3L automatic 4cyl. Metro with a quirky problem. I'm not much of a mechanic myself, but I've taken it to 5 mechanics (including a dealership), and no one can seem to diagnose.

Unpredictably and about 5-10% of the time, the car will turn over, but not start. Then, if I refrain from turning the key for a full 30 minutes, it starts like nothing was ever wrong. Try in less than 30 minutes, and I have to start the timer all over again (don't ask how I came across this trick). Thus, the Metro leaves me stranded for 30-minute segments without warning.

The computer offers no codes for this. I've taken it to a mechanic only to have them spend days trying to get it to act up. Even when it does act up in the mechanic's shop, no codes. I've had the feul filter changed, the ignition coil and the fuel injector (about 2 yrs ago for another problem) changed. We've pulled the wires and cleaned the connections. At one shop, when it was acting up, we tested feul pressure from the feul pump and was normal.

Latest mechanic told me was likely electrical short. Feul injector works fine when engine is running and starting, but when acting up, the injector isn't getting the message.

1. Anyone had this kind of thing happen?
2. Any ideas on what to try next?

Thanx

[Mac1947]

I have a 1990 Metro, not sure if your's is the same or not as described below.

Check the fuel pump relay when the car won't start and see if it's pulled down. Turn the assy. over that houses the relay and probe the pink wire from underneath with a 12 volt test probe (bulb type). If the pink wire has no power on it, your fuel relay is open. Ignition switch has to be on for the test. Do you hear your fuel pump power up for about 2 seconds when you first turn the key on?

Hope it helps you.

[mcalvo]

I seriously recommend to test your car with another ECU. Also check all relays in the middle. The 30 minutes delay could be caused on the time the relay takes to come back to its original state.

Hope this helps you out!

MC.