HELP! - My car woudent start, but was turning over!

[16vmk3ash]

I have a mk3 16v which starts first time, every time. i went out in it today, came home and had something to eat. When i went to go work about 30min later it wouldent start at all!. I tried starting it about 8 times and it just would not fire up!.

The engine was turning over but there was no ignition and the oil light on the dash (the one that looks like a oil can) was flashing when the engine was turning over!, does anyone know what the problem might be?

I had to get a lift to work anyway and when i got in tonight before giving the RAC a ring i decided to give it another go and it fired up first time!

I think it must be something electrical what do you rekon? fuel pump relay? ecu relay? possibly the immobiliser? or something else?

Anyhelp would be apreciated, thanks!

[Glen]

Was the temp guage showing it running too hot?
I had a car that got too hot and wouldnt start till it cooled down, headgasket in the end I think.
Also when you came home and had something to eat, what did you have anything nice?

[16vmk3ash]

No the temp gauge was not reading as hot. i had only poped down to the post office and back which is at the most 1.5 mile round trip, so the engine wasent running long enough to get really hot anyway!

my car was running sweet again today, so i am sure it has to be something electrical.

i am gona get a new ECU relay and Fuel pump relay tommorow as other people on this site seem to have had problems with these, they could probably do with been replaced anyway as my car has done 130,000k

Has any1 else got any ideas, especially about the flashing oil light?

[golfvr6]

I think the light flashes when you turn the engine over. Have you checked for a spark? could be your coil pack has failed.

[sKrEwBaLL]

You still havent told us what you had for tea  

[16vmk3ash]

What's a coil pack? is that the ignition coil? and if that has gone then my car wouldent still start would it? as my car is starting first time again now!

[golfvr6]

The coil pack is like a non-rotating ignition distributor. Get the ECU memory read for faults.

[16vmk3ash]

the problem ocured again today but i got it started by my mate giving me a push!. The car was staring again afterwards, but i noticed a slight misfire on ignition.

Getting the ECU memory read for faults!, were do i go to get this done? a VW main dealer or will a electrician at a garage be able to do this. Also how much is that gona cost me roughly?
thanks

[golfvr6]

Main dealer or independant should be able to do it for under ?50. You can buy fault readers from Halfords, don't know if it is compatable with your car. Go and have a look i guess!