200 TQA no hot start...RESOLVED!

[urquattro]

> Symptom was start OK cold but would not start.  Solution was to rotate the
> distributor (approx. 10 degrees), I first set the flywheel on "0" and then
> lined up the window rotor and the mark on the distributor as per the book.
> Car started right up,  drove it for a day with many starts.
>     My question is why/how?   I've had the car only a few k miles so can't
> be sure of entire history, I don't think the distributor had ever been
> turned and  the distributor "seal" was in place. I don't think many would
> replace it.

... BTDT myself a long time ago.  One obvious possibility is that perhaps
the relationship between the crankshaft and camshaft has moved ... i.e. the
timing belt has slipped one or more teeth.  Given that the car is new to you
the state of the timing belt may be unknown.  If you don't have any record
of the belt being replaced you may want to do it ASAP.  One other piece of
BTDT that I can share is that when the timing belt breaks on an MC engine
valves will contact pistons ... even at low RPMs ...

Steve Buchholz
San Jose, CA (USA)