Avensis 1.9D 142

John.G

Neighbour goes on holiday twice/year for 14 days, I start the car once/week (2 starts in 14 days) and run it for 15 minutes each time. Neighbour comes home and takes the car for a short run after 14 days, all well. Last Saturday, came home as per normal and started the car but only ran it for a minute or so. Day later the car cranked no problem but would not start, (insurance) sent breakdown mechanic who tried every thing but could not start the car, plenty of cranking via booster kit etc, fuel system seemed to have plenty of fuel via the manual priming "pump". The car was/is parked on a fairly steep incline and allways reversed in. Car was towed out and transported to his local mechanic who started it quite easily with a tow rope but it emitted clouds of black smoke for some time which completely cleared after a 15/20 minute run, running perfectly fine again.

Any thoughts on this, possible fuel running back into tank (due to steep incline) through a non return valve?? and allowing air in the fuelling system??

Oops!

Leaving it idling on the driveway is the problem, the fault codes will tell all.

John.G

Why??, I know these cars only have a mechanical lift pump but one would think that the this would have got rid of any air in the fuel system after 15 minutes or so, maybe the only 1 minute idling was the problem and didn't give enough time to purge the system?.