i have a 2001 miata with 21k actual and have an intermittent problem. the car isn't driven in the winter at all, and sits for days even in the summertime. sometimes, but not always, the car will start and die immedietly and keep doing that. then i can go out in 30-40 minutes and it starts and runs great. it seems it's doing it more frequently lately and it's making me afraid to let my lady friend drive it not knowing when it might not start. when it's running right, it doesn't have a miss or anything...runs great. anybody had this problem. thanks, bud

 

when was the last time you changed the plugs? they might have some rust on them causing a bad spark. after the engheats up you don't need such a big spark to run the eng. take it down to the local parts store to see if any codes are being thrown that don't light up the CEL.bottom line sounds, like a spark or fuel issue to me. let us know.

 

thanks tom, i was thinking maybe a fuel filter, as when it sits for long periods, maybe sludge in settling in it. thing is, it runs so good when it starts right. think i'll pull the plugs and put a new fuel filter on and see what happens. hard to pinpoint a problem when it doesn't do it all the time.
last year my brother and i trailered our bikes to sturgis with his '99 ranger pickup with 50k actual miles. it started acting up on us real bad...no power, used a lot of gas, but it wouldn't do it all the time. we made it to rapid city and had a ford dealership check it out and they couldn't find anything. started home a few days later, and it started doing it again. stopped in wall, s.d. and had it checked, they couldn't find anything either. when we got home, my brother took it to the ford dealer he bought it from in moberly, mo. and the mechanic knew exactly what it was. that's one reason i hate to take something in to a shop. seems they just use trial and error also, and i can do that. thanks again, bud