I really hoped that the new fuel cap seal would have solved my issues and it certainly did seem to while the car was at the mechanic. Unfortunately, after a long drive and refuel, the problem is still present.

Car started fine cold and drove for about 1.5 hours on the freeway without any issues. Arrived back, stopped for fuel. Fuel cap really, really hard to remove. I thought I was going to have to drive away and return when I had unseized it but I did manage to get the cap off finally.

After putting about 3/4 of a tank of fuel in I returns, turned the key and the ‘chuggs’ returned. The ‘1-4 Check engine’ light displayed for a minute or two and car definitely had a loss of power.

I drove off without attempting a restart to see if the issues would clear itself as has happened before, but no. I returned home, stopped the car to shuffle things around and do a spot of cleaning inside the car.

When I restarted that car a few minutes later it seems good again! I parked the car up after connecting the trickle charger.

In summary then, coolish day (20 ish degrees C), early morning, long drive (1.5 hrs), 3/4 of a tank of fuel and the ‘chuggs’ returned. Driving did not clear the issue but car seemed to have more power than it did before when it got the ‘chuggs’. A stop, wait a few minutes and restart seemed to return it to normal.

Given that the car has been refuelled it will interesting to see whether when I take it out next I again get the ‘chuggs’ or is it now only upon refuelling? I have drive the car since it has been returned without issues but this is the first refuelling I have done after a long drive aka, what I was doing before when I got the ‘chuggs’.

Annoying that it was tested under similar conditions by the mechanic and no fault found but as as soon as I get it back, bamm, same problem.

This one’s not over yet it seems!