Car starts faster when i put key into ignition few times

As the title says, when i put key into ignition for few times the car starts very quickly, but when i start without doing so it takes alot longer and seems like the car might just not start at all because it cranks for so long.
I told this to mechanic and he said that the car doesnt have electric fuel pump so all im doing is warming it up.

Car info: Opel vectra B estate (J96) 2.0 DTI 16V (F35) year 2000

don’t mind my username haha

Is this thing a diesel engine because this a US based Forum and Opel has not been here for years . I just wonder if while you are playing key in key out the Glow Plugs is doing its thing.

Yes it’s diesel. I am not sure about glow plugs though.

Ask that mechanic if it takes a little time for the diesel engine to be ready to start , that may be what he means by ’ warming up '.

When i first turn the key into ignition i always wait a minimum of 5 seconds, there’s a light on the dashboard that goes away when the glow plugs are hot and ready to start, i only see that light on winter, or really cold days, so i’m pretty sure they are ok.

I guess that theres a fuel leak somewhere where it leaks pressure, the more the car sits turned off the more time it takes to start, theres a solenoid and two pipes that go through fuel lines, there might be a leak, idk if this could be the culprit.

I just dont know why it starts easier when i cycle to ignition a few times because fuel pump is not electric so pressure doesn’t build up, right?

Are you sure this vehicle doesn’t use an electric fuel pump? Remember on diesels there’s a second fuel device called the injection pump. And that’s a mechanical pump. It’s used on the final state to inject fuel at an extremely high pressure into the individual cylinders. But the primary fuel delivery method from the tank to the injection pump is usually an electric pump on modern diesels.

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This morning when i cycled the key to ignition first time i heard no sound, but when i tried second time i could hear buzzing sound, maybe fuel pressure building up, because car started super fast?

So if pressure doesn’t build up first time i turn the key into ignition maybe there’s a problem with fuel pump or something?

You really need to return to that mechanic and see if he can solve this. As pointed out there might not be anyone here familiar with your diesel Opel.

And, if the OP’s mechanic is not aware of this, perhaps it is time to find a new mechanic.

It’s possible an electric fuel delivery pump could be dodgy, failing to start turning reliably each time when it is powered up. Removing the power and then re-powering could then cause it to start spinning. Starter motors at the end of their service life sometimes have that failure mode. As do HVAC blower motors. The bearings start to get stiff, and/or the electrical armature contacts start to wear out. A shop could do a fuel pressure or fuel delivery rate test I suppose.