Cold weather coming. What to tell the Newbs?

Winter is coming and this site will soon be inundated with calls for help that cars won't start. Maybe folks could help with some hints about what to expect and how to fix those cold weather, no-start situations?

I'll start with a partial list of things that could cause a no start.

Dead battery: HERE is a link to a thread that has a link to another thread about batteries.

No smoke: most common cause of no fuel is that the fuel has gelled. There are many, many posts about this, so use the advanced search, use "and" and check the boolean box when searching for fuel and gel.

Turns over slow: Most likely a battery problem. Get it tested and get it tested right. See the above link about dead batteries.

Hard starting: For the 10,000th time. (I don't know if he actually counted, so I don't know if 10,000 is accurate)

That's all of the biggest problems I can think of off the top of my head. Hopefully others will be able to chime in with the things I have missed.

With help from some Biomechanical Upgraded Replicant something or other, there is always the famous Glow Plug 101. and the general FAQs; though the FAQs are a bit outdated and don't have much information on the newest stuff.

OIL !!! Get the 'right stuff' put in your car - a synthetic 0wX / 5wX oil appropriate for your model year.

FUEL FILTER ! NOW is the time to change it if it has been awhile.

General car condition ! Timing belts / timing should be checked , Brakes, tires, etc.

"My car doesn't warm up while idling" - this is NORMAL - TDIs do not warm up very well unless they have a load. This means start car, get ready to go (fasten seatbelts, etc.) and GO when the idle no longer sounds like the car is really rough.

"I live in___________ where it gets really cold (-20 degrees F or C). Do I need a block heater ?" - NO, and besides - there is no place to put one on anyway. About the closest you can come is a TDIHEATER http://www.frostheater.com , but if you can't plug in, look for a WEBASTO / ESPAR fuel powered heaters. A properly running TDI should easily start down to -40 . A coolant heater is not a bad idea - there's something to be said for instant heat - but it is not strictly necessary either.

"I run biodiesel. Will there be problems with the cold ?" - Yes, see fuel gelling. Cut down on your percentage of biodiesel as it gets colder. Consider a good antigel agent such as PowerService (WHITE bottle), there are several good ones on the market. NOW is NOT the time to experiment with B100 unless you live in South Florida / Hawaii or similar tropical area !

My favorite. Read the cold weather starting proceedure from the owners manual. My first winter I thought I was stuck up at Cripple Creek after being parked all night at below zero temps. After several failed attempts to start I vaguely remembered the manual for my '02 saying let the engine overrun the starter motor before releasing the key. When it is extremely cold. Worked like a charm. The engine ran rough for a few seconds and we went home!!!!

whitedog said:

Winter is coming and this site will soon be inundated with calls for help that cars won't start. Maybe folks could help with some hints about what to expect and how to fix those cold weather, no-start situations?

I'll start with a partial list of things that could cause a no start.

Dead battery: HERE is a link to a thread that has a link to another thread about batteries.

No smoke: most common cause of no fuel is that the fuel has gelled. There are many, many posts about this, so use the advanced search, use "and" and check the boolean box when searching for fuel and gel.

Turns over slow: Most likely a battery problem. Get it tested and get it tested right. See the above link about dead batteries.

Hard starting: For the 10,000th time. (I don't know if he actually counted, so I don't know if 10,000 is accurate)

That's all of the biggest problems I can think of off the top of my head. Hopefully others will be able to chime in with the things I have missed.

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While what you have written is well thought out there are and will be those who the first time the car has a problem will write in for help for what ever the reason, to lazy to search OR even a bigger one that a lot of people in this club are older people (not the young smart-ss vortex'ers Sp?) who just do not know how to use a computer right you see it all the time with newbies not using the spell check and people not writing out the word using a U for YOU and so on this is not a text message forum. So i caution everyone who reads this If you are just going to give them a hard time and tell them to read the FAQs do not bother. If you have time to do that you have time to answer the question OR point them to a link here they can find the answer. As one of the longest members of Freds club It is SAD to see that the last few years the way people are being treated and most of the old timers do not even bother coming on here anymore because of it. SO PLAY NICE. Fred started this as a way to exchange information not start fights. He does this on his own money which is not cheap so people lets start helping others instead of blowing them off, because if you have time to do that you have time to be helpful. Just my 10 cents worth. Have a great winter.

Also another point: Just because someone says "I live in <some cold place> and my car starts at -1000 degrees with just a touch of the key, first time, every time" doesn't mean that a) its true, or b) there's anything wrong with your car if it doesnt run that way.

There's a LOT of variation out there - in mileage, performance, cold-starting, etc.

When talking about oil for winter You would be surprised how much better and faster the car turns over with new oil in it. For Newbie in very cold places if you put a battery tender on the car and plug it in at night it will keep the battery letting the full power of the battery come into play when starting the car. I would note new battery's really do not have a problem starting these cars only the older ones. I have started my car when it was 0 degrees outside and the glow plugs disconnected just to see how well the new TDI's started the cold. The car started a bit hard but it did start. I had several of the old rabbit diesels and if one glow plug stopped working you had trouble starting the car if 2 were out you were in trouble. These TDI's are a lot better in the winter.

Totally Agree!!!

Funguy said:

My favorite. Read the cold weather starting proceedure from the owners manual. My first winter I thought I was stuck up at Cripple Creek after being parked all night at below zero temps. After several failed attempts to start I vaguely remembered the manual for my '02 saying let the engine overrun the starter motor before releasing the key. When it is extremely cold. Worked like a charm. The engine ran rough for a few seconds and we went home!!!!

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Like Funguy said - read the manual. I was always told in the past not to run the starter motor longer than 10 seconds at a time and let it sit a couple of minutes between trys.

The manual for my '05 Beetle says it is O.K. to run the starter motor for up to 30 seconds continously. With that long of a crank time, any properly maintaned TDI should start easily not matter what the weather. Even my '05 which had a bad injector (which over-fueled the snot out of it and raised hell with the other 3 because of the polution controll) started after about 20 seconds of cranking in -15F weather.

Don't forget the modification to the fuel pickup. Lots of these cars have moved all over the country in the last year due to Ebay sales.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=68872&page=12&highlight=secret+recall

My personal favorite hint is to TREAT THE FUEL! Lots of stations buy fuel on the spot market. GOK whether it has been properly treated for cold weather.

Birdman said:

...(not the young smart-ss vortex'ers Sp?)...

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Not all of us 'texers are smart-ss's... . I do, however, get the feeling that at 23 I'm one of the younger members here. Here's to trying to not offend the old farts...

None taken.

Agree....let's not take offense at anyone who comes on , a first timer, and asks questions.

When I was a newbie last year, everyone was helpful. I did not get the rough once over ....( is that an initiation ritual ? ;-) But I have read many posts in which the veteran would excoriate/lecture the newbie about how to not ask dumb questions, and how to use the search function...

When you are lost, and asks questions, would you like someone in Paris or Beijing or Lima, to tell you to go buy a map...that you should do research before asking ??

If one has the time to write a long paragraph belittling others, then one has the time to be nice...play fair, and extend some courtesy to others.

BTW, the search function is not the easiest to use...and brings up all sorts of trivial items.....

I have to agree that this forum seems to have gotten less friendly. Obviously the members get sick of seeing the same questions over and over but I have to admit the search function is pretty weak and who cares its not like you have to read every repeat question. I have gotten a lot of great info on here but dam people can be harsh sometimes.

Yes, I agree with the problems mentioned, but lets not dwell on those things and get this train back on track about helping Newbs.

(adding a smile so you know I'm not mad)

Another thing to tell the Newbies: if you only fill up once a month, don't expect fuel blended for November in Atlanta to work in December in Vermont -- unless you add your own anti-gel additive.

Also, if you're using "32°+" windshield washer fluid, get it out of there soon if you live in the Snow Belt.

paramedick said:

Don't forget the modification to the fuel pickup. Lots of these cars have moved all over the country in the last year due to Ebay sales.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=68872&page=12&highlight=secret+recall

My personal favorite hint is to TREAT THE FUEL! Lots of stations buy fuel on the spot market. GOK whether it has been properly treated for cold weather.

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Fuel sender mod: DO IT if it hasn't already been done!

Treat the fuel: Yes! Definitely! Use an additive with every tankful.

Prevent "gelling" in cold: Additives will effectively do this if the fuel isn't already winterized in your region. Also, very often when people think they are having gelling problems, it may actually be ICING due to water in the fuel and not gelling. Either way, the symptoms are the same. One dead giveaway that icing is occurring is it happens at temps cold enough for icing but still too warm for gelling (say at +20F). The solution is to stick to fueling up only at high volume truck stops and busy gas stations along major routes. The fuel at these stations will always be the freshest in the region because it's constantly being replaced often and will be less likely to be contaminated with water and other crap. Basically buy your diesel fuel where everybody else does in your area. Go where the big rigs and all the local delivery trucks go. And also use an additive that has some anti-gell and does something for water.

In the winter months, I like to fill up when the fuel gauge is at half-tank to minimize the possibility of water condensation in the tank. I fuel up only at high volume truck stops and busy gas stations and always use an additive. Call me paranoid if you will but after more than 300k miles of driving TDIs and enduring winters in the New England area, I've never had a fuel-related issue with either of my TDIs.

Bump for newbies.

Check your tire pressure, it goes down when the tempature drops.

If you live anywhere in the "snow-belt" do yourself a favour and get a proper set of snow tires (not All-Seasons) ........... on steel rims.

Don't rip off little pcs of weather strip fuzz or rubber when they freeze and stick to your doors- try some gummi flege! And don't trust my spelling!

hskrdu said:

Don't rip off little pcs of weather strip fuzz or rubber when they freeze and stick to your doors- try some gummi flege! And don't trust my spelling!

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1) It is spelled Gummi Pflege

2) Apparently it's no longer available. Here's a site with a list of Einzett products, and the tubes of Gummi Pflege aren't on it -- instead some kind of applicator like that used for shoe polish.

http://www.autogeek.net/1z-einszett-rubber-care-stick.html

3) 303 Aerospace Protectant needs to be applied more often, but is better than silicon-based lubes.

May I suggest that, if the fuel filter is anywhere near it's 20K mark, change it now. A clean filter may well allow you to drive with minimal gelling when an older one would not let you get away with it. At least that's how it appears to me from prior years' postings. Many of the "can't start" threads had fuel filters that were due/close to due.

What to tell the noobs with cold weather coming?

Don't forget your hat and gloves.

But other than that: trickle charge your battery, don't trust your fuel supplier to have winterized fuel properly, don't idle, change your fuel filter, keep a scraper & emergency blanket in your car, wash off your car at least once a month, change the Mag-lite batteries with fresh ones...

but most importantly, enjoy the fresh, clean, sparkling white beautiful snow before it turns into a horrible mess of dirt, cigarette butts, dog urine and salt.

Great advice...

I did the battery maintenance last night....and filled up to the best of my guess as to where it should be. Fill up to the bottom of the plastic housing ? I did not see any line or level. I used up about a full 9 ounce coke cans worth of distilled water. Then trickle charged .

still have to do the fuel filter....

highender said:

Great advice...

I did the battery maintenance last night....and filled up to the best of my guess as to where it should be. Fill up to the bottom of the plastic housing ? I did not see any line or level. I used up about a full 9 ounce coke cans worth of distilled water. Then trickle charged .

still have to do the fuel filter....

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If you look into the holes where you filled the battery, you will see plastic sticking down maybe 3/4 inch. The fluid level should be just to the bottom of that.

whitedog said:

If you look into the holes where you filled the battery, you will see plastic sticking down maybe 3/4 inch. The fluid level should be just to the bottom of that.

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Yes....that is what I assumed to be the level...and I filled it to that level...

Thanks whitedog...

My car starts fine...

ANother bump..

Another "good-to-know" for noobs: Your fuel mileage will go down. It's a function of winterized fuel, longer warmups, less traction on roads, and winter tires (if you use them; they typically are not built for mileage). MPGs will bounce back in the spring.

Steve-o said:

Another "good-to-know" for noobs: Your fuel mileage will go down. It's a function of winterized fuel, longer warmups, less traction on roads, and winter tires (if you use them; they typically are not built for mileage). MPGs will bounce back in the spring.

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Unless you are in an area where you use the AC on High all Summer and don't have to wait for the glowplugs on the coldest morning in the "Winter". Then Winter gets better mileage, but what kind of a wacko would want to live there?

whitedog said:

Unless you are in an area where you use the AC on High all Summer and don't have to wait for the glowplugs on the coldest morning in the "Winter". Then Winter gets better mileage, but what kind of a wacko would want to live there?

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It's not that bad, living here in paradise.

I'm a former Minnesotan, and would love to spend spring and fall in Minnesota, summer and winter in San Diego. That way I could avoid the snow and the mosquitos.