P2B
Top Post Dawg
How cold is too cold?
I have always been extremely impressed with how well my A3 starts in Canadian winters - the glow plug light takes a little longer to go out, but it always starts when the first or second cylinder goes over compression and the idle smooths out after a few seconds.
Mind you, I rarely go north of the 45th and until last week, I don't recall asking an A3 to start at much below -20C (-4F).
I headed further north than usual last week and twice needed to start the TDI when it was -35C (-31F) out. On both occasions the glowplug light took an eternity - not timed, but it had to be at least 45 seconds. The engine fired immediately as usual, but quit after a few revolutions. It took 7-8 attempts to get it running - each time the glow plugs took a few seconds less, and the engine managed a few more shaky revolutions before quitting. Once it ran, the amount of clanking and shaking was quite disturbing until the idle finally smoothed out after a couple of minutes.
Two questions:
I have always been extremely impressed with how well my A3 starts in Canadian winters - the glow plug light takes a little longer to go out, but it always starts when the first or second cylinder goes over compression and the idle smooths out after a few seconds.
Mind you, I rarely go north of the 45th and until last week, I don't recall asking an A3 to start at much below -20C (-4F).
I headed further north than usual last week and twice needed to start the TDI when it was -35C (-31F) out. On both occasions the glowplug light took an eternity - not timed, but it had to be at least 45 seconds. The engine fired immediately as usual, but quit after a few revolutions. It took 7-8 attempts to get it running - each time the glow plugs took a few seconds less, and the engine managed a few more shaky revolutions before quitting. Once it ran, the amount of clanking and shaking was quite disturbing until the idle finally smoothed out after a couple of minutes.
Two questions:
- Is the starting but quitting behavior normal at these temperatures, or do I have a problem?
- Did I use the correct procedure, i.e. shut off the ignition for a few seconds, back on and wait for the glow plug light, try starter again?