Cold Weather and Hard Starting

Ok, so this morning it was about -7 when I went out to start my car at 11am.

Thinking to myself: it's a little cold out, so I am going to cycle the glow plugs 3 times....good, right?

Wrong! Go to crank, it cranks for a few, then seems like its gonna go, lots of smoke, then nothing...premature.

So, cycle the glow plugs 2 more times (about 10 seconds each time) and good to go again...right?

Wrong again! Same deal - no start after crank, seems like its going to go, lots of big white smoke...premature again.

So, I'm going to give one more chance...cycle 2 more times with the plugs, then bam! it starts, smoke! noise! clatter! and 30 seconds later, off I go to 2000rpm shifts until warm.

Okay: So I have a few hypothese (spelling) on why its not starting well:

1. I have one glow plug that has to be changed, I am going to do that on sunday...however, there should still be the ability to start with 3 good plugs.

2.. The fuel...well, I filled up about a week and a half ago, from a high volume station, they mostly run winter blend year round up here, and I even put a good shot of white power service in it...but the problem I am describing sounds almost like a gelled fuel situation.

3. I am an idiot.


Chime in, let me know what you think!

I'm guessing the battery is getting a bit old. Am I right? Try not cycling the gps next time to see if it starts nicely.

My 2000 was doing the same thing, and I went to auto zone and bought a Group 49 battery, and walla, just like new again !!!! You have to modify the battery box in order to get it in, but what a difference it made.
Thanks Kirk for the help with the battery box !!!

Group 49 is wrong - for a Jetta, it should be a 94R

Is that Celsius or Fahrenheit temps? Do you put the E-brake on so the running lights are off when you try to start? Do you turn off all accessories? Radio heated sets and such before trying?

With a strong battery and good glow plugs (by the way if 1 is bad I would replace all of them) the car should start easily at -7F or for sure at -7C. I know this as I used to live in central MN and my car would start with 1 glow plug cycle at -22 F.

I would not be cycling the glow plugs at -7º (C or F) They really don't need it. I have been down to less than -20º F and did not need to cycle them, although it was a little slow starting and had very little power for the first couple of miles. But then it started faster than the gassers and I could drive right off while they could not.

The start of injection timing needs to be checked.

Alright, a few things to clarify - its a 99, so A3 style & Engine...and yes, thats -7C

The battery looks quite old, and its still a VW battery, so I am thinking its the orgininal, having survived 7 or 8 winters. Might be a time to replace it.

Yes I did turn everything off, brake on, etc, the car still seems like its cranking over fairly easily

One thing I forgot to mention, I am running a 15w40 in there right now, which may be making a difference.

And I would have to goto canadian tire or napa for a new battery, any ideas on which would be the better place?

i would change the oil to 5w40 for the winter, did you depress the accelerator any at all or just tried to start at idle. try pushing the throttle a small amount.

Thanks for the clarifications.

At -7C they should be coming on. Both the engine oil and the old battery should be corrected. I suspect one or both are reasons for your concern.

cloudstrife said:

One thing I forgot to mention, I am running a 15w40 in there right now, which may be making a difference.

Click to expand...

Wrong oil for car. Will cause problems much more serious than hard starting.

You can run 15/40, my manual for my 98 beetle (alh) states it as an option but within a certain tempurature range. Its not till you get into the pd engines that you need to stick to a DEFINATE type of oil.

That info has been overruled witha TSB in 2000 or so and applies to VEs.

Get a 5w40 synthetic in there pronto . As in - ASAP. Make sure it is diesel rated for at least CG4 or later, or is approved for VW505.00

Given the changes since CG-4, almost better to just say CI-4, CI-4+ or 505.00 or better.