cold weather 'hard' starting

cold weather \'hard\' starting

if a tdi starts in cold weather, does it matter how 'hard' it starts? it sounds like it is mis-firing, but after i let it idle for a few minutes, then drive it, it seems ok. is cold starting bad for the engine, or do theya ll just sound cranky?
it did start when it was -10f without additive, but it wasn't very happy. if it starts when it is this cold do i really need to worry about an anti-gelling additive, or can i assume they are already adding one to the fuel in my area?

cold weather \'hard\' starting

When it gets really cold I like to put in some anti-jel just for piece of mind.
Have you tried 'Double heating' your glow plugs...
Turn ignition to 'ON', wait for GP light to go out, turn ignition to 'OFF', then turn back to 'On', then when light goes out start the car. This has helped me on some really cold days.

How old is your battery? Have you ever checked the fluid level? The TDI does not have a sealed battey, there are caps under the sticker on the top, remove them and and distilled watter until it comes up to where the base of the plug would be when they are screw in.

-Jason

cold weather \'hard\' starting

A start is a start, but all that stumbling and misfiring isn't exactly "good" for the engine. It is "normal" for a diesel starting in extreme cold however.

As for additives, there are two things to be concerned with. First, gelling. If the fuel gets too cold it will get thick enough to block your filter. Now theoretically the fuel should be properly additized for the local climate by the station/distributor/refiner/whoever. But you never know for sure.

Second, Cetane. Cetane is like Octane, but backward. Higher cetane means the fuel will ignite at a lower temp, which helps cold starting. Most US/Canadian fuel is crap, with low cetane. So an additive with cetane boost and antigel is a good plan. Primrose (hard to find), or PowerService Diesel Supplement are good. The one VW sells is good too, I forget the name.

Finally, your mechanical injection timing settings (aka "basic settings timing" or "pump timing") is important for cold starts. More advanced is better, within specified limits.

cold weather \'hard\' starting

the golf only has 16k, so i'd assume the battery is good, but i will check the levels.

i am driving from albuquerque to southern colorado to snowboard, so i guess i can't assume that the fuel in abq. has any additive in it, even though i get it at a truck stop.

it also didn't like warming up as i drove. i had to give it more fuel than i wanted to, and it spewed out soot reminding me of my diesel rabbit days.

thanks for the input, i'll get some anti-gel stuff to carry with me.

cold weather \'hard\' starting

[ QUOTE ]
kyote321 wrote:
it also didn't like warming up as i drove. i had to give it more fuel than i wanted to, and it spewed out soot reminding me of my diesel rabbit days.

[/ QUOTE ]

The only thing I notice with cold weather is more engine clatter. I think the smoke is telling you it's time to take your ride to the dealer for a little warranty work. Have I seen your car parked in Prof. Russell's spot outside the ME building on campus?

cold weather \'hard\' starting

Double heating the glow plugs helps, as does making sure you turn the key until the engine starts completely. On mine I turn the key a little longer than I would on a gasser, and it really helps it start easier. Still sounds kind of scary, though, when it first catches and begins idling. Even with Delvac 1 it sounds extremely rough for a couple of seconds until the oil gets circulating. In the winter it's worse. I can't help but imagine metal (or aluminum--whatever the cylinder walls are made of) shavings going everywhere until the engine smooths out. /images/graemlins/eek.gif

cold weather \'hard\' starting

Plug it in and heat it up if it bothers you... you get instant heat as a bonus. Search "engine heater" and have fun. And yes, it's a good idea to "chase" a diesel engine with the starter S L I G H T L Y when it's cold and sputters to life. /images/graemlins/cool.gif

cold weather \'hard\' starting

[ QUOTE ]
kyote321 said:i am driving from albuquerque to southern colorado to snowboard

[/ QUOTE ]High altitude is another factor that hurts your cold starts and lengthens glow plug times.

Lots of cold smoke, you might try running some injector cleaner such as Lubro-Moly Diesel Purge. 16k miles of our poor quality fuel is plenty to gum up the injectors.