PSDExcursion
Well-known member
Figure I'd ask this here before turning a wrench. Besides, it's raining/cold/windy today...not a good wrench day outside.
Symptoms:
About 80% of the time, the car cranks very slow on a cold (first) morning start. I have to preface "cold" because I live in Houston,TX...meaning cold is simply not hot. It's done it during the summer when it only gets down to 80 degrees overnight. Releasing the key and trying again doesn't help, it still cranks just as slow. Other times it starts right up as normal...no slow cranking at all. There are no unusual noises when this happens, no clicking, grinding, wheezing, nothing. Just cranks slow. After that 1st start, it's fine...even if the car doesn't get driven, and even if it was only started and run for about 10 seconds.
Vehicle:
The patient is a 2002 Jetta, AT, 102K miles on it. I'm running the optima red top battery in it after the stocker croaked. Had an intake manifold cleaning done maybe 20k miles ago.
What I've tried:
Checked the battery at two different parts stores with 3 testers. All say it tests out fine. One guy said the alternator output was low, but his diagnostic tool was just hooked up to the battery + and - poles, not sure how he can measure alternator current without a bridge or a current loop? Besides, the idiot light isn't on, and the battery reads right at 12v when sitting overnight. Autozone did test the alternator current with a current loop on one of the cables that they attached to the battery. They said the alternator was fine. So, if I can trust all of that, my battery is OK and my alternator is likewise OK. I've looked at the anti-shudder valve. It's in the open position and operates freely. Vaccuum is hooked up to it properly. The battery connections are clean and bright. No corrosion whatsover (thank you Optima!) I have not checked the electrical connections to the starter yet. This leads me to the so-called "slow starter" thing. Could this possibly be it? Wouldn't a slow starter be slow all the time?
Any help is greatly appreciated. This is the wife's car and it needs to be reliable, otherwise I have to run out and rescue her.
Thanks much,
Michael
Symptoms:
About 80% of the time, the car cranks very slow on a cold (first) morning start. I have to preface "cold" because I live in Houston,TX...meaning cold is simply not hot. It's done it during the summer when it only gets down to 80 degrees overnight. Releasing the key and trying again doesn't help, it still cranks just as slow. Other times it starts right up as normal...no slow cranking at all. There are no unusual noises when this happens, no clicking, grinding, wheezing, nothing. Just cranks slow. After that 1st start, it's fine...even if the car doesn't get driven, and even if it was only started and run for about 10 seconds.
Vehicle:
The patient is a 2002 Jetta, AT, 102K miles on it. I'm running the optima red top battery in it after the stocker croaked. Had an intake manifold cleaning done maybe 20k miles ago.
What I've tried:
Checked the battery at two different parts stores with 3 testers. All say it tests out fine. One guy said the alternator output was low, but his diagnostic tool was just hooked up to the battery + and - poles, not sure how he can measure alternator current without a bridge or a current loop? Besides, the idiot light isn't on, and the battery reads right at 12v when sitting overnight. Autozone did test the alternator current with a current loop on one of the cables that they attached to the battery. They said the alternator was fine. So, if I can trust all of that, my battery is OK and my alternator is likewise OK. I've looked at the anti-shudder valve. It's in the open position and operates freely. Vaccuum is hooked up to it properly. The battery connections are clean and bright. No corrosion whatsover (thank you Optima!) I have not checked the electrical connections to the starter yet. This leads me to the so-called "slow starter" thing. Could this possibly be it? Wouldn't a slow starter be slow all the time?
Any help is greatly appreciated. This is the wife's car and it needs to be reliable, otherwise I have to run out and rescue her.
Thanks much,
Michael
