First time starting on a cool morning - Troubleshooting - VWDiesel.net The IDI, TDI, and mTDI source.

• First time starting on a cool morning by cube1980 on 29 Sep, 2008 17:38
• Hi I bought a 96 GOLF 1.9 TD this summer and now the weather here in Ontario is starting to get cooler at night.  I have never owned a diesel before so all I know is that they are sometimes hard to start in the winter.  The temp here last night was around 0 degrees celcius and when I went to start my car this morning, I let the glow plug light go out, and pulled the cold start lever then cranked it over. It started right away but stumbled for about 10 seconds before it ran smooth.   Is this normal or should I be checking my glow plugs to see if they are actually working?
• #1 by jtanguay on 29 Sep, 2008 17:42
• it sounds as if you have 1 or 2 bad ones.. maybe more if the motor has good compression.
  
  some have stated before that with a fresh engine they can start it at 0 degrees without glow plugs and it doesn't stumble...
• #2 by cube1980 on 29 Sep, 2008 17:58
• Is there a certain temperature that the glow plugs kick in at? or do they always start on a cold engine?
• #3 by jtanguay on 29 Sep, 2008 19:54
• Quote from: "cube1980"

  Is there a certain temperature that the glow plugs kick in at? or do they always start on a cold engine?

  
  
  always.  i think the cut off might be at around 60 deg C though...
• #4 by cube1980 on 01 Oct, 2008 19:11
• ok I tested the bus bar and I'm getting voltage there so they are getting power. I haven't tested for amperage yet but I talked to 2 guys today that had a 95 GOlf and the other guy had a Jetta both diesel.  They both said theirs would chug and sputter for a few seconds when it was cold out.  I've never owned a diesel before so I don't know how they are supposed to be when cold. The car has no problem cranking over and does start right away, it just seems to run rough for a few seconds  when it's below zero degrees celcius....hasn't been colder than that up here yet.
  
  Does anyone elses TD's around my year do the same thing?
• #5 by Smokey Eddy on 01 Oct, 2008 19:50
• If 1990 is close?
  Mine totally does. I have to keep the idle up with my foot for about 30 seconds. It won't stall on it's own but i don't like the ramifications of partial combustion and unusual running so i just keep the rpm up a bit just to give it a couple extra degrees to idle on. I know that high idle wont creat substantial heat but it seems to make a significant difference.
  If it really bothers you, install a block heater. I love mine. Keeps mine starting in the winter cold! Use the search on here im sure you'll find something. If not pm me and i'd be happy to tell you how i got my frost plug out  :twisted:
• #6 by cube1980 on 01 Oct, 2008 20:25
• Thanks for the reply saves me the hassel of playing with the glow plugs..., mine does have a block heater in it so I should be ok this winter....at what temp do you usually start plugging it in at?  I'm used to my gas truck and I don't even plug it in at -30 degrees celcius
• #7 by Smokey Eddy on 01 Oct, 2008 22:12
• On a gasser i don't think it's required, just saves on like "dry start"s where the oil is settled and all the components are "dry" (not oiled) because of the cold the oil just settles and gets thick!
  
  I just use the block heater when i notice a significant difference in starts. or 10 Celcius or lower i guess?
• #8 by burnt_servo on 02 Oct, 2008 01:58
• when it's cold out , DON"T pull out the cold start lever .... it won't start .
  
  wait till the motor is starting to catch then pull it out .
  
  this is the time of year when i find out if i need to replace the glow plugs when the engine apears to be "missing " for a few seconds after i start it  . ( i have at least 2 dead ones right now ) .
• #9 by BlackTieTD on 02 Oct, 2008 10:24
• FWIW i start my 1.6TD all winter in ontario (kitchener, 1990 engine) without block heater. good compression and good glow plugs should allow a diesel VW to start here all winter. when it gets down to -30C which it rarely does anymore it starts to get a little more finicky but still starts. i used to plug in the block heater on cold nights but i don't bother anymore for about 2 yrs now. it can't hurt to plug the block heater in.. make it a little easier on the engine during cold start. its just nice to go somewhere in -30C and not have to worry about plugging in or not starting.
  
  i've found with my 94 1.9TD which is not in as good condition as the 1.6TD that with a lot of cranking over, almost anything will start as long as the compression is within reason  :lol: buy up a couple used starters if that's your situation and then its less worry to crank it for 20 to 30 second spurts 10 times over every time it doesn't want to go right away.
  
  as far as rough running after start-up... that could be a number of things, easiest of which to fix is a bad glow plug or two. the cylinder with the bad plug will miss until it warms up causing the rough running. if you think thats it test the GPs.
  
  a general 'method'  :roll:  i use if one of these engines is running rough on start-up or has air in the lines etc, give it fuel to about 2000-2500 rpm for a few seconds or more and it will clear up.
• #10 by jtanguay on 02 Oct, 2008 13:31
• Quote from: "burnt_servo"

  when it's cold out , DON"T pull out the cold start lever .... it won't start .
  
  wait till the motor is starting to catch then pull it out .
  
  this is the time of year when i find out if i need to replace the glow plugs when the engine apears to be "missing " for a few seconds after i start it  . ( i have at least 2 dead ones right now ) .

  
  
  i've heard the cold start lever thing... but mine starts just fine with it out.  in winter it wont even go without it.  it's pretty rough  :lol:
• #11 by Op-Ivy on 02 Oct, 2008 13:53
• Mine can start with the cold start lever out, but it's usually harder to do. Works best for me starting with it in then pulling it out once it catches.
• #12 by Smokey Eddy on 02 Oct, 2008 15:20
• im the same as Op-Ivy. With the lever out it bogs down and barely turns over but it will start with it pushed in. Then i pull it out to keep it idling smoothly once it's started. My engine has very low compression though so i suppose these circumstances are exagerated on my engine. For example, it starts better in the cold with working GPs than when its at temp with working GPs (hot = lower comp)
• #13 by cube1980 on 02 Oct, 2008 20:43
• See mine starts fine....just feels like it's missing for the first 5 seconds or so then it idles fine.  I guess I'll check the glow plugs but from what some people are saying, it's normal for it to idle rough for 5-10 seconds on start up
• #14 by jtanguay on 02 Oct, 2008 23:32
• mines the opposite... it barely even catches with the cold start lever in.. takes about 3-4 good cranks when its pretty cold.  cold start lever out, it catches almost the first crank, until about -10 and below.