Cold Start Temps.

[PanzerSD]

I have a (yes, another) question.

My Boss' 04 Jetta TDI will start at -25 C with no effort at all.

It's been fairly mild here lately, and it's -10 C outside and my 617 won't doesn't even consider starting.

Block heater plugged back in...three hours later, it took a whole 30 seconds of cranking go get the engine to go fast enough to creat enough compression to fire...

Bad Rings? bad Fuel? bad what? what cold temps would a fresh 617 be able to start at unplugged?

EDIT: oh yeah, my glowplugs work fine.

[Biodiesel300TD]

Might try a valve adjustment.

[PanzerSD]

I had done one in the spring...maybe I should double check it?

[Knightrider966]

Originally Posted by Got_The_Benz

I had done one in the spring...maybe I should double check it?

Yes! Especially if this is a recent engine rebuild for you. That alone could keep you from getting fired up!

[firemediceric]

A couple of months ago, WHunter posted a bunch of links about cold weather starting. One of the posts brought out that most wear occurs at start up, even on an engine sitting in warm ambient temps. The point that was being made was that it never hurts to plug in the block heater.

Since reading that, I often plug the car in, even here in Florida. When the car is plugged in, often for 10 or more hours overnight, the block heater is warming things up and a trickle charger is boosting the battery. What a differnce is made starting the car warmed up as oppossed to cold. The idle is smooth right away and the engine sounds great.

It may be overkill, but I often get the benefit of free electricity for this

I didn't vote in the poll. -20 it too warm! I've started it as low as -26*c without the block heater.

[Jkid]

Originally Posted by Got_The_Benz

I had done one in the spring...maybe I should double check it?

I adjusted mine the first time last winter/spring. I have no idea when or if they were done before that, but they were all very tight (most of them had no clearance at all and took quite a few turns to get them back in spec).

I just adjusted them again this weekend (6,000 miles later) and I probably adjusted all but two of them again. Maybe it was because they were so far off the first time I did it, but I'm glad I checked them again (it really went a lot quicker the second time). I think I even notice it running a little smoother now, or at least I like to think so.

[pawoSD]

I've started at -25C with no heater.

[kerry]

I've started my 85 TDd at -35C without a block heater.

[dunl]

When I have a valve adjustment done and she is is excellent running condition, like last winter, she will start at -42.

She didn't like it, but she started.

[Jkid]

Somewhere between 20-25 deg F. With about 20 seconds of cranking. Hopefully my valve adjustment and syn. oil will help that.

We should also note how muck cranking it takes. I think mine will start in the single digits with enough cranking and glow cycles (a probably a jump).

BTW, you should check your block heater cord, 3 hours of heat should start the engine quickly.

[katja]

It seems there are so many variables that can affect cold starting. It never gets that cold here, but just for the heck of it, I left mine out in the cold during the "cold snap" here - it's about 25*F here. Started in less than 2 seconds of cranking, with about 30 seconds of pre-glow. Block heater not used. 15w-50 Mobil 1, battery almost 2 yrs old, old-style series glow plugs of unknown age, valves on spec, approx 20% biodiesel/80% ULSD in the tank, and about 250K+ miles on the engine w/ moderate blow by. I'm thinking replacing the battery cables with a larger size might be a good idea for faster cold starting if it gets any colder. But I wasn't going to drive anywhere anyway, too much ice + summer tires with limited tread =not a good idea.

I agree, if you have a block heater & a place to plug it in, use it, it eliminates the rough idle & smoke at startup and sluggish feel when you first start driving plus it feels nice to have instant heat. The school districts around here plug their buses in when it's below freezing, plus they use winter radiator fronts. And still Seattle is nothing like how cold it gets in other areas of the country.

[PanzerSD]

Originally Posted by katja

I agree, if you have a block heater & a place to plug it in, use it, it eliminates the rough idle & smoke at startup and sluggish feel when you first start driving plus it feels nice to have instant heat.

Instant heat??? on a 15*C day plugged in the block heater heats enough just to start, I'd hardly say "instant heat" Hmmm...Faulty Block heater!? can a block heater work, but not really well????

I can hear is sizzle when I plug it in like they all do, it's the type that is in the block and I'm going to assume it's original.

[JDmills]

my 300TD started this morning at 8*F. But it took about 5 minutes and a couple of glow cycles.. it might start at a little below 0*F, but I would want synthetic oil in it as the oil really slows the starter motor down once the oil pump is pushing the 10W-30 I have in it around...

usually I plug it in, but this morning the plug crapped out...

[barry123400]

To check if your block heater and associated wiring including the extension cord are still good. Plug in the block heater. After a couple of minutes pull the extension plug at the source. If all is well you will see small arcing at the plug prongs as you pull it fast. Just becase it all worked the last time this lets you know all is still good. Works for me anyways. There also is no factory provison for a block heater on a volkswagon tdi. What a hardship on the engine when it starts at -30 or so. There is an aftermarket oil pan heater that you glue on the oil pan available. The first one I caught out of the corner of my eye. I thought someone had put a hole in their pan and patched it. The dino oil is just too thick for these 123 engines when very cold. Especially with no block heater usage. Unfortunatly the jury is recently in on these synthetics. Other than an aid to cold starting it appears generally the amount of wear in the respective oil samples is comparable. I was hoping for less with the synthetics to help justify the expense. Someone has to initiate these cursed oil threads from time to time.