Cold weather doin' my engine no good.

"Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy" (zipppyart) 01/19/2015 at 18:03 • Filed to: Volkswagen

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I'm having a feeling my glow plugs decide to stop working after -17*C. 15 seconds worth of cranking the engine over for it to start.

itschrome > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/19/2015 at 18:10

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Shine little glow-plug, glimmer, glimmer

Shine little glow-plug, glimmer, glimmer

Lead us lest too far we wander

Love's sweet voice is calling yonder

Shine little glow-plug, glimmer, glimmer

Hey, there don't get dimmer, dimmer

E. Julius > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/19/2015 at 18:43

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I was driving a Skoda Octavia last week with what I imagine is a very similar engine, and I encountered this same issue. The strange thing was, the first outdoor cold start of the day (temp around -5C) it fired right up after a five second delay. The next time I tried to start it at a gas station about 15 minutes later, it did the same prolonged cranking and wouldn't start. Finally gave the car a little break and it started right up again, but the cruise control stopped working until the next time I started the car. Weird.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > E. Julius 01/19/2015 at 18:52

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That's what the glow plugs are for, to prevent this, but the past couple years, this car has been struggling to start cold.

E. Julius > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/19/2015 at 18:55

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Ah well best of luck sorting it out.

NonDriftingS13 > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/19/2015 at 20:52

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So what is a glow plug exactly? I've never heard this term I think...

deekster_caddy > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/19/2015 at 21:01

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Can you pull one out? I remember that my old rabbit diesel used to eat glow plugs until I put in new injectors. Not that it would have anything to do with your problem on a motor designed 3 decades later, but the glow plugs can break.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > NonDriftingS13 01/19/2015 at 21:02

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glow plugs are basically the diesel version of the spark plug. instead of igniting fuel, they warm up the combustion chamber for diesel to ignite.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > deekster_caddy 01/19/2015 at 21:06

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It's a bit cold for that at the moment, I only get a warning after the car fails to start cranking for a couple seconds. I let it 'warm up' before starting.

NonDriftingS13 > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/19/2015 at 21:15

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Ahhh that makes sense! Thanks for the clarification!

deekster_caddy > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/19/2015 at 22:36

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Yeah not now for sure. Worth a visual inspection if gliw plugs haven't changed too much over the years.

In the past diesels recommended cycling the glow plugs multiple times before starting if it was very cold out, or they had a light on the dash that would go out after the plugs were warmed up. It would take longer for that light to go off in very cold temps. Do they mention cold weather start procedure in the owners manual?

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > deekster_caddy 01/19/2015 at 22:43

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it still happens after various cycles, I try to start when the light on the dash turns off, when it fails, the glow plug light flashes again, and the car beeps a few times as well.

deekster_caddy > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/19/2015 at 23:05

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That's not fun. On the old model new glow plugs and injectors were the cure. Hope it's not expensive!

deekster_caddy > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/20/2015 at 12:10

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Any luck/update?

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > deekster_caddy 01/20/2015 at 12:42

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it worked fine this morning, and it was a pretty cold day. still a bit of a sputter to start, but ran without a hitch.

deekster_caddy > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/20/2015 at 13:24

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I wonder if your fuel is thickening up? I assume it's well winterized wherever you are, is there a fuel additive you can use for very cold weather? (not entirely sure how diesel additives work in cold weather, just a WAG here)

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > deekster_caddy 01/20/2015 at 13:29

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We've recently put some additive to see if does anything, nothing after 2 full ups.

I feel it's time to replace the fuel filter, and I wanted to do it this summer, but couldn't due to other commitments.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/21/2015 at 08:50

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I don't know how to help, but your manifold cover looks like a skull. That is all.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 01/21/2015 at 09:27

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Hah, not mine, but the same design. I also cannot unsee that now.