Trouble with cold start

[tkjeeves]

Now that the cold has arrived and temperatures have dropped to zero, i'm now got problems starting my car in the mornings. i would need to start the car and press on the gas pedal half to all the way and even then the car would splutter for a few seconds before running.

Anyone else having this problem? What can this be? oil? spark plugs? auto choke?

 

[RichieRich]

i never had that problem with my 1.4 or any of my seats for that matter.. mine started first time at -4 lol with 5 inches of snow on top of it that i had to scrape off then struggle to get out of my drive lol it wouldt be the starter motor would it? does the engine sound like its turning over ok? if so prob the spark plugs.. auto choke does the engine sit at about 2k for a few seconds after u start it? prob just out of warranty to...

 

[Leigh15]

I can tell you live in the south east - you think -4 is cold!!

You should try mid Wales for a bit - up around the mountains - now that's cold!!

I dread to think how bad Scotland must be in the winter!

 

[tkjeeves]

yeah it turns over when i start, so things like battery is good, it sounds like its compressing/ spluttering the fuel, so yeah could be the plugs... and yeah so out of warranty. After the engine does run, the rev is just over 1k which i think is a bit low for cold start, but idk. Think this car needs a proper service rather some Seat dealer stamp!

 

[Mr Cellotape]

When was it's last service?

 

[RichieRich]

yeah leigh cant imagine that really but im a gardener so i work outside all throught the winter even in blizzards and stuff so im quite used to the cold lol a good service always does a car good.. mine goes to a trusted garage when i have it long enough lol and yeah 1k seems too low for a cold start have u got any lights up on the dash?

 

[Leigh15]

Does the Ibiza's 1.4 idle at increased revs when cold then? I know the 1.2 doesn't, so it might not be a dead cert that the low idle you're experiencing is related to the poor starting.

Having said that my Leon, which was a 1.4 (75PS) did have a fast idle when cold, although I don't remember it being as high as 2000rpm

 

[RichieRich]

yes mate it sits just below 2k or it could be 1.5 it was like 4 years ago i had it so memory is slighty blur lol

 

[Leigh15]

I think a quick scan with VAG-COM might be in order

 

[tkjeeves]

think its time for to get a vag-com. normal idle on mine is about 800ish, but start idle is just above 1k, i'd expect as its colder it would idle higher. lt service was when i got the car a good 4 months ago, but this is Perrys dealer service....

 

[tom_ibiza]

id say a engine sensor, i reakon its dumping 2 much fuel in2 the engine, my 1.2 did it, quick change of the offendin sensor and no more problems

 

[stezo2k]

ive noticed i have to turn the key longer since its got colder but no real problems for me
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REHAB FORUM

 

[tkjeeves]

yeah something is definetly not right, it tried to start the car without pressing on the gas pedal this morning (-7C says the dial!) and after 2 seconds i gave up to prevent the starter motor burning out, and tried again with my gas halfway, and it sputtered to life, idles and run just fine otherwise. Think its either a sensor or something to do with air/fuel mixture

 

[RUM4MO]

or something to do with air/fuel mixture

Yes well the temperature sensor will control the injection spray time will it not? Hence the air/fuel mixture level. You did not move any of the sensors when you modified your airbox and air filter areas did you?

Edit:- BTW you should not need "any gas" - ie to touch the accelerator pedal when you start the car, just foot fully down on clutch with gearbox in neutral.

 

[tkjeeves]

Yes well the temperature sensor will control the injection spray time will it not? Hence the air/fuel mixture level. You did not move any of the sensors when you modified your airbox and air filter areas did you?

Edit:- BTW you should not need "any gas" - ie to touch the accelerator pedal when you start the car, just foot fully down on clutch with gearbox in neutral.

nope i did not move any sensors, but i'll check the tube trailing out from the side of the airbox to see if that fell out.

And yes before or when the engine is warm, i just start the car as normal and within a second it starts ok. I started that car when i went home last night no problems...

 

[RUM4MO]

nope i did not move any sensors, but i'll check the tube trailing out from the side of the airbox to see if that fell out.

And yes before or when the engine is warm, i just start the car as normal and within a second it starts ok. I started that car when i went home last night no problems...

That tube has a habit (in my experience) of getting chaffed on something - I changed the one on my wife's 2003MY 9N Polo 1.4 16V as it was getting chaffed a bit and put something over the same section on the new pipe to stop that happening - as usual now there is no sign of chaffing anywhere on that pipe - as that pipe is a low pressure thing I'm sure that it will be to route any crankcase pressure and oil into the engine intake and burn it.

 

[tkjeeves]

ok still having this issue even after the weather is warmer now, i've noticed its only morning starts as other times when i'm starting the car its fine. so this says to me something like when the car is settled overnight from the lack of use. i've also now noticed the pump noise when i unlock the car and opening the drivers door is missing, but i swear this only happened or not happened today only. the noise was there when the problem first appeared, otherwise i would have thought ooo fuel pump issue. this is really puzzling, and other than that the car is fine, drives ok, i cant seem to get my vag-com working to get codes as the engine modules just errors with not in sync baud or something like that, other modules are fine. grrr, anyone help please?

 

[RUM4MO]

I seem to remember that you need to change the baud rate to talk to the Marelli controller - either way its meant to be a good thing to do a full scan - and print the results, before you have trouble just in case the individual controllers soft coding gets screwed up by things like noisy (EMC problems) aftermarket HID kits - this can be a big problem it seems! Of course this might not be the problem you have though - next suggestion is has it got the latest s/w updates - if your car is one that needs them? Certainly the fuel pump should prime when you open the driver's door if the car has been stopped for "some" time and it is required to ensure easy starting I would think. Next thing could be the engine temperature sensor - if it reads high then "cold start" fueling will be a bit short - but I thought that you had considered this might be the problem already!!

 

[wacko_jacko]

i had a problem starting when my temp sensor was dodgy no problems after replacing it

 

[tkjeeves]

thanks for the suggestions guys. after a bit more reading and fiddling i managed to get the engine module talking, which gave me no error codes... anyways i've booked my car for a service so we'll see