Edition 30 - Large Carbon deposits on Injectors

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Whatever bullsh!t the stealers come out with - there is only ONE VW oil standard which includes an "FSI" test sequence, and that is 504.00.  It is this FSI test which destinguishes it from the slightly earlier 503.00 LongLife spec.

But no doubt if anyone tried to explain this to the stealer, it would go right over their head too.

I personally think this is a serious issue, and needs raising with the likes of Volkswagen Driver magazine.  But it isn't my place to initiate the action - I'm not having a stealer putting in the wrong oil.  Naturally, if someone else wants to initiate the contact with VWD mag, I'll gladly formally chip in with my expertise and know how.

[TagnuT]

What was the outcome on the poor starting and the wrong spec of oil being used at the service?

[AnSGTI]

Poor starting still exists but I can make it better by holding the key and 'coming off' the starter once the engine is running. A number of people have suggested I'm coming off the starter too early - the start still isn't as smooth as I would expect but I can live with it.

I need to get the oil changed to see if it makes any difference..

Are you having similar issues?

[TagnuT]

Just listened to both of your start up videos on flikr. I would say that my car starts up very similar, to yours, on  some mornings and on others it catches straight away. I have noticed that I seems to coincide with which petrol the car has been filled up with.
I use Tesco momentum 99 or Shell V-power and it seems to start up better when I filled up with the Tesco momentum 99.

After reading the thread I went out to the car (It hasn't been started for 5 days), opened the door and I could hear the petrol pump come on.
Turned the ignition on and let the lights go out, I could hear a very slight whirring noise. Started the engine with no accelerator and it started like a dream!

It has bothered me that sometimes it starts cleanly and others not, but not enough for me to take it to the dealers.

[Mako V12V]

Okay. Maybe some developments with the cold start issue?
Over the last couple of months this year long issue seemed to improve. However, in the last week or so the start up had been worse. Now in the last couple of days I've had a strong smell of petrol whilst stood outside the car. I was thinking fuel line or pump near the rear offside wheel. (don't even know where the fuel pump is TBH).
I had the car in at work today and was told the smell was much worse under bonnet so have booked in at vw bburn in the morn.
A search on here revealed faulty injectors were replaced by another owner of a smelly car. And coupled with anSGTI having injector issues possibly connected to cold start issues, I wonder if this is the same for me.
Will update tomorrow.

[AnSGTI]

My car still has a rough start-up issue, but I too have noticed a difference over the last few months:

If the temperature outside is 2 degrees or below, the car catches and starts very well - it may crank a few times before turning over but it catches very smoothly. For instance this morning it was around 1.5 degrees, I turned the key and it fired up straight away and was as smooth as you would expect.

If the temperature is above 2 degrees then I get a rough clunk as it starts - I can improve this sometimes by holding the key on the starter, but often this can also feel as though the starter is dragging the engine back slightly so doesn't always work so as a consequence doesn't start very smoothly.

I started to wonder if this was an issue with how the ECU was reading the outside temperature for cold starts (the colder it is the easier the first start is) - could the fuel pressure be a factor though with the cold. I don't know anymore but all I do know is I got myself into such a knot with worry over this I just learned to live with it now, as overall the car is such a pleasure to drive (but costing me a fortune  )

I'm still running the car with 10W40 in it, and it's still on original plugs but I will be due it's 4 yr service at the beginning of March (replacing the plugs) even though VW now say they're not due until the car is 6yrs old!!!

Please let me know how you get on.

[RedRobin]

^^^^
On the subject of plugs I've been advised that it's good maintenance to change them more often than VW suggest but particularly if your car is tuned. I change my plugs every 20k miles and oil change every 10k.

[Mako V12V]

All dry under the engine cover and bonnet.

The fuel filter, which is sat on the offside and forward of the rear wheel was p1ssing fuel out though so "maybe" this is the issue with the fuel smell 

The repair will be done under warranty.

I'll see if this has any effect at all on the starting issue.

[AnSGTI]

Not sure if you recall but I replaced my fuel filter but it made bugger all difference to the cold starts

[alexperkins]

I did my plugs the other day (60k major service) and they were almost certainly at the end of their life! Had a lovely gooey deposit on the ceramic outer casings, and the electrode was rather worn.

40k/4 years is generally the max I leave spark plugs for between changes

As for the shudder on start, I had this also. It turned out to be the air intake mounts being damaged, and it was shunting the casing into the front firewall where it mounts to as it started due to engine shake. Got a new air intake (about a fiver) and the noise has gone. Might be worth checking?

[NathED30]

Thread revival

Did anyone ever get to the bottom of the cold start problems?




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[matt_the_mussel]

Just finished reading this thread, fascinating stuff, learnt a shed load! I've gota know though....did it have a happy ending!?!?!? :popcornsoda