Trouble starting

[A1287210]

Morning All,

A couple of days ago when it was -8 I turned the car on, it waited, coughed a start and the when the revs usually settle down straight away these were fluctuating up and down slightly. I thought it must be the cold, and maybe the car altering the fuel mixture for such a cold start.

However it did it again this morning and the dash said -0.5.......I am a little concerned has anyone else had this problem.

62K and 2yrs ownership and not so much as a squeek of a problem until this...should I worry?

DAmo

[pitch3110]

Its very cold and I would expect we are getting to freezing fuel level.

One of my Renny Masters packed in this week and cold fuel was the problem.

I am noticing that mine is taking a while to kick into action in the mornings

Ta
Pitch

[theblacksurge]

It sounds like a problem we have with our Pegeout (Diesel).

At temperatures lower than -10c (and especially if the car hasnt ran for a while), the handbrake ceases on and the car won't start because the fuel filter freezes.

To my very basic knowledge diesel doesn't freeze until about -80c, but the diesel we put in our cars contains other ingredients, one of them being paraffin. At temperatures around -8c these ingredients begin to seperate and the paraffin turns to a kind of wax, which then clogs up the fuel filters and fuel lines etc.

The remedy is to gently warm the fuel filter with a heat gun, melting the wax, and soon after the car starts. Once started it always runs really rough and wont accelerate past 2,000rpm. But give it 30 seconds or so and it will run fine thereafter. (until the next -18c).

Also the handbrake is released by the same method.
Have had to do this six times so far this winter.

So it sounds as though you may be experiencing slight waxing of your fuel.
I found that a blanket under the bonnet and a car cover has helped a lot.