Date:         Wed, 18 Dec 2002 12:39:48 -0800
Reply-To:     Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Tough to start on cold mornings
Comments: To: danoer1@ECLIPSE.NET
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Once the temperatures are in the twenties and lower, the ice can form in the
lines. A bottle of heet or similar should be used.

Also use lower weight oil. 20 -50 almost becomes tar when it gets below 0
out. Your starter may be using all the available current just trying to
overcome the cranking resistance of the engine, lowering the voltage below
9.6 minumum voltage.

For the FI system to function properly, voltage must be above this. If you
hook up a voltmeter(preferably digital), if the voltage drops to 8 volts or
even lower, you aren't going to get it started .

The battery also can have 50% less capacity at very cold temperatures.
Two things, a crankcase heater and battery charger are needed to be on all
night( automatic charger is best)when the really cold weather hits.

I lived in Alaska five years including Fairbanks . Often the only way we
could get an engine started was to aim a keroosene forced air space heater
at it.There were long weeks of twenty below, and once the engine is running,
you never turn it off.(unless you plug it in)

Robert
1982 Westfalia



>From: Dan Erlandson <danoer1@ECLIPSE.NET>
>Reply-To: Dan Erlandson <danoer1@ECLIPSE.NET>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Tough to start on cold mornings
>Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 13:26:38 -0500
>
>So it was about 16 o F this morning in NJ and this was the second time
>where
>my wife had trouble starting the Van when it was down into the teens.
>Don't
>think we have had many mornings as cold as this one.  The other time it had
>trouble was about 2 weeks ago. The van has been starting and running fine
>otherwise.
>My wife tells me that it cranks, starts for a moment and then dies.  I've
>come out both times and gotten it started by cranking it and keeping the
>gas
>pedal down.  It has taken a few attempts but I have gotten it started both
>times... runs fine after that.  Before she finally starts it sounds as if
>the engine is stuttering.. trying to start, but doesn't quite catch.  Turn
>the key and it cranks normally and then skip, skip skip as it tries to
>start.
>I ran some fuel injector cleaner through last time this happened... and
>just
>last night the gas tank was down very low... into the reserve.
>My battery is good (I think) and is about 2 years old (VW brand), the coil
>was replaced a few years ago using a FLAPS brand, and there is a Bosch
>starter on it that we had put in about 3 years ago.
>She has been running great otherwise.
>
>Anybody have some thoughts???  Thanks
>--
>Dan Erlandson
>Flemington, NJ
>danoer1@eclipse.net
>91 VW Vanagon GL
>99 VW Passat


Robert
1982 Westfalia 1987 Wolfsburg

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