Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2003 17:19:38 -0800
Reply-To: Joel <Joel@MYBLUELIGHT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joel <Joel@MYBLUELIGHT.COM>
Subject: Re: DIESEL starting and other general questions
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
On my 91 Jetta the instructions read to pull out the cold start knob on
startup and push it back in when the temp gets out of the shaded cold area.
(from memory)
It also says in extremely cold weather (Below 0 F) to not pull out the cold
start knob until engine begins to fire. (It seemed to pop off bettter this
way in sub zero weather for my car) It then recommends to pull out knob and
continue to engage starter up to 20 seconds untill the engine is running
smoothly.
Most people want to get off the starter as soon as it is firing. But trust
me- just keep the starter engaged a few seconds longer and you will have
much less smoke and a better, smoother start-up. An it didn't affect starter
life either. This worked well for me at -20F or colder. Greatly reduced
stumble and smoking I guarantee!
Joel in Wisconsin
----- Original Message -----
From: "Felder" <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2003 6:31 PM
Subject: DIESEL starting and other general questions
> Hello,
>
> My question is, what's the starting procedure using the "knob," or more
> properly, does use of the "knob" contribute to the cutting down of
> smoke upon startup?
>
> Here's why I ask: I drive the car every day now. It's fun to drive and
> gets so much better mileage than my 89. I've never used the choke/knob
> until the last few days because the car started and ran without it, no
> matter what the temp. It smokes a good bit upon cold start, but hot or
> warm starts no smoke at all. So I would cloud the driveway in the
> morning, but could come and go all day after that with no smoke.
>
> The smoke dropped off considerable after leaving the driveway and is
> pretty much disappeared in a block. On cars I've owned that leaked oil
> down the valve guides when sitting, this smoke would occur on every
> startup, even a trip inside the grocery store. But that's not the case
> here.
>
> The last few days I've been pulling out the so-called "choke" knob, and
> the smoking seems almost non-existent! But that could be coincidental
> with a bit warmer temps. I pull out the knob, start the car, back out
> with the knob out, push it in and take off without filling the
> neighborhood with smoke. I'd like to know if this is the way the
> "choke" is supposed to be used, or if it's a no-no.
>
> Any experience like this? Everywhere I read anything about the "choke"
> know only serves to confuse me more, none of it seems to agree, the
> discussion in bentley seems counterintuitive..
>
> Also, a side question: I've done everything I could do myself (new
> head, thermostat, injector pump, seals) and most everything on the
> engine is dry as a bone and working great. But there's still a small
> nagging leak at the flywheel-end seal. I don't really have the
> facilities to pull the engine ( could if the situation were dire
> enough, but don't want to deal with the mess) and wondering what the
> expected rate would be for having a shop do this task if anyone has
> done it recently.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jim
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