Tricky cold starting!

[Laney760]

I live on the Thames Path next to the river and also at a very low altitude, it is very damp where I live.

[Laney760]

Originally Posted by Rversteeg

I have always been a bit sceptical about condensation and water in fuel causing problems. My 940 has been running on LPG since new (now over 400K miles) and always starts on petrol.I only fill the petrol tank to a quarter when the low level warning comes up, so the petrol must always be quite warm after my daily 20 miles round trip. Never had any condensation issues, but maybe the fact that the filler cap is only taken off five or six times a year might help to keep moisture out.
I do not know what kind of LPG system you are running, but the liquid LPG injection system (not sure if available in the UK) sometimes suffers from a slightly leaking LPG injector. The few drops of LPG evaporate overnight and fill the inlet manifold with LPG gas. When you try to start in the morning, the petrol/LPG mixture is so rich that the engine is reluctant to start. During the day the period of standstill is too short for the manifold to be filled with LPG.
Mine usually starts up very easily, even after the coldest or dampiest nights. On the rare occassion it fires but does not pick up fully (probably because I let the key go too quickly) restarting is much more difficult and needs half gas to keep it running.
Rob

Thanks Rob. Since I had a new fuel pump a couple of years ago and came to the conclusion that I kill fuel pumps in so many cars by running on too low a tank all the time, I have been fully tanking up and that petrol takes at least 6 months or more to use up so maybe I'm not doing myself any favours, maybe I'll tank up less next time.

I always let the key go quickly as I am frightened of holding on to it too long and then you get that horrible noise where the starter is still turning when it needn't be and it doesn't sound good for it? I never knew you could 'let go too quickly'? Just out of interest, on my diseasal 940 I had a new starter motor fitted which was electronic as oppose to the original old mechanical one. I assume in my 1997 940 I have an electronic starter motor although it sounds more like a noisy old mechanical one to me?

[Laird Scooby]

Both starters would be electromechanical Ellie, the only electronic starters i've ever come across are those in fluourescent light fittings - they superceded mechanical ones that were basically a bimetallic strip that heated up with the current to the ballast in the fitting then bent and broke the circuit, creating a higher voltage in the ballast that then fired the gas in the light tube.

Yes, very much like an ignition system in a car.

The diesel starter was more than likely a reduction drive, the motor itself would spin faster then through a small internal gearbox to the drive pinon that actually turns the engine.
The one in your petrol 940 is probably a direct drive (no internal gearbox/reduction drive) so sounds a bit more "agricultural".

[Rversteeg]

By letting the key go too quickly I mean that I am so used to almost immediate picking up of the engine that it might be that in some cases it might be that I let it go on the very first sign of firing. It is just an assumption, don't think too much of it.
Rob

[Laney760]

Cheers everyone for the responses.

Update! Wednesday lunchbreak I put the meths in the tank. This morning, Thursday, I started her in the same manner as yesterday morning and she not only started first time she positively roared into life. One day at a time, it was about 3 degrees this morning, I think tomorrow will be colder, lets see how she starts tomorrow.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Laney760

Cheers everyone for the responses.

Update! Wednesday lunchbreak I put the meths in the tank. This morning, Thursday, I started her in the same manner as yesterday morning and she not only started first time she positively roared into life. One day at a time, it was about 3 degrees this morning, I think tomorrow will be colder, lets see how she starts tomorrow.

That's great news Ellie, hopefully it is as simple as condensation in the tank this time.

[Laney760]

Update!

After putting the meths in the tank I started to forget to give her half throttle when starting and she was still starting first time all the time with no throttle so I thought it must have been condensation in the tank but as soon as the weather got cold again she refused to start a couple of times for ages starting the old way with no throttle. However, starting the new way, with half throttle, she roars into life first turn of the key however cold the weather!

She doesn't care how you start her when the weather is warmer but as soon as the weather is cold you MUST give her half throttle, as long as you do there are no starting problems!

[Laird Scooby]

Sounds like a lazy IACV Ellie, not opening up as far as is needed for the cold weather. Maybe cleaning it out with some carb cleaner or just continue starting with a bit of throttle.

[Laney760]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Sounds like a lazy IACV Ellie, not opening up as far as is needed for the cold weather. Maybe cleaning it out with some carb cleaner or just continue starting with a bit of throttle.

I'll get the mechanic to do that on the next service, cheers. I do regularly have the throttle body cleaned. Actually, sounds like a simple job, I'll check it out and see if I can do it myself. Thanks!