D5 (2005 on) Uneven idling and shakes after cold start

[JynxTorquilla]

Hi all,
I would like to address an occasional issue with the 2.4 D5 engine (2010 xc60 205hp): Rough idle after cold start.
I have visited three volvo service centres and none have been able to diagnose the problem.
I also searched many forums with poor results. Here (volvoforums.org.uk) the problem was also mentioned but I did not find a case for its solution.

Highlights:
-The engine has uneven revs at idle and shakes for 10-15 seconds after a cold start. After that, everything is perfect.
-The shaking is irregular - it feels like there is an occasional misfire in one cylinder.
-The problem only occurs when the engine is completely cold after a night out.
-The problem only occurs when the ambient temperature drops below +15 Celsius degrees.
-There is no smoke from the exhaust when this happens.

During my research, I found information that people were able to regenerate half of the engine without success. I know that replacing basic stuff like fuel filter, injectors or glow plugs (which as far as I know only work when the ambient temperature drops below 5 C. degrees) does not solve the problem (in the case of my car, they were all done).

I'm not asking for random ideas although any could be right. But there would be too many for me to check them all.

I just have one question:
Is there anyone here who has experienced this particular problem and knows a solution that worked?

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by JynxTorquilla

Hi all,
I would like to address an occasional issue with the 2.4 D5 engine (2010 xc60 205hp): Rough idle after cold start.
I have visited three volvo service centres and none have been able to diagnose the problem.
I also searched many forums with poor results. Here (volvoforums.org.uk) the problem was also mentioned but I did not find a case for its solution.

Highlights:
-The engine has uneven revs at idle and shakes for 10-15 seconds after a cold start. After that, everything is perfect.
-The shaking is irregular - it feels like there is an occasional misfire in one cylinder.
-The problem only occurs when the engine is completely cold after a night out.
-The problem only occurs when the ambient temperature drops below +15 Celsius degrees.
-There is no smoke from the exhaust when this happens.

During my research, I found information that people were able to regenerate half of the engine without success. I know that replacing basic stuff like fuel filter, injectors or glow plugs (which as far as I know only work when the ambient temperature drops below 5 C. degrees) does not solve the problem (in the case of my car, they were all done).

I'm not asking for random ideas although any could be right. But there would be too many for me to check them all.

I just have one question:
Is there anyone here who has experienced this particular problem and knows a solution that worked?

If all glow plugs have been replaced and are operational, then that would lead me towards injectors. You need to do a leak test to see if all injectors are supplying the same amount of fuel.

[Lancee]

Any error codes found by one/any of the "three volvo service centres" that you visited ? Were they main dealers ?

[Okta38]

Originally Posted by JynxTorquilla

Hi all,
I would like to address an occasional issue with the 2.4 D5 engine (2010 xc60 205hp): Rough idle after cold start.
I have visited three volvo service centres and none have been able to diagnose the problem.
I also searched many forums with poor results. Here (volvoforums.org.uk) the problem was also mentioned but I did not find a case for its solution.

Highlights:
-The engine has uneven revs at idle and shakes for 10-15 seconds after a cold start. After that, everything is perfect.
-The shaking is irregular - it feels like there is an occasional misfire in one cylinder.
-The problem only occurs when the engine is completely cold after a night out.
-The problem only occurs when the ambient temperature drops below +15 Celsius degrees.
-There is no smoke from the exhaust when this happens.

During my research, I found information that people were able to regenerate half of the engine without success. I know that replacing basic stuff like fuel filter, injectors or glow plugs (which as far as I know only work when the ambient temperature drops below 5 C. degrees) does not solve the problem (in the case of my car, they were all done).

I'm not asking for random ideas although any could be right. But there would be too many for me to check them all.

I just have one question:
Is there anyone here who has experienced this particular problem and knows a solution that worked?

recently found the root cause and wanted to be sure I have confirmed it before sharing as I had a few false dawns on this fault.

So to re-cap the car once left for any long period of time (say overnight ) would not start easily. Not signs of catching and when it eventually does after at least 5 secs , quite often a lot longer, there was no signs of white smoke and ran fine once started and also would start fine for the rest of the day. Only struggled to start when left for long periods, outside temp made no difference but did seem at its worse on really cold mornings.

The root cause of the problem turned to be air escaping passed the injector seat on cylinder no 1. Once the clamp was tighten the fault gone completely.

Here is how I found it , can't believe it was a simple fix and as you can see from my previous posts I tried all kinds of things and been down rabbit holes.

I actually discovered this by accident I was doing another leak off test. , I spilled some diesel around the injectors . When I was cleaning this up ( with the engine running ) I noticed bubbles in the diesel coming from injector no 1 seat . Check the clamp bolts and both were very loose. Nip them up . Fault gone completely. Of course checked the other injectors they were fine and tight. I have owned the car for coming up 10 years and none of these injectors have been touch , so must have came loose over time ? .

Over the past months trying to find the fault I have made sure that this area was really clean and checked on numerous times for diesel leaks ,but nothing was apparent , if it had not been to the accidental spillage I would never had noticed the air escaping.

Apart from the starting now so much better ( worse case takes 2 secs) I have noticed my fuel consumption has improved a bit , now averaging 48 compared with about 43 earlier . But appreciate there no science behind this just what I think I am noticing.

I don't know why this fixed it , I can only guess that when the car is completely cold the air escaping would be a lot worse and therefore harder to start and once the block and injectors heat up once the car is warmer it closes the gap a bit.

The car is a d5 euro 4 d5244t4 .

Hope is helps others sharing this..

[Pidgeonpost]

I'd have put money on glow plugs if they hadn't been changed, but they have, and the temperature should mean they wouldn't be triggered anyway. Very useful to know of this potentially easy fix. Thanks for posting.