Trouble on cold starts

[fat80b]

The last two times I have started my 2001 Tuscan up, things haven’t gone quite as smoothly as normal.

On starting up, I am finding it hard to idle for about the first 10 seconds ish – the revs are all over the place – up and down to almost stalling without any pedal pressure.
This lasts for about 10 seconds and afterwards the idle seems fine. The general performance once moving is also fine - sounds normal, runs ok.

I went out for a drive the other day (after the awkward starting) / got home and left it idling for a minute while I had a listen – the idle tickover itself seemed OK, but maybe there was a slight misfire as the left hand side exhaust seems to pop on idle slightly more than the RHS. not sure if this is right or not.

I put it down to the cold / wet weather last week and the temperature registering at about 3 degrees when I started it up. The oil temp was reading 7 deg immediately after starting.

If I start it up after it is warm, everything is normal. I was hoping that after a good run out, the damp might clear and it would be OK. But it happened for a second time the other day.

Suggestions as to possible causes I have had over the last couple of days are :

Injectors need a clean - shove in some redex.?
Moisture in the leads and or plugs – should clear up ? get them changed at the next service.
The mapping needs looking at – perhaps it has had a remap in a former life which means it doesn’t like the cold.

So I quess the questions are

1) any better ideas?

and

2)would you expect the LHS exhaust to pop slightly more than the RHS or am I just being paranoid?

(I am due in for a service just after Christmas so ideally would wait til then)

Cheers

Bob

Edited by fat80b on Wednesday 28th November 21:44

[nelly1]

It's just the cold weather - mine's the same.

Just give it a small amount of throttle (1500rpm or so) 'till it all calms down.

Stop worrying and enjoy your



You could try taking the airbox off and thoroughly cleaning the intakes / butterflies as crud can build up and affect cold idle. But if all is fine after 10 seconds and a small rev then I wouldn't bother.

[so called]

Hi Fat80b,

Mine was terrible last night. Collected her from an Airport car park but flat battery again after only 10 days.
Got a jump start but the revs were all over the place, stalled about 7 times and couldnt hold the revs steady.
Eventually settled down and was fine to drive.
This morning she started fine.

Its going to be a long Winter.

[s6boy]

What Nelly said (but without the danger of an epileptic fit- my eyes still hurt)When starting from cold I always hold the revs at about 1500 for 30 seconds or so to get the oil moving around, after this idles without a problem even when oil temp was showing -1 the other day.
The popping could be a slight imbalance of the throttle pots, but if she drives ok I wouldn't worry until the service and have it looked at then.



So Called have you tried the solar charger yet?

[saulk]

S6Boy,

Is that one of these http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=98358... somebody else told me about these.

[so called]

Hi s6boy,

No. I am going to get one for sure but it will be over the Christmas period.
I am back in Germany but bringing my Tuscan back to the UK in December.
I left her at the airport again and intended to bring one of those new Black and Decker boosters back with me.
Lufthansa said not allowed on the plane so still non the wiser.

I will let everyone know for the B&D unit and the Solar unit end of Decemenber but from what happened last night with the cold starting, I am in for some fun in the coming months.

(sorry for the hijack fat80b)

[s6boy]

saulk said:

S6Boy,

Is that one of these http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=98358... somebody else told me about these.

Very similar: http://www.tantronics.co.uk/acatalog/info_1_solar_... this looks quite smart and looks like it will fit on the shelf or behind the seat when not in use, not tried it but it should at least offset the discharge to the immobiliser/alarm.



ETA: just re-read the Maplins ad and for £9 I don't think you could go wrong! The only thing I'm not too sure about is if they have an over-charge feature built into the cheaper ones.

Edited by s6boy on Thursday 29th November 14:49

[fat80b]

cheers guys - am pleased that I shouldnt be too worried.

I took it out again over the weekend and it still hunted for idle a bit on cold startup.

It wasnt as bad as the other day though - the air temp was 5 deg C when starting up this time.

I will keep an eye on it and will get it checke out at the next service just after Christmas

cheers

Bob

[J_E_T]

Interesting reading about the Maplins charger. My car sits in a garage well away from the house so no chance of getting any power in there to trickle charge. Easy job to mount this on the roof of my garage and feed the cable from the roof to the car ? Assume the cable's pretty short .. would it be easy enough to lengthen it ?

[custardkid]

nelly1 said:

It's just the cold weather - mine's the same.

Just give it a small amount of throttle (1500rpm or so) 'till it all calms down.

Stop worrying and enjoy your



You could try taking the airbox off and thoroughly cleaning the intakes / butterflies as crud can build up and affect cold idle. But if all is fine after 10 seconds and a small rev then I wouldn't bother.

whot he said, mines the same when its cold. cleaning the throttle pots helps.

custard

[Whitey]

The speed 6 has not cold start choke at all, hence you need a little warmth in the engine for it to be happy at idle when it is cold weather. Not such an issue when the weather is warm.

Starting it with a tiny touch of throttle so you will hold it at circa 1100-1200 rpm for a minute or so after starting until it is happy to idle will do it no harm.

Of course, then you should drive off, as we all know it's not good to let the speed 6 sit around idling when it's cold.