ANOTHER cold start thread

[TheHeggi]

So last winter I never noticed a hesitation on cold starts, but this winter, diff story. Pretty much every cold morning, it takes a few seconds to start and starts very slow instead of firing right over, AND it doesn't sit at ~1250rpm to warm up, it drops to 750rpm within 10 seconds...

-Newer battery
-New BSH PCV Stg 1
-Had the updated ECU flash before the APR flash
-Original coil packs, HPFP, and cam follower/cam

I have noticed NO other problems in drivability, and it fires right up when warm. Should I be worried about it being the cam follower? It's not dying after starting or sluggish at all during acceleration, but would it be worth peace of mind to at least take a look at the follower? Thanks!

[naiku]

First winter with my A4 here, and the cold start is a joke. I have the exact same symptoms as you, a few seconds and slow to start when its cold, but once warmed up its not a problem and it drives fine.

[WasGTIguy]

My 3.2 fires right up even in -35c with windchill. Buuuuttttt, the idle drops down after a few seconds too.

[bez101]

same here in the uk -6 and thats cold for us on the uk cars dont know bout us cars we have a secondry heater that kicks in around -1 and mine goes stright to 750 rpm

[Pato610]

I am having the same issue with cold start (located in Boston, car parked in driveway outside over night). I replaced my battery 2 weeks ago through audi dealer because they said it was "reading low" whatever that means. I have to hold the ignition key turned on for a good 5-10 seconds before the engine turns over.

[WasGTIguy]

I am having the same issue with cold start (located in Boston, car parked in driveway outside over night). I replaced my battery 2 weeks ago through audi dealer because they said it was "reading low" whatever that means. I have to hold the ignition key turned on for a good 5-10 seconds before the engine turns over.

In my A4 I just have to turn the key and let go, it rolls automatically until it starts. Do all B7s do this?

[TheHeggi]

In my A4 I just have to turn the key and let go, it rolls automatically until it starts. Do all B7s do this?

No...

[jtox]

I'm having the same issue. Any tips for this?

[A42S4]

My 3.2 fires right up even in -35c with windchill. Buuuuttttt, the idle drops down after a few seconds too.

same here.. fires right up...check your anti-freeze

[Quattro]

i thought i was the only one, happened to me once or twice

[yung turbo]

probably because it is too cold outside for the secondary pump to turn on so because air is not being for in by the pump, the engine is warming itself up by dumping plenty of gas in itself. my b6 does still if i havent driven in more than a day.

[jeradw]

Is it normal for the RPMs to drop to 750? In the garage I have noticed they start at 1200 and then drop down to 750 after about 30 seconds. After sitting out in the cold all day it starts at the same spot, but takes a little longer to drop down. I've always assumed this is normal...once it warms up, then it drops down??

[clemsongt]

Heggi, and everyone else for that matter, are y'all making sure to 'prime' the fuel pump before trying to crank the engine?

If you turn your key to the 'ON' position (just before the 'START' position) and wait until the noise you hear stops, your car will not take as long to start up. It might still take longer than a warm start, but it makes a big difference.

I have also had the recall done on my coilpacks, and I think this has made a slight improvement on the cold starts. The issue is largely fuel related, so changing the coilpacks is not going to get rid of the problem.

HTH

[Pato610]

I had a "new" cold start issue this morning. I haven't driven the car in 2 days, parked in the driveway @ 20 degrees.

Engine sluggishly turns over, then the check engine light came on. I turned off the car and started it again, and it started fine, but check engine light remains on. The display showed the green "OK" when the car turned on the second time, and I drove it to work no problem. 30 mile highway drive, I cycled through all the gears, hammered on it up to 6500 rpms once the car warmed up, no performance issues (APR93 + Test pipe are only engine mods)

Any idea why the check engine light is on?

[a4b7smallturbo]

this is my first winter with the b7 honestly when its cold as hell my e break sometimes gets stuck.... also just take a little bit til its finallly warm but once it is its ready to go

[gyroscope]

I've always primed my fuel pump and the dealer replaced the low pressure fuel pump yesterday because I got stranded and the car wouldn't start.
Went out to start it this morning and it took at least three tries and the car still makes a grinding noise immediately after being started. Car only has 15k on it. Kind of dissapointed in Audi for this design flaw.

[TheHeggi]

Heggi, and everyone else for that matter, are y'all making sure to 'prime' the fuel pump before trying to crank the engine?

If you turn your key to the 'ON' position (just before the 'START' position) and wait until the noise you hear stops, your car will not take as long to start up. It might still take longer than a warm start, but it makes a big difference.

I have also had the recall done on my coilpacks, and I think this has made a slight improvement on the cold starts. The issue is largely fuel related, so changing the coilpacks is not going to get rid of the problem.

HTH

Yessir, I've done it since day one. I knew what that sound was immediately, I do it with all the cars I drive.

I actually primed it 3 times this morning and it may have helped. Hard to tell, but it SEEMED to have started easier, idled at 1200rpm for a little, and my CEL that came on yesterday from starting it, disappeared. I just turned the key, waited until ALL the noises were done, then turned it back off and did that 2 more times....may be worth trying for some of you other guys. No guarantees, but it MAY have helped. I'm going to try it parked in the elements tonight instead of the garage, that will be the deal breaker, I'll be sure to follow up here.

[TheHeggi]

So I replaced my cam follower, low pressure fuel sensor, and have new coil packs, but the problem is STILL there. CEL only comes on at a cold start. I "primed" the fuel pump twice this morning and it still took an extra second to turn over. 4 hours later I come out (raining, windy, cold) and don't prime it, it takes a little longer to start, starts, and 3-5 seconds later a CEL pops up. It is very consistent in it's behavior and is directly linked to a cold start. The CEL will go away by tomorrow for sure. Could the low pressure fuel pump possibly need to be replaced? Is it not getting enough fuel to the engine on a cold start, throwing the code? Any insight? This is truly frustrating

[Tanner]

TheHeggi - is your A4 a quattro or FWD? When you say "primed" the fuel tank, is that the noise that's coming from the back? The sound that I hear on mine might be related to the pump that balances the fuel in the tank as there's a hump in the middle due to the rear differential. The sound isn't present on FWD cars since there's no need for that pump.

As for your CEL, really need to figure out what code it's throwing, could be anything.

There's also a separate thread on quattroworld where one of the guys there had issues starting the car, basically hard to start when the engine is cold. He took his car in and he mentioned that his ECU was reflashed (no further details on this) and his cold start issues in the morning appears to be resolved, but time will tell.

[TheHeggi]

TheHeggi - is your A4 a quattro or FWD? When you say "primed" the fuel tank, is that the noise that's coming from the back? The sound that I hear on mine might be related to the pump that balances the fuel in the tank as there's a hump in the middle due to the rear differential. The sound isn't present on FWD cars since there's no need for that pump.

As for your CEL, really need to figure out what code it's throwing, could be anything.

There's also a separate thread on quattroworld where one of the guys there had issues starting the car, basically hard to start when the engine is cold. He took his car in and he mentioned that his ECU was reflashed (no further details on this) and his cold start issues in the morning appears to be resolved, but time will tell.

Mine is FWD. The sound I'm talking about is the high pitch "electric" sound that comes from the hpfp. It goes for about 15+ seconds after you turn your key to the "on" position. Then you can hear what sounds like a piece physically closing when it stops.

I am willing to bet that the CEL is the one posted in my other thread, P310B (low pressure fuel regulation out of specification), I thought I had posted it in this thread, my apologies.

As for the ECU flash, I've read that as well, and I had my ECU updated/reflashed before my APR flash. Could it be the same issue, but caused by the APR flash since they may have the old(er) values and whatnot stored as the "stock" setting? That and the lpfp are all I can think of at this point...

[clemsongt]

Definitely need to get the code read...Find someone with a Vag-com or take it back to the dealership. If a normal OBDII reader can't read it, then something else can that reads the history.

[Tanner]

The buzzing you hear is something else, not sure if it's the sound of the intake manifold controller or not, but the HPFP runs off the cam so it's not doing anything until the engine turns over.

As for the low pressure fuel regulation out of spec you might want to read this for what it's worth...

http://www.justanswer.com/questions/...eceiving-p310b

[a4dc89]

Cold start seems like a sign of fuel pump failure to me....

[TheHeggi]

The buzzing you hear is something else, not sure if it's the sound of the intake manifold controller or not, but the HPFP runs off the cam so it's not doing anything until the engine turns over.

As for the low pressure fuel regulation out of spec you might want to read this for what it's worth...

http://www.justanswer.com/questions/...eceiving-p310b

That could be the correct sound, I was almost certain it was coming from the hpfp, but intake manifold motor does make sense...

Thanks for that link, that's EXACTLY what is going on with mine, but I did replace the sensor with that part #, so it looks like the next step is the fuel filter...hopefully I don't have to go to the in-tank pump...this sucks. Thanks for the help guys

[TheHeggi]

Anybody know the part number or location for the fuel filter on a FWD?