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Car Forum / Volkswagen / Water Cooled Volkswagen Cars / January 2008

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...what do you guys/gals think??

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HT - 24 Jan 2008 13:21 GMT
I've recently had my 2000 VW refusing to start for me.  2 mornings in
a row ( where it was pretty cold -21 degrees celcius).  I took it down
to the dealer, and they checked for power drain, battery, alternator,
and couldn't find anything.  I've left it there for a couple of days,
and apparently it started each time they tried it.

Thoughts?  The battery is pretty new, about 1.5 year sold; from VW;
and I haven't had any installed that would affect the electrical
system (no new radio or anything like that - wiper blades don't count,
lol.)

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
dave AKA vwdoc1 - 24 Jan 2008 13:52 GMT
I just got through changing a 1.5 year old VW/Audi battery in a 1998 Audi A4
yesterday.  I will find out today if it starts fine or not with its new
Delco battery.

Does the engine crank over fast enough?
Does the dealer have the car inside their shop all nice and warm?
Signature

later,
dave
(One out of many daves)

> I've recently had my 2000 VW refusing to start for me.  2 mornings in
> a row ( where it was pretty cold -21 degrees celcius).  I took it down
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Regal953 - 24 Jan 2008 20:39 GMT
> I've recently had my 2000 VW refusing to start for me.  2 mornings in
> a row ( where it was pretty cold -21 degrees celcius).  I took it down
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Brrrr...At minus 21 celsius more like minus 6 farenheit, if you don't
have nice thin full synthetic motor oil in the motor, it ain't turning
over, but it takes a smart tech to figure that one out. I bet the
dealer's shop is nice and cozy, right?
laura halliday - 24 Jan 2008 22:20 GMT
> I've recently had my 2000 VW refusing to start for me.  2 mornings in
> a row ( where it was pretty cold -21 degrees celcius).  I took it down
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Details, please: no cranking? Slow cranking? Cranking but no firing?
Cranking but not enough firing to start? Gas or diesel?

Laura Halliday VE7LDH     "Non sequitur. Your ACKS are
Grid: CN89mg                    uncoordinated."
ICBM: 49 16.05 N 122 56.92 W       - Nomad the Network Engineer
HT - 25 Jan 2008 03:46 GMT
> > I've recently had my 2000 VW refusing to start for me.  2 mornings in
> > a row ( where it was pretty cold -21 degrees celcius).  I took it down
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Grid: CN89mg                    uncoordinated."
> ICBM: 49 16.05 N 122 56.92 W       - Nomad the Network Engineer

Hi Laura.
It is a gas 1.8T.  I don't hear any cranking when i try to turn on the
car.  No clicking, no firing, no nothing.  When the heater and radio
is on, and i try to turn the ignition, the fan goes off and the radio
goes off.  The LCD on the radio also comes in VERY slowly.  But when i
boosted it, it turned over on the first try; and once i was driving,
everything is okay.  Today was like -18 celcius, and i turned it on no
problem on the first try when i went to pick it up.

I may not have arm'ed the car for a couple of days, do you think that
plays a factor?   I read someone on the web, via google, that people
are saying that there is more of a power drain if you don't arm your
car.  dunno if i believe this.
Nate Nagel - 25 Jan 2008 04:21 GMT
>>>I've recently had my 2000 VW refusing to start for me.  2 mornings in
>>>a row ( where it was pretty cold -21 degrees celcius).  I took it down
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
> are saying that there is more of a power drain if you don't arm your
> car.  dunno if i believe this.

CErtainly sounds like either a bad battery or a power draw.  SWMBO's
Corrado has a bad diode in the alternator; however, several shops did
not correctly diagnose this.  I had to remove the alternator to get the
supercharger out and on a hunch I took it to my local FLAPS to have it
spun up on their machine and they confirmed my suspicions.  I haven't
had it rebuilt yet simply because the rest of the car isn't back together :(

nate

Signature

replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

laura halliday - 25 Jan 2008 05:15 GMT
> >>>I've recently had my 2000 VW refusing to start for me.  2 mornings in
> >>>a row ( where it was pretty cold -21 degrees celcius).  I took it down
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
> spun up on their machine and they confirmed my suspicions.  I haven't
> had it rebuilt yet simply because the rest of the car isn't back together :(

Agreed: you have a bad battery. Get it load tested to be sure.
Make sure the electrical system is charging it properly. Accessories
cutting out may be the car's doing: many cars kill accessories
when the engine is cranking.

My 1986 Jetta's battery is three years old, and doesn't even
notice cold temperatures until about -10 C.

Laura Halliday VE7LDH     "Non sequitur. Your ACKS are
Grid: CN89mg                    uncoordinated."
ICBM: 49 16.05 N 122 56.92 W       - Nomad the Network Engineer
Jim Behning - 25 Jan 2008 04:27 GMT
>> > I've recently had my 2000 VW refusing to start for me.  2 mornings in
>> > a row ( where it was pretty cold -21 degrees celcius).  I took it down
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>are saying that there is more of a power drain if you don't arm your
>car.  dunno if i believe this.

-18c is not that cold. Well it is fairly cold but still a good battery
with a gas engine should turn over good enough. Most auto parts stores
can hook up a test tool for the battery. Have the battery tested
somewhere pther than the dealer. Also have the charging system checked
somewhere else. You could get a volt meter to see what your running
voltage is and the voltage before trying to start. If it starts with a
jump, to me that indicates that the battery is a dud. This of course
assumes that there is no corrosion on the battery posts or where the
battery cables clamp on to the battery. But then you say that it held
a charge overnight. I would have attached my battery charger to see
what happens after a good charge. On the other hand I drive an hour
one way to work which should charge up a battery.

I never press the lock button on my car at night. It can sit in the
garage for a few days or more unlocked without any starting problems.
It sometimes sits in a cold garage. Where I live it is kind of rare to
have more than a week where it does not get above freezing. I used to
live where it was cold. Cars started all winter if they had good
batteries, good alternators, good battery cables and good alternator
wires.

http://www.batterystuff.com/tutorial_battery.html
HT - 25 Jan 2008 03:46 GMT
> > I've recently had my 2000 VW refusing to start for me.  2 mornings in
> > a row ( where it was pretty cold -21 degrees celcius).  I took it down
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Grid: CN89mg                    uncoordinated."
> ICBM: 49 16.05 N 122 56.92 W       - Nomad the Network Engineer

Also, i have zero computer faults; i.e. battery light, engine light,
etc.
 
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