Diesel has trouble starting

From time to time, specialists receive telephone calls asking for information. Often a conversation begins with one question: “Why won’t the diesel engine start?” It is obvious that there is a problem, but with the information that drivers provide, it can sometimes be quite difficult to guess the reason for the complaint.

All that is needed is to have the right amount of heat in the combustion chamber and the right amount of burnt fuel in the old diesel engine being supplied to the combustion chamber at a certain time. This is no different from e-diesels today. By keeping these basics in mind, it would seem that startup problems can be solved. Moreover, a diesel engine may not start only when it is cold or in frosty conditions; in fact, there can be many options. In principle, as well as the reasons.

Looking at the diagnosis, let's discuss the two most basic needs of diesel engine operation: proper heat in the combustion chambers and the right amount of fuel injected at the proper time.

Heating requirement

When asked what creates heat in the combustion chamber, most technicians will answer "proper compression" or "normal glow plug operation." These are great answers, but when faced with this question, you should always start with the correct crank speed. We can move on to compression and proper glow plug function, but without optimal crank speed, engine compression ratio is a moot point.

Most diesel engines require a minimum cranking speed of 150 rpm. If the system is not able to crank the engine fast enough, then you need to do some tests and find out why. Mechanics may have to start by checking the battery, which will include testing the battery, some voltage drop in the negative and positive side of the starter circuits. If all these tests pass, then check the condition of the wiring inside the starter or engine. Unless the engine cranks fast enough, any other test is a waste of valuable time.

Proper compression is also a much-needed part of analyzing a diesel starting problem. There is a time and place for a mechanical compression test, but this test is at the bottom of the diagnostic test list. On a late model diesel engine, access to the compression ratio measurement point may be limited, so there are easier methods.

Video - The engine stalls in winter. Fuel is frozen

Stop and think about engine compression. In the combustion chamber, there are only four places for compression to decrease: through combustion chamber leaks (cracked heads or leaking head gaskets), through the intake valve, through exhaust valve leaks, or through leaks in the piston or piston rings. Experts advise that you can find a compression "leak" by checking the pressure pulses in the intake manifold, exhaust pipe, engine housing or in the engine cooling system.

This process will require the use of a diagnostic sensor (such as FirstLook), but in most cases it will be faster and more reliable than removing certain engine parts and components in an attempt to gain access to the necessary location to obtain an actual compression reading.

Depressurization of diesel injectors

Diesel injectors are also constantly subject to heavy loads, since during operation they are in an aggressive environment and in constant motion. Their purpose is dosed injection of fuel into the combustion chamber, and even slight wear leads to depressurization and loss of all characteristics. As a result, even after stopping the engine, a small amount of diesel continues to enter the combustion chamber, where it accumulates and interferes with the normal operation of the entire system.

The most common cause of injector depressurization is:

Low quality fuel containing a large amount of undesirable impurities. This causes rapid damage to the atomizer.
The assembly is of insufficient quality, which is why the injectors cannot withstand the pressure exerted on them.
Various types of damage caused by improper functioning of other adjacent units.

To ensure that the injectors are depressurized, you must first remove the injector from the cylinder block and carefully inspect it for unusual wet spots. Getting the spark plugs wet is the surest sign of a leaky injector seal. To repair them, they require professional cleaning, which you can do yourself, or you can trust the professionals of automobile workshops. In some cases, it may be necessary to completely replace these elements.

If it is necessary to urgently start the engine, you can slightly open the throttle valve, which will relieve excess pressure in the combustion chamber. Additionally, it is recommended to check the sealing rings, since they are often the ones that begin to leak fuel due to wear.

Glow plugs

If the engine turns over slowly, this is not a problem; there may be something wrong with the glow plugs. Most passenger cars and light trucks with diesel engines have glow plugs to assist with cold starts. The glow plugs are powered by a relay and timer that sends voltage to the plugs for a set number of seconds. When the timer expires, the relay is supposed to turn off the voltage. But at some point, the relay may become stuck and continue to supply voltage to the glow plugs, causing them to burn. One or two bad glow plugs on a V8 engine may not cause noticeable starting problems in warm weather, but it can happen when temperatures drop.

Check the operation of the glow plugs

Glow plugs can be tested by measuring their resistance or continuity. Excessive resistance or lack of continuity indicates that the spark plug needs to be replaced.

If one or more glow plugs are burnt out, heavily carbonated, or not receiving their normal dose of starting voltage, the engine will become increasingly difficult to start as the temperature drops. If all the glow plugs light up at the end, you'd better check the injection timing because that's probably the cause.

To see if the glow plug module is providing power to the glow plugs, use a voltmeter to test each terminal for the specified voltage while the ignition key is turned on. No voltage? Check glow plug control module connections, ground, and wiring harness. The glow plugs themselves can be tested by measuring their resistance. Replace any spark plugs that you find unsuitable.

Hard starting can sometimes be caused by a glow plug module that doesn't turn on the glow plugs or doesn't keep the glow plugs running long enough when the weather is cold.

Fuel problems

Unlike gasoline, diesel fuel is negatively affected by low temperatures. Fuel consists of heavier hydrocarbons, which turn into wax when the temperature drops. The "cloud point" or point at which wax begins to form for regular summer grade diesel fuel can range from 10 to 40 degrees. If the fuel tank contains summer grade fuel and the ambient temperature drops, wax crystals may form in the water/fuel separator causing a blockage.

Diesel fuel may freeze in low temperatures

The treatment here is to take the car out to a warm garage where it can thaw out. Replace the fuel separator as needed, and then add a "fuel conditioner" additive to the tank (some manufacturers do not approve any additives or prohibit the use of specific ingredients, such as alcohol, that are found in some additives), or drain the tank completely and fill it with Euro 1 fuel, which is higher quality (and more expensive). To prevent this same situation from happening again in the future, you can install a special fuel heater.

Water in fuel is another problem that can lead to performance problems. Condensation that forms during cold weather is a major source of pollution. Water that enters the fuel tank usually settles to the bottom because water and oil do not mix. Water is drawn into the fuel line and goes into the filter or fuel separator. Here it (the filter) can freeze, causing a blockage that stops the flow of fuel to the engine. So if the filter or separator is frozen, the fuel tank must be emptied completely to get rid of the water.

Sensor failure

Quite often, the reason for failure to start when hot is the failure of the coolant temperature control sensor. In terms of its structure and functionality, DTOZH is a conventional thermistor designed to ensure stable engine operation. After a change in the ambient temperature, the electric current in the sensor changes, which is immediately detected by the electronics and leads to the activation of various protective functions.

It is possible to check the serviceability of the sensor only after removing it, which every car owner can do if desired. In most cases, it is located in the cylinder head in close proximity to the thermostat housing. However, the location may be different, but it can always be clarified in the manual for the car model.

Next you need to do the following:

Check for the presence of refrigerant in the system, and also check that the sensor is completely immersed in the liquid.
Check contacts and connections for rust formation and oxidative manifestations.
If the sensor is connected, not oxidized and immersed in water, but there is still a suspicion of its malfunction, then its removal is required.
After extraction, the DTOZH is placed in a jar of boiling water, and its resistance indicators are measured. The obtained data is compared with the recommended indicators for a given car brand. It is worth noting that normal values may vary significantly between different brands and models.

If there is a significant deviation from the norm, the sensor requires replacement, which you can do yourself. The design and principle of its operation do not provide for any repairs and attempting to do so is absolutely impractical.

Fuel contamination

Another difference with diesel fuel is that it tastes good to certain microbes, especially if there is water in the tank. Some bacteria can actually thrive inside a diesel car's fuel tank, forming mucus, acids and other creepy stuff that can gum up fuel lines, filters, fuel pumps and injectors. Contaminated fuel often has a "rotten egg" odor and leaves a black or green mark on the inside of fuel system components. The growth rate of most organisms increases at higher temperatures, but some can thrive down to freezing temperatures.

Fuel supply problems

To start and operate properly, the injector's operation must be precise. A quick visual inspection will tell you if the timestamps are lined up correctly. Refer to the vehicle manufacturer's timing procedure if you suspect the timing is off or the pump has been replaced recently. For new diesel engines with electronic injection or direct injection pumps, you need a scan tool to make any changes.

Air in the fuel can also cause a diesel engine to have difficulty starting. The air may cause the engine to stall and subsequent starting attempts will fail. Air can enter the system through any break in the fuel line.

To determine if the problem is airborne, install a clean return hose on the back of the high pressure fuel pump. Start the engine and watch. Air bubbles in the fuel will tell you that there is air in the inlet side of the pump. The high pressure fuel pump itself is usually not the source of the air leak, so check the fuel lines.

Poor fuel quality or problems with its entry into the system

A worn or clogged pump may also be the answer to the question of why your diesel engine won't start. If operating conditions become increasingly worse and this is accompanied by a loss of power, and the mileage is more than 100,000 kilometers, then attention should be paid to the pump, which must be replaced.

Before condemning the pump, you should also check the fuel filters. Dirty filters can cause restrictions in the fuel supply, which prevents the pump from doing its job properly. The separator usually needs to be changed approximately every 50,000 kilometers, and the secondary fuel filter approximately every 30,000 km. New single filter fuel systems typically require maintenance approximately once a year. If the filter has not been given proper attention, it is likely to become clogged.

The power unit sneezes and stalls

A car enthusiast is often offended and sometimes incomprehensible about the behavior of the car on the road. In the morning the car starts perfectly, drives well, and picks up temperature. As soon as the sensor registers the operating temperature mode, the warmed-up engine stalls, no force is able to start it. Problem solving methods and possible malfunctions are as follows.

The vehicle operated within normal limits until the next refueling. As soon as the tank was full, the car began to drive away from the gas station, jerking and popping noises appeared, and the car began to jerk when the accelerator pedal was pressed. After stopping, the previously warmed-up diesel began to start poorly, stall, and further movement became impossible.

The reason is immediately clear - the fuel at the gas station turned out to be of poor quality. It is immediately removed. It is necessary to flush the system and blow everything out with compressed air. Be sure to install a new air filter. To offset costs, you need to develop the habit of collecting a payment receipt. This company is then sued through the courts.

If there is good fuel and the car is working properly, after normal warming up, it stops working. A warm engine does not start, sneezes, and behaves unpredictably. Most likely, the fuel filter is clogged and damaged. It needs to be replaced.

Similar symptoms appear when the air purification filter becomes clogged. The engine stalls due to the air mixture being too rich in fuel. Some car owners clean it with a vacuum cleaner. The restored filter can perform its functions for a certain period of time.

But it is better to replace it immediately; the engine should receive fresh cool air when heating up.

The diesel engine is difficult to start. The reason for this is that the generator does not provide charging current. The belt that drives the generator is tightened. If it doesn't help, the generator is faulty. The battery will be drained and the car will not start. You need to purchase a new battery.

Diesel won't start

A diesel engine that cranks normally but does not start regardless of outside temperature either has low compression or has a fuel delivery problem. If compression is OK, check the fuel gauges. Next, check the fuel filters and fuel lines for blockages.

If the fuel pump is not pushing fuel through the lines to the injectors, this may indicate a faulty solenoid. Listen for a "clicking" sound inside the pump when the ignition key is turned on. No clicking noise means the pump and/or solenoid needs to be replaced. If it clicks but there is no fuel flowing through the injector tubes (and the filter and lines are not blocked), the pump is likely bad and needs to be replaced.

Results

There are plenty of reasons why a diesel engine will not start in cold weather.

In order to successfully cope with a diesel car in winter, you need to prepare for the onset of cold weather:

recharge the battery (replace with a new one), make sure the generator is working properly
change engine oil and filter
check the serviceability of the glow plugs
change the fuel filter
switch to “winter” diesel fuel
drive with a full tank

In most cases, if these measures are followed, problems with starting a diesel engine in the cold will not arise.

But if the engine does not start when cold, try adding warm fuel to the tank or warming up the diesel fuel by pointing a construction (household) hair dryer at the fuel filter and gas tank. After 10-15 minutes, the warm fuel will drain back into the tank, and only then hit the road.

If the problem is a discharged battery, try to “light” the engine, or better yet, remove, warm up and charge the battery.

Injector problems

Diesel injectors can suffer from the same types of problems as gasoline injectors, including varnish deposits, clogging, wear, or leaks. Today's diesel vehicles are fueled with low-sulfur fuel, which can lead to deposits forming on the injectors and reducing the amount of lubrication needed. So you could try using a special additive to help the parts move more smoothly.

Check the condition of the injectors and, if necessary, clean them

Diesel injectors operate at higher pressures than gasoline injectors. Over time, their blood pressure may drop. A pressure level of up to 4.5-5 bar is still considered acceptable, but anything above this value means that the injectors must be replaced. You will need some type of pressure gauge to check the opening pressure of the injectors if you suspect that this kind of problem may be causing the malfunction. Dirty injectors will suck fuel mixture, causing loss of power, rough idling, and sometimes white smoke from the exhaust.

There are several ways to find a faulty injector on a diesel engine. One is to use a digital pyrometer to check the operating temperature of each cylinder. A temperature value that is lower than the others indicates a weak cylinder. If compression is good, the problem is limited to fuel delivery. Another quick method is to use an ohmmeter, which reads tenths of ohms, to measure the resistance of the glow plugs while the engine is running. Plug resistance goes up with temperature, so if one or two cylinders read "low", you've found the problem. For example, if the glow plug normally produces 1.8 to 3.4 ohms on a hot, running engine, then a reading of 1.2 to 1.3 ohms on the glow plugs will tell you that the cylinder is not producing any heat.

How to check the pressure in the fuel system

Wear of the plunger pair is the most common problem

An important element of any diesel power unit is the internal pressure fuel pump, which supplies fuel directly to the cylinders. The doses of the fuel mixture are strictly measured; their excess or shortage immediately affects the operation of the entire power unit. The plunger pair is the most important component of the pump, and it includes:

A sleeve in which there are holes for direct supply of fuel to the injection units.
A plunger, which is an elongated cylindrical piston that moves directly inside the sleeve.

To ensure accurate fuel dosage, the gap between the bushing and the plunger is minimal, measured in microns. The plunger pair is in constant motion during engine operation, which over time leads to wear of the parts. As a result, the gap between the heated parts increases, which leads to a change in the pressure and dose of the supplied fuel and the inability to start the car the first time.

Eliminating white smoke

White smoke usually occurs when there is not enough heat to burn the fuel. Unburned fuel particles exit the exhaust pipe and typically produce a rich fuel odor. It is not uncommon to see white smoke appearing in the exhaust in cold weather until the engine warms up.

As mentioned earlier, bad glow plugs or a faulty glow plug control module can cause white smoke when starting the engine. Low engine speed can also produce white smoke.

Notice the color of the smoke coming from the exhaust system

If white smoke is still visible after the engine has warmed up, it could indicate multiple bad injectors, late injection timing, or a worn high-pressure fuel pump. Low compression can also be a source of white smoke. Be aware of air in the fuel system as it can also cause white smoke.

Checking sensors if the engine stalls after starting.

To check the sensors, you will need to use diagnostic equipment or at least an on-board computer. How to select equipment is described in the article “Do-it-yourself injector diagnostics.” What sensors can be to blame for a bad start? These are the coolant temperature sensor, throttle position sensor and mass air flow sensor.

To check the temperature sensor, you need to check its readings on the on-board computer or read it in another way from the computer and check it with the resistance of the sensor at this temperature (see error code P0117 or P0118). Checking the mass air flow sensor can only be done if you have diagnostic equipment or connect the controller to a personal computer via an adapter or replace it with a known good one. The throttle position sensor can be checked by measuring its resistance when the throttle is opened smoothly. During the entire opening time, the resistance should change smoothly.

When checking the power system, it is necessary to check the pressure in it. If the pressure is below 280 kPa, the filter or fuel pump must be replaced

It is also worth checking the quality of gasoline, paying attention to its contamination and the presence of water in it. The engine stalls after starting, also due to a malfunction of the engine itself.

Such as decreased compression, irregular valve timing, camshaft wear or violation of thermal clearances in valves.

admin21/03/2012

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Troubleshooting

If a diesel engine stalls at low speeds, this may indicate a lubrication problem in the injector pump. The first thing to check is the idle speed. At low RPM levels, this may prevent the pump from recovering quickly enough during braking to prevent engine stalling.

Water in the fuel can also cause stalling by jamming the metering valve or plungers inside the pump. Using a lubricant additive can help treat this condition. If the additive does not help, the pump may need to be cleaned or replaced.

Video - Why a diesel engine may not start in cold weather

The reason for this phenomenon is that the plunger pair of the high-pressure fuel pump does not work properly. The injection pump must be repaired or replaced. Diesel injector does not work. The main problem with diesel injectors is that they get dirty quickly. Blockage occurs due to the deposition of varnish, sulfur, and mechanical impurities of low-quality fuel. Even if high-quality clean diesel fuel has always been poured, the injectors wear out naturally. Diesel injectors pass through diesel fuel forced by a high-pressure pump. If the passage holes are clogged, the transmitted pressure will be reduced. The permissible minimum pressure after the nozzles should be 300 psi (1 psi = 4.6 atm.). If the value is less than the minimum allowable, then repair or replacement of the injectors is necessary. The performance of diesel injectors is checked on a special stand. Determine the quality of liquid spray.

Causes of poor diesel starting

Why is it difficult to start when the injector is cold?
Why is it difficult to start on a cold carburetor?
Why is it difficult to start on a cold diesel engine?

Reasons why it is difficult to start when cold It is important to distinguish between situations in which problems arise: the car is hot and difficult to start, difficult to start after being idle, when it cools down, (especially in the morning) if it refuses to start in cold weather. They all have their own nuances and reasons that should be considered separately.

We will understand in general terms what reasons lead specifically to poor starting of a cold engine. Usually one or two rotations of the starter armature shaft are enough to start a car in good condition.

If this cannot be done, you need to look for why.

Cold diesel engine won't start in the morning

Also, if a diesel engine does not start when cold, the reason may be a faulty injector. You should check them for the degree of fuel atomization when cranking the starter. If, after checking, you find that fuel is simply pouring out of the injectors, this is probably the reason. As a rule, with this malfunction, the car starts hot, but the engine smokes more than usual. Let's watch the video, airiness of the fuel system as one of the reasons for poor starting of a diesel engine in the morning: Another reason that is not always obvious is engine oil. The fact is that Russian-made diesel fuel contains a significant amount of sulfur, which oxidizes the engine oil much faster. Therefore, it should be changed much more often than indicated in the vehicle registration certificate.

Bad fuel or presence of additives in the fuel mixture

Why do hydraulic compensators knock when hot and cold?

Low-quality gasoline or diesel fuel is one of the most common variants of this problem. But in this case, you can conduct an experiment that will show the true problem of your car. The fact is that low-quality fuel with a poor start when hot will have an even more unpleasant effect when starting the engine when cold. Therefore, it is enough to cool the car, wait for the engine to return to normal and start it. The following problems may also occur with fuel:

Gasoline or diesel fuel may contain an additive that your engine does not accept;
diesel fuel has frozen and acquired a jelly-like form, which is difficult to pump;
there are solid particles in gasoline, the filters are clogged, and it is difficult for the pump to pump the required amount of fuel;
the settings of the engine control system and air supply have gone wrong, one of the valves may have broken;
the idle air valve, as well as the mass air flow sensor (mass air flow sensor) can cause such problems;
It’s just a functional feature of carburetor engines - a very hot unit has difficulty starting.

In the case of carburetor units, everything is quite simple - the engine itself starts very poorly when hot. This is due to the fact that after stopping the car with a hot engine, the temperature in the carburetor area is quite high. Under the influence of temperature, gasoline quickly evaporates and fills all chambers and tubes of the carburetor in a gas state. But the float chamber remains empty. If you decide to start the engine within five minutes of stopping it, you will encounter difficulty starting because there is no liquid fuel in the chambers. The problem can be solved by manual pumping or several attempts to start the power unit. However, there cannot be such a problem with injectors, since the fuel is supplied directly from the main line. Therefore, it is worth looking for other troubles in the fuel supply system.

Why doesn't a diesel engine start when cold? - reasons for this phenomenon

There may be a problem with the glow plugs, which perform an important function - heating the working chamber of the cylinder, which contributes to the rapid self-ignition of diesel fuel. But, if the starter clicks but does not turn, then there may be a problem with the electrical or mechanical part of the starter, or the contacts on the battery.

In this case, if you need to charge the battery, you need to know how to properly charge a car battery. The fact is that if the density is greater than 1.27, then the acid separates from the water, and the heating water leads to an explosion of the battery.

Club of fans of minibuses and minivans

At high temperatures outside or when the engine is hot, a serviceable diesel engine can be started without glow plugs at all. In severe frost, the purpose of the pre-heating system is not only to facilitate starting, but also to help during the first seconds of warming up. After the “spiral” on the dashboard has died down, the spark plugs continue to work for some time. If you managed to start the internal combustion engine on a frosty morning, albeit off the air, but the engine continues to run unstably for some time, be sure to pay attention to diagnosing the glow plugs.

How to check

The candle must be turned out of the well;
connect it directly from the battery (ground to the spark plug body, plus to the bus connection point) and watch it warm up. A working candle necessarily glows from the edge, uniformly changing color as it heats up.

Only such a system will ensure proper starting in cold weather.

Diesel engine does not start well, hot or cold

By the way, this situation can arise regardless of the time of year. It’s just that in the summer, for some reason, many people write it off. Now a little about the breakdown of the injection pump, which is often accompanied by much more serious costs than it actually requires.

It is characterized by difficulty starting the engine during the day, when the car has already covered some mileage, but after it has been turned off, it cannot be started again. Most often, this sign indicates wear and tear of the fuel equipment, and not the engine itself.

The injection pump is a high pressure fuel pump. Of all the fuel equipment, it is this that fails most often. To determine problems with the fuel pump, just pour a couple of liters of cold water on it.

It is necessary to pour exactly on the part where the high-pressure tubes come out and go to the injectors.

Why is diesel difficult to start?

The system includes:

glow plugs;
heating relay;
a bus that connects all spark plugs into a single circuit.

The check should begin with the glow plugs. I can assure you that the popular test method of measuring resistance with a multimeter is a largely ineffective test.

It is designed to detect a rupture of the heating element (in this case there will be no resistance). All spark plugs may have resistance, but they will be the reason for poor starting in cold winter.

Hard to start when cold

However, there may also be a torn membrane in the cold start system, and the valve adjustment also says a lot. To quickly find the cause of poor starting of a cold engine with a carburetor power system, experts recommend checking first: spark plugs, high-voltage wires, carburetor starting device, idle jet, and only then also inspect the breaker contacts, ignition timing, fuel pump operation and the condition of the pipes vacuum booster. Diesel doesn't start well when it's cold. As you know, starting a diesel engine occurs due to temperature and compression, so if there are no problems with the battery and starter, there may be 3 main ways to find the reason why a diesel engine doesn't start well in the morning when it's cold:

Insufficient compression.
There is no spark plug glow.
Fuel supply is missing or interrupted.

One of the reasons that a diesel engine does not start when cold in particular, and poor diesel starting in general, is poor compression. If it doesn’t start in the morning, but seizes from the pushrod, and then there is blue smoke for a certain time, then this is 90% low compression. Blue smoke from diesel exhaust when the starter rotates means that there is fuel supply to the cylinders, but the mixture does not ignite.

Despite the fact that obvious advantages have made diesel engines quite popular, cars with the “heart” of the Diesel cycle remain a rather specific technology. Therefore, it will be useful for every owner of a car running on diesel fuel to find out the malfunctions that cause a diesel engine to start poorly.

Let's look at the reasons why a diesel engine will have trouble starting:

1) on a frosty morning; 2) after a long stay; 3) hot, when the internal combustion engine is warmed up; 4) the starter turns, does not engage, or starts, but then immediately stalls.

The fact that diesel, like gasoline, converts the reciprocating movements of the piston into mechanical work is self-evident. To better understand the reasons for poor starting, let's talk about the specifics of the Diesel cycle.

Motors of this type do not have a coil, distributor, GDP and spark plugs as such. He does not need them, since self-ignition of the fuel mixture occurs in the combustion chambers. The air entering the combustion chamber is compressed by the piston. This causes a significant increase in temperature in the combustion chamber. It is the high temperature of the fuel-air mixture that causes diesel to ignite spontaneously. In cold weather, to facilitate heating of the air in the combustion chamber, all internal combustion engines are equipped with glow plugs.

Take care in advance

In general, in cold weather, the alarm system’s already weakened battery is additionally drained. If the car is stored in a guarded parking lot, it is better to leave it unguarded, thereby increasing the chances of starting in the morning. In order to open the doors without problems, you need to keep a can of a composition called “lock defroster” in your clothing pocket all winter. It costs a penny, but it helps a lot when the key refuses to even “go” into the hole. If you don’t have a defroster at hand, you’ll have to test the old-fashioned method for yourself - warm the key with a lighter.

By the way, if you inject the same defroster or WD-40 into the lock in advance of frost, practically no water gets there. Do not use brake fluid to dissolve ice or treat locks. The lock may open, but by the evening it will freeze again, because, unlike special fluids, the brake fluid does not repel water, displacing it from the lock. In addition, it easily damages car paint.

Also, in severe frosts at night you can go out to warm the engine. Or pay parking attendants to warm up your car overnight. If possible, place it in the garage. Even in an unheated room, the temperature is 5-7 degrees higher than outside. And these are “two big differences” – minus 27 or minus 20.

If you still can’t start, and you have enough time, then you can try to determine the composition of the fuel mixture. To do this, simply remove one of the spark plugs from the engine and inspect it. If there are black (or very dark) deposits, the fuel mixture is quite rich, which means that there is something wrong with the car’s ignition system. Most often, in such cases, it is enough to replace the spark plugs, and engine starting returns to normal.

If there is no dark carbon deposit on the removed spark plug or it is white, we are talking about a lean fuel mixture. In this case, the culprit of the problem is often the coolant temperature sensor. You will always have problems with this - you will have to replace it.

When the fuel mixture is lean, some car owners try to start the engine using various additives that increase the octane number of the fuel. Sometimes they succeed. Another method that is often used in this situation is the injection of ether compounds to start carburetor engines. However, dealing with depressurization of the intake tract in the cold, and then doing all this in the reverse order, is not a pleasant task.

Another reason for a lean fuel mixture can be insufficient fuel pressure in the system. There are mainly two reasons here. This is either a dying fuel pump or a fuel pressure regulator. If there is a problem with the fuel pump, it may be impossible to start the engine. But sometimes the fuel pressure in the system can be raised to optimal if you plug the drain hose by squeezing it

This must be done carefully, as it may burst in severe frost. After starting the engine, do not continue to pinch the hose.

Otherwise, there is a high probability that the spark plugs will be splashed with too rich a fuel mixture. If this happens and the engine stalls, allow the mixture to evaporate by waiting 5-10 minutes. Or clean the spark plugs.

The most common cause of problems starting a cold engine can be the usual depressurization of the intake tract. Most often we are talking about a slipped (sometimes burst) tube that connects the fuel pressure regulator in the system to the intake manifold. Carefully inspect the connections of all tubes (hoses, etc.) that go from the intake tract to other systems or elements (brake system, adsorber, crankcase ventilation, etc.), and if there are serviceable elements of the injection system, problems with cold starting on your car will not.

Tips for starting the engine in cold weather:

Keep the tank full - this will prevent condensation from forming and water will not get into the fuel.
Turning on the high beams for a couple of seconds before starting will restore some of the battery capacity on frosty days.
After turning the key in the ignition switch (on an injection car), wait a few seconds until normal pressure is created in the fuel system, and only then start the engine.
Pump up gasoline manually (on a carburetor car), but you must not overdo it, otherwise the spark plugs will flood.
Cars run on gas, under no circumstances should you start them cold, switch to gasoline first!

Why doesn't a diesel engine start when hot, but there are no other problems?