E320 CDi sluggish - cold weather..

[Donza]

First winter with the E320 cdI. Noticably sluggish at startup and takes longer to warm up than my A4 TDi.

The cold weather makes you appreciate how noisy the diesel is also!

Does anyone have problems with starting the CDi's on here in the freezing cold? any mis-fires?

My Audi mis-fires now and then..

 

[Diesel Benz]

Do you have the right engine oil for winter and the correct type of diesel fuel? I guess you do have different diesel fuel for cold days?

Assuming the injectors are fine and the high pressure system, and the electric heater is on/working, it should be OK. You cannot avoid the diesel noise when you first start it and it is a bit slower to warm up but nothing too bad.

 

[jeremytaylor]

My E320CDI is slightly rougher for the first few seconds if its freezing, otherwise just the same (although it does obviously take longer to warm up than, er, in the summer ...)

 

[Smiley]

It's a bit chilly but it is hardly cold enough to stop an old diesel starting let alone a modern one. Minus 20 or so in Nothern Scandinavia or Russia is when you start to get problems not here. There is something wrong if you have a "misfire" on a diesel it is either lack of compression or a fault in the fuel delivery system.

 

[NewMB]

Noisy diesel??? You should hear my wife's A class A180 Cdi..... so much clatter you would think it will break apart!

 

[kusanku]

Diesels are quite noisy before they reach their ideal running temperature. I'm used to it, but I have had the occasional passenger ask me if my engine is ok? I don't think that's anything to worry about. I did have some cold start problems on my 210 series 320cdi, which seemed to be due to a slight leak in one of the fuel pipes, which meant it had trouble building up enough pressure. It only let me down a couple of times, but maximum inconveniece (e.g when I went over to Calais by the Chunnel to do some shopping). Changing the fuel pipe seemed to sort it out, although the possibility of injectors needing replacing was one of the many factors in my decision to get rid of the car before the weather got cold again.

I agree that a misfire is not something I would expect from a healthy diesel engine, and would be tempted to get that looked into.

 

[st4]

I'm having trouble with mine, it went into "battery protection" mode and disabled the convience features. It takes longer for the engine to start for sure.

I am now using my car differently due to a new job (temporary ) so I have to drive to a different station to get an earlier train - the short journeys won't be doing it good.

 

[Parrotman]

Possibly a bit noisier than usual but it soon settles down. I did have a glow plug issue recently ( going off after initial start then coming back on and then off ) but had them replaced.

 

[DieselE]

Just out of interest. I've been trying Millers Diesel Power Plus in my E320CDI (the straight six version). Whilst I haven't noticed any great improvement in fuel consumption so far, the car is noticeably quieter when starting up from cold and a little quieter (less diesel knock) at low speeds. It starts quicker too.