W202 - almost non start this morning

[Grahamcol]

My much loved 1996 W202 C200 (131k miles) did something peculiar today. Basically, due to snow yesterday, I put my car into our works warehouse overninght but when I came to it and tried to start it, the car turned over, fired briefly, cut out and then refused to start. After much cranking and foot right down on the throttle (not sure that did any good), the car gradually seemed to fire up again and then suddenly started running perfectly. I've now taken it round the block & re-started (hot) without problem. During one attempt at starting the green / red mirror lights started flashing alternately but it very occasionally does this (once a year) and I think that was a red herring. Apart from one similar occasion (not quite so bad) when I first had the car, it's never, ever given the slightest hint at a no start. I would add that when I put the car into the warehouse, it was minus 1 degree and this morning, when I tried to start it, the warehouse heaters had been on a while and the car read about 16 degrees - just wondering whether this temperature variation's caused this somehow. Help please !

 

[philepo]

I'm guessing here. If the car engine block was at zero, but because of the overhead (?) heaters the temperature sensor said it's warm and therefore didn't give enough fuel in the mixture.... or it was a tremor in the force

 

[DRBC43AMG]

Cold weather is giving the engine goose pimples Could be a humidity issue in the electrics shorting out somewhere, specifically if your warehouse atmosphere is wettish

 

[Grahamcol]

I'm guessing here. If the car engine block was at zero, but because of the overhead (?) heaters the temperature sensor said it's warm and therefore didn't give enough fuel in the mixture.... or it was a tremor in the force

Yes, that would seem to make some sense to me. The heaters in the warehouse do cause a rather "sudden" heating of the atmosphere from around zero (i think it was around that last night) to about 16 degrees as displayed on the dash. Thanks for your input Phil.

 

[Grahamcol]

Cold weather is giving the engine goose pimples Could be a humidity issue in the electrics shorting out somewhere, specifically if your warehouse atmosphere is wettish

Thanks for this. The warehouse isn't really wet / wettish at all but I was wondering whether the "sudden" heating of the atmosphere around the car caused some condensation in some component or other. The temperature overninght would have been close to zero (even inside the warehouse) and then the heaters kicked in raising the temp. to about 16 degreees as shown on the car dash display. Maybe a sensor "thought" it was around zero when actually it was +16 degrees and this has caused the strating problem today ?

 

[Rory]

..the car turned over, fired briefly, cut out and then refused to start. After much cranking and foot right down on the throttle (not sure that did any good), the car gradually seemed to fire up again and then suddenly started running perfectly.

Mine did exactly the same the other day. I'd backed it down a (slightly) sloping drive. There are quite a few threads with the same thing happening and the first port of call seems to be perished fuel line seals, although there could be a bunch of other reasons.

I don't use the car much and it started perfectly yesterday morning when parked on the level, depite having not moved for at least a week. It was suggested it will get worse though, but I'm loath to start having things changed on the basis of a (so far) one off event.

 

[Grahamcol]

Mine did exactly the same the other day. I'd backed it down a (slightly) sloping drive. There are quite a few threads with the same thing happening and the first port of call seems to be perished fuel line seals, although there could be a bunch of other reasons.

I don't use the car much and it started perfectly yesterday morning when parked on the level, depite having not moved for at least a week. I'm loath to start having things changed on the basis of a (so far) one off event.

Thanks Rory. Agree it's not a good idea to start spending money investigating / changing things for a one off event (two off if you count my previous event some years ago). Just been out to it and it started perfectly just now from (almost) cold.

 

[Rory]

Thanks Rory. Agree it's not a good idea to start spending money investigating / changing things for a one off event (two off if you count my previous event some years ago). Just been out to it and it started perfectly just now from (almost) cold.

I was thinking your car was diesel, to be honest.

However, I think the "one-off" point is still valid. I had a brand-new C220CDi on demo for a few days from MB Corporate before I got my car and that didn't start one morning - didn't even turn over. Locked it and unlocked it and away it went.