Cold Starting.

[A3Monster]

Hi,

Seasons' Greetings to all, first!

I have a 51 plate 1.8T Sport well looked after and serviced etc.

On very cold mornings, such as like we are having now, I occasionally have this small glitch. I don't think there is anything wrong per se. I think I read on here that these tend to be odd sometimes on cold start.

Usually I don't have all the power until after driving for about 20 seconds - until it starts closing the automatic choke it would seem.

Tonight, when leaving work I was in a hurry and tried to pull away a little rapidly just after starting. The revs struggled and fluctuated rapidly under 1000rpm making the needle on the rev counter go up and down. I had to kill the engine and start it again, after this it was fine and ran perfectly as I half expected anyway.

I've had similar experiences before but it doesn't do it all the time - like the wife it picks its moments to play up!

It was quite embarrasing in front of my work coleagues as I'm quite proud of my A3!!

Any similar experiences?

I don't think anything needs fixing especially. Runs fine and idles fine at optimum temp and cold temp - the latter as long as you just let it run in the drive for a few seconds in the cold before pulling away!

cheers.

 

[stevehaskew]

I have a similar problem. When I first turn the key on really cold days, it starts up, but then the revs drop straight back down to ~400rpm and it sounds like it's about to die, but then it jumps back up to ~1500rpm, then drops to ~400, back up to ~1500 and so on. If you put your foot on the throttle up to about 2000rpm for 2-3 seconds, it's fine after that, but it seems to be the idle speed just after starting that's got problems.

 

[ianysm]

To the OP, that sounds like by blipping the throttle immediately after start up you'd confused the auto choke abit

Not sure about Steve's though, it sounds like either a similar problem or there is another issue. I've definately seen both things on mine though and just put it down to a niggle.

 

[Keeno]

Weak MAF. Had the very similar symptoms, splutering on start up, fine once under load. Would also occasionally stall straight away but be fine second time round and idle'd lumpy.

New MAF and it now starts on the button , idles fine and revs smoothly through the entire range.

 

[voorhees]

yep Keeno is right,I suffer with this and put it down to the induction killing my MAF but I like the throatey sound rather than the diesel soundtrack of the 1.8T

 

[A3Monster]

I had a new MAF fitted about 12 months ago so I'd like to think its not that.

 

[A3Monster]

Took it to my local garage the other week and they couldn't find anything wrong (the bitch didn't do it when they started it!).

They reset the sensors and told me to see how it went. Today it did it again without me even touching the throttle. Eventually got it going. It sounds lumpy when it is about to start playing up so I usually know when its going to do it. Again, it is cold this morning.

When I got to work and listened to it running with all accessories turned off it seemed still to be a bit lumpy (just a tiny bit) so wondering if I have an air leek somewhere.

Yesterday and the previous weeks since the garage had it its been ok!