My Car doesnt like the cold????

[dreman77]

Hi,

thought i'd start a new thread as I could not update the title on the previous one.

Firstly i would like to thanl morgenster, whiskychaser and bubba for their input.

For those who would like the full story please go here: http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40979

To cut a long story short, yesterdays temperature was around 16 to 18 degrees c and my car would not start at all. It started up once, coughed like an asthmatic and then would not start at all the whole night no matter how long I tried.

The day before it was warmer and the car started fine and I drove it around for a while.

Today, the temperature was about 24 degrees c. I was going to fiddle with the car after getting input from the 3 guys above. However thought I would try to start it first. It fired the first time after cranking for about 5 - 7 seconds. I let it idle.

Now I dont know if I am crazy, but while the temp was still in the blue zone, I felt that the rpm dipped down abit everytime these was a strong breeze. It still managed to maintain idle. I drove it for about 10 mins and then switched it off. I tried starting it again and it fired right up.

i dont know whats happening to my car. Winter is coming soon and it is going to get alot colder than yesterday. :(

thanks

[Bo525i]

Wow, 16-18 celcius is cold to you? Those are regular summer temps here in scandinavia and my car starts @ -15 celcius.. Something else is wrong, not the temps!

[guinness]

I have to agree with Bo525i, I live on the border with Canada and this winter it dipped down to -40c and the car started up fine, 16c is balmy!!

[dreman77]

damn..... thats cold.....

thankfully the lowest we get here is about 1 or 2 degrees c. If its not the cold then I wonder what can it be.

[Dave M]

Have you tested the fuel pressure or checked out the electrical connectors at the pump?

Oh, 16 C is t shirt and sandal weather ;)

Dave

[dreman77]

Have you tested the fuel pressure or checked out the electrical connectors at the pump?

Oh, 16 C is t shirt and sandal weather ;)

Dave

I realize that its t-shirt weather, dave. :) however i come from a hot country and 16 i spose is alright for me but the car doesnt seem to like it much. No, I have not checked the fuel pressure yet. Dont know how to. I have ordered the BMW repair manual but i hasnt arrived yet.

I have searched the forums and it seems that I have quite a few things to check.

1) Fuel Pressure
2) Fuel Pump
3) Temp Sensors
4) Injectors
5) AFM
6) TPS

The thing is that apart from the hard starting it also died on me twice after a 20+ kilometer drive. Just started jerking and died and could not restart after that.

really getting a headache :)

Might just sell one of my kidneys and bring it to a professional

[Dave M]

I have searched the forums and it seems that I have quite a few things to check.

1) Fuel Pressure
2) Fuel Pump
3) Temp Sensors
4) Injectors
5) AFM
6) TPS

The thing is that apart from the hard starting it also died on me twice after a 20+ kilometer drive. Just started jerking and died and could not restart after that.

really getting a headache :)

Might just sell one of my kidneys and bring it to a professional

Before you bring it to a professional, test what you can. The TPS, CPS and temp sensors are testable with a digital multimeter (cheap at any auto parts or electronic store) and the bentley manual or our help. Check the coils/boots for cracks etc. Then, pending good results and continued starting/running issues, try a 'new' fuel pump. If you can find someone with a good used pump to borrow or if a local yard has one, swap it in and hope it improves things. I have a suspision its fuel related and pump replacement is relatively easy.

Good luck with it,

Dave

[ryan roopnarine]

shooootttt....i live in the northern part of florida and it got down to an evening temp of -6--8 dC this winter. you must live somewhere really warm.

[dreman77]

shooootttt....i live in the northern part of florida and it got down to an evening temp of -6--8 dC this winter. you must live somewhere really warm.

Well, im in western australia so it does not get that cold over here. :)

[dreman77]

Before you bring it to a professional, test what you can. The TPS, CPS and temp sensors are testable with a digital multimeter (cheap at any auto parts or electronic store) and the bentley manual or our help. Check the coils/boots for cracks etc. Then, pending good results and continued starting/running issues, try a 'new' fuel pump. If you can find someone with a good used pump to borrow or if a local yard has one, swap it in and hope it improves things. I have a suspision its fuel related and pump replacement is relatively easy.

Good luck with it,

Dave

Hi Dave,

thanks for the info. I bought the multimeter but dont know where to hook it up to or where to start. And i figured if I kept asking the people in the forum here over and over again, someones gonna get irritated at some point in time...

I didnt get the bentley manual as it did not have the 520i in it. So i bought the BMW repair manual which lists my 520i in it. Its coming i CD form and hopefully should have it by next week. Ill most probably leave it i the driveway till then. Dont even trust using it to the shops.

[whiskychaser]

Hi Dave,

thanks for the info. I bought the multimeter but dont know where to hook it up to or where to start. And i figured if I kept asking the people in the forum here over and over again, someones gonna get irritated at some point in time...

I didnt get the bentley manual as it did not have the 520i in it. So i bought the BMW repair manual which lists my 520i in it. Its coming i CD form and hopefully should have it by next week. Ill most probably leave it i the driveway till then. Dont even trust using it to the shops.

Your coils, cam sensor, crank sensor, air intake temp sensor, and coolant temp sensor all have the same part nos. as the 525i. (There are actually 2 temp sensors - I mean the one at the front of the head)So if you are bored at the weekend have a look at this:
http://luuk.xs4all.nl/bmwboeken/Bentley_BMW_5-Series_Service_Manual.pdf

[dreman77]

Your coils, cam sensor, crank sensor, air intake temp sensor, and coolant temp sensor all have the same part nos. as the 525i. (There are actually 2 temp sensors - I mean the one at the front of the head)So if you are bored at the weekend have a look at this:
http://luuk.xs4all.nl/bmwboeken/Bentley_BMW_5-Series_Service_Manual.pdf

Thanks!! whiskychaser. hopefully i will have some concrete answers this weekend.

I am just hoping that my hard start issue and the jerking issue after a long drive have something on common. Then Ill kill two birds with one stone.

cheers, buddy.