Car struggling to start in colder weather

[Kev_Mc]

My 2.0 lpt is struggling to start first thing in the morning of late.

The starter will churn away for ages before it eventually fires. After that it's starting okay through the day.

It is getting plenty of runs - rarely does short journeys.

No idea if it's related, but frequently whilst driving the revs will drop and the lights on the SID dim momentarily. It's done this since I bought the car 14 months ago. Is this the alternator?

Any ideas on what this could be and potential costs to sort?

[Audax]

From what you've suggested it could have low compression so struggles to start, something more likely is a bad or faulty earth somewhere on the car. That could be a suggestion for the problem when running or as you suggested alternator. However, going around and checking/cleaning earths is a far easier and cheaper problem to start with rather than going too far down the line.

[Kev_Mc]

Thanks for that Audax. Could the low compression be exhaust related? I'm sure it needs the exhaust doing - fairly throaty, smells of fuel and very rattly.

[Kev_Mc]

Update on this - the car was seen by a non-Saab mechanic. He has put a new battery in which was done around 100 miles.

Tried to start the car this morning - was churning away but not catching. When I tried again there was much clicking behind the dash. Eventually almost started, but the engine wasn't holding the revs. Tried again and did get it going though had to keep the revs up and hold the foot brake with my left foot to get it our of park.

Drove round the block okay, though the Check Engine Light is now on.

Any ideas what this could be? Is this symptomatic of what Audax was describing?

[Kev_Mc]

The car hasn't moved a lot in the last month - I've just taken it out a handful of times to keep it going. I do a round trip of 12 miles down the local ring roads then put it back in the garage. Not been doing the trick apparently. Now need it for winter duties so I will be using it more..

[Kev_Mc]

Spamming my own thread here - took it for a drive. Performance seems fine, though idling is poor. It's idling at 1500 revs instead of its normal 800 revs ish. Seems a bit rough at idle though fine once going.

Could this be something to do with the DI Cartridge?

[sgould]

What state are the small vacuum pipes?  If they are loose or perished, the engine will be running lean.  Then it will have troubles getting the setting right.

[Kev_Mc]

Whereabouts are they? Think this morning is the first time I've lifted the bonnet! 

[sgould]

Details form my 9-5, but yours should be the same, I think.

There's four pipes.  Three shown in the attached diagram here and the short one from the second connection on the inlet manifold (F-G) not shown.  Use 3mm silicone to replace.  Do one at a time so you don't get confused.



This is the short one.

[David]

I would be surprised if it not either the DI or vacuum hose.

This time of year I usually spray all electricals with WD40, especially on the diesel which does seem to have a cold start issue this time of year. This is not to stop the wet, but to prevent condensation - this may not cure the problem, but for a few pennies it might be worth giving it a try?

[Kev_Mc]

I'd put the car back in my garage - I can't get to the side where the vacuum hoses are to check. Don't want to take the car out to check as it's so hard to start. I've got it booked in at a local Saab specialist on Tuesday to plug it into Tech II so hopefully that'll tell me more...

[phoenix]

A DI fault wouldn't normally cause an issue with idle. I'd favour an air leak- on cold starts the ECu enriches the mix but if there's extra air getting in the mix won't be rich enough.

[Kev_Mc]

I've had a look in the engine bay and to be honest I'm not sure what I'm looking for. Is this to the left or right of the engine as you're looking at it from the front? I clambered over to see the right side of the engine though wasn't convinced this was the right area. The left had side looks more promising.

If I can find these pipes should they be firm or squidgy?

Is this where I should be looking?:

[sgould]

The yellow arrow is the Right Hand Side of the car.

Have a look at the pipes the red arrows point at and the ones connected to them.  Change all four with 3mm silicone.

I got my tube from Bill at http://www.saabits.com

[Kev_Mc]

Right - got the car out of the garage. Seems to be easier to start once I wait for the clicking noises behind the dash to finish.

The hoses I can get to seem to be floppy and are not too hard to be able to squeeze. They are connected from what I can make out.