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1.8T hard to start after short drive

This relates to a friends Audi A4, but I post it here anyway.

Twice she has come home from work in the evening and left the car outside the garage. At night, she has started the car, pulled into the garage, and shut down the engine. The following morning the car has been very hard to start, cranking forever, sputtering a bit and not starting. After trying about half a dozen tries a few minutes apart, it will finally start, but run poorly for a minute or so before returning to normal.

This is the 1.8 turbo engine. Anyone experienced something like this? Any thoughts about what may cause this?

Reply to
Randolph
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ECT= engine coolant temperature sensor

Reply to
Woodchuck

ECT sensor failure usually results in hard warm starting, like shutting engine off and then very hard to start 30 min later, but possible here.

Reply to
BostonAudi

Hi, This relates to an '85 and '90 Golf (gas engines), though admitedly some distance from an A4 on the family tree, but the symptoms sound similar. If I've left the car outside, then start it up to park it (engine runs maybe 20 seconds), then it's hard starting the engine the next day. Invariably it will star but runs rough until I get it up to regular driving spped after which it drives normally. It seems to be that the engine needs to go through a full cycle (and I haven't pinned down the key components yet,) of fully warming up (ECT?). Also, at least on the '85 golf, the revs have to get above 3000 rpm before something resets (forgot exactly what it is). Perhaps ask the service guy, but in our experience (33 combined years with the 2 VWs), it's something we expect if we've only run the engine a few seconds.

-Tony

-------------------- twong(at)vcn.bc.ca Vancouver, BC Canada

Reply to
Tony

Reply to
Tim Burr

Could be a failed MAF sensor. Have someone check the codes.

Reply to
maddawg

Reply to
lobo

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