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Passat problems continue

I wrote a few weeks ago about my 99 Passat not starting, I changed the sparkplugs and it ran good for a few weeks. Went today to start it, exact same thing, started for 5 seconds, then turned off and can't get it started again, smells like fuel around the engine again so I take out the plugs and cleans them and let them dry inside completely. Above the plugs, its appears to have oil on all of them (possible valve cover gasket leak??) The oil smells like fuel also, so I change it, but still the car will not start! turns over fine, fires a bit, but no go. Any ideas? Its is a 1.8 turbo. TIA Darren

Reply to
Tado
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Were any of the plugs moist with gasoline?

Ignition related?

Reply to
Tom's VR6

Hard to tell, they smelled bad of gasoline, as did the engine oil. Hard to tell if they were moist, its -25 C here so not sure what fuel does in this climate, almost like a frozen glaze on the plugs if that makes sense.

Reply to
Tado

At -15F (-25C) starting can get harder.

I guess you have a charger on the battery to recover from your starting attempts.

I would be thinking warming the engine as best I could in advance, and then using ether starting fluid. Let's hope somebody else has a test or procedure for you.

Reply to
Tom's VR6

I haven't been following this thread so I'll make a suggestion that may have already been made. If you aren't parking the car in a garage, or fairly near an outdoor outlet, do so. Get the dealer to install an engine block heater, and make use of it. Start the warming procedure 20 minut or so before you plan on leaving, then try to crank the engine. -15 degrees F is very taxing on an engine, the spark plugs and fuel injectors can glaze over with ice, etc...and the gas in the engine, fuel lines and tank can get very close to frozen. Under these conditions it's no surprise that the car is difficult to start. It's been getting to to about 30 degrees F where I live in so cal, a substantial 45 degrees warmer than what you're experiencing, and I still notice things about my car (which gets parked outside). I have to leave between 6 and 6:30 A.M. a couple times a week while it;s still in the high 30s outside and the engine (1.8T) takes much longer to warm up and settle down. Steve Grauman

Reply to
Steve Grauman

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