Cold-stating problems - GTE

[Anonymous]

My new GTE has been mint so far.....100% reliable, running smooth and fast etc, but in the last week on a couple of occasions it's struggled to start.

On both occasions, it would turn and not fire on the first attempt, and it'd be the 4th or 5th attempt before it would start.
Once started, it runs fine, although when I went out yesterday night, it did cut out at the first junction from my house.

This may be a stupid question, but how are you supposed to start a GTE in cold weather?
Should you apply any gas like you would in a carbed Nova, or not touch the gas and let the injection system sort it out for you?
The first time it struggled to start, I was applying a little gas like I would in my Carbed Novas, so I though it was that that caused the prob, as my Dad says that with his Corsa, it says to not touch the gas at all on start-up, and if you do, it struggles to start.
On the second time it struggled though, I purposely didn't touch the gas, and it still struggled.
It turns over really quickly, and I know the battery is mint.

I know it's ready for a service, as the dizzy cap and rotor arm are looking a bit manky, so is this probably the ONLY reason for it?
On both occasions, it was cold and damp, but the cold is more the problem than the damp, 'cos it started fine today and it's been VERY damp, but a bit warmer. It also runs spot-on once it's running, no matter how cold or damp...it's only on start-up.
I've read every page in the Haynes about the injection system to try and spot anything else that could be causing it.....could it be running weak? I thought not since the injection alters the mixture according to all the settings, but it's got an adjustment screw on the air-flow meter :-/

I feel a bit helpless with it being injected, 'cos with the carb, you can just give a blip on the throttle and give it some more fuel.
I feel a bit left out of what the engine is doing with the injection, which is the only thing I don't like about it....I still go for the choke sometimes!

I'll fit the new dizzy cap and rotor arm and see if it does it again, but what else can I check?
Cheers ;)

[Anonymous]

Don't know the "correct" procedure but I have found that fully applying the throttle and then back totally off it b4 starting is as good a way as any even with injection cars. As the engine tries to pick up I then feed in a bit more throttle??
It might be low on compression??? I had a Sierra which would never start easily and it had low compression - turned out to be the valve stem oils seals. Once fixed she would always fire straight up afterwards.
Its prob 1 or a combination of various components to do with ignition, sensors,electrical connectors,compression etc. running sub-optimally and "being found out" by the recent cold/damp snap. Service the basics and then see?
Don't know about this, but 1 other thought has it been modded and did it get an ECU reset?

[Anonymous]

The thing is it's only done it twice...it started instantly every other time.
I'll get the dizzy cap, rotor arm and some new plugs tomorrow, and just see what happens.
It's not been modded at all, and it has had an ECU re-set the other week when I had the battery off.

I'm sure the compression is fine too....if the valve stem oil seals were going, it'd be blowing smoke, but it's fine.

To me, all I recon it is the ignition leads and cap getting damp and just generally knackered.....I had a look at 'em today, and the contacts in the cap are covered in corrosion and other crap...not good for cold starting :O
If this was happening on my Antibes, I wouldn't have asked the question, but with this being my first injected Nova, I thought I might be best off asking for any other advice.

I'll just see how it goes.

BTW.....blipping the gas before start-up does nothing on an injected car surely? It's not like on a carb where fuel is pumped in when you blip the gas.....with the injection, unless the engine is being started or is running, blipping the gas pedal won't pump any fuel in....it only gets pumped in when the injectors fire.
That's right isn't it?

Cheers CP mate ;)

[Anonymous]

as long as there is fuel pressure, and a spark, it shud go straight away, iv never had starting probs with GTe engine. id say dont touch the gas cuz it might draw more cold air in, but... if u do it might inject a litle more fuel?

[Anonymous]

Cheers...I'll just see what it does after a service.
I always thought GTEs to be very reliable, and it has been...like I say, it's only done it twice.