

| Subject: | Re: Rough starting in cold weather |
| From: | Kent Christensen |
| Date: | Sun, 12 Dec 1999 10:12:11 -0700 |
re: When starting up the engine up cold, with the temperature below 30 F, the engine misses and barely runs for the first minute or so. I have to give it throttle just to keep it running. Not specifically familiar with waterboxers, but most Bosch fuel injection systems have "cold start injector," another (5th) injector that only operates at cold temp to provide "choke" effect. Since there's only one, it's not close to a particular cylinder but rather upstream in the intake manifold. I find it interesting to relate just why cold engines need "choking" in the first place. That's because the fuel portion of the fuel/air mixture tends to come out of the mixture and adhere to cold manifold walls, not making it to the combustion chamber. The solution has usually been "choke," i.e. making the mixture richer so some of it, at least, gets there. Reason some intake manifolds are heated, too. Choking is usually accompanied by increased throttle opening to get things moving. This "choke" period is a period of high exhaust emissions, and the goal is to end it as soon as possible. Probably the next generation of gasoline engines will feature fuel injection directly into the combustion chamber (like diesels and '50s Mercedes gullwings), and this could eliminate or certainly shorten the period for choking. Operation of this and any fuel injector is a difficult and dangerous thing for an amateur to test. Since you say you have to give it throttle, perhaps your choking is too much (worn/enlarged injector orifice?) or the programmed rpm increase isn't happening. Cold start is easier with synthetic motor oil too.
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