and driving over AndyC as you go  ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

after Ive tested my sniper rifle on him  At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Big Dave wrote:

Moving swiftly on...

Agreed BD - best we move on and ignore those other two silly chappies

Ill test the cold start tomorrow morning, Freely has been standing still for several days and it been between -10 and -12C the last few days. Will also look for the blue smoke that has been mentioned, but its mostly over Yorkshire farmland and Aberdeen so it seems  2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

Sorry, no blue smoke here except that from an english norwegian roasting on a spit  ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

Can I just say that "workarounds" should not be needed, if it doesn't start using the correct procedure and it's blowing smoke then there's something wrong

Mine this morning, -3 degrees, fob in, clutch in, press start, finger off, wait 2-3 seconds and engine turns twice and fires up, no smoke.

The fact about all the fancy gadgets like button start and the like is that someone who knows how to do everything properly, can do it more effectively, especially in this case. It's not hard to wait for a light to go off. A computer can't decide on the best course of action all the time as it can't take everything into account like a human. If my car had been parked in -20 for 2 days then I wouldn't expect it to start on standard diesel, but the car would turn the engine over until the battery's flat.

Ignore the smoke, there's a fire going on in the engine. If it clears once it's running smooth it's fine, if not then have someone look at it.  Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

EYorkshire: Cant agree more Today it was -10C and Freely has been parked for at least 4-days in temperatures between -7C and -10C. Today I tried the correct (LR suggested) method of starting. Pressed the start button and Freely fired up after exactly 9 seconds and there was no blue, grey, black or any other unnormal smoke from the exhaust. The trip counter remained unchanged as it should.
Tomorrow I will try the alternative start method as the temperatures will be the same and see if there is any difference - report to follow

Big Dave: Unless the Freely has a faulty battery or some other fail that may effect starting, parking in minus 20 degrees for several days will not effect the starting at all. Our Freely has been parked outside in at least -20C for a week or so and she always starts first push of the start button (with a long wait as the glow plugs warm up). Under these conditions Freely is being used in the mountains by the wife, so I couldn't comment on if there is any smoke on start up. As for the type of diesel being used - just standard stuff and always the cheapest around with no additive of any kind. However the diesel being sold in Norway is probably manufactured for our winter climate . 2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

Sorry AndyC, should've said we don't use winter diesel over here. anything less than -15 it turns to a syrup type consistancy but the car wouldn't know this and just flatten it's battery trying to start! Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

I understood that UK Winter Diesel had was on the forecourts from the end of October thriugh till March time.

It's an Act of Parliament

Quote:

(4) Subject to the provisions of these Regulations, no person shall, during a period beginning on 10th September in any year and ending on 15th March in the following year, distribute diesel fuel which?

(a) does not comply with the winter diesel fuel requirement; and

(b) is for use within the United Kingdom.


(5) Subject to the provisions of these Regulations, no person shall, during a period beginning on 16th March and ending on 9th September in any year, distribute diesel fuel which?

(a) does not comply with the summer diesel fuel requirement; and

(b) is for use within the United Kingdom

Maybe BD has been saving his summer diesel  2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

AndyC wrote:

EYorkshire: Cant agree more Today it was -10C and Freely has been parked for at least 4-days in temperatures between -7C and -10C. Today I tried the correct (LR suggested) method of starting. Pressed the start button and Freely fired up after exactly 9 seconds and there was no blue, grey, black or any other unnormal smoke from the exhaust. The trip counter remained unchanged as it should.
Tomorrow I will try the alternative start method as the temperatures will be the same and see if there is any difference - report to follow

Today I tried the alternative method. Freely had been standing all night in -10C. Key in the hole, pushed the start button (without depressing the clutch) until the glow plug indicator came on and went off again after about 10 seconds (didn't get to time it exactly) pushed the clutch and the start button again and Freely started immediately. No blue or any other smoke from the exhaust. Total time from start to Freely was running took several seconds longer because of the extra operation, but the cranking sound and starting up was the same with both methods.

Conclusion: The alternative method did not had any benefits over the correct method of starting Freely in -10C. Start up time is basically the same as using the correct method and Freely will not fire up until the glow plugs have done the job. Unless proven otherwise the alternative method did not have any benefits over the correct method and in fact took a little longer because of using two operations instead of the intentional one.

Will try the alternative method again and time it properly next time, but to be honest the whole point of the Land Rover recommended "one push button start", works perfectly in -10C without any smoke or problems with trip counters. If anybody gets the chance to try both start methods when it really gets cold (at least -20C) it would be interesting to get a report on the results.  2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

Mudflap wrote:

Noticed cloud of blue smoke when starting from cold. Only noticed recently, ie cold weather. Delay in starting this morning (very cold) . Just had 45k mile service. Clears almost immediately and doesn't repeat when re-starting engine from warm.

Hi mudflap

this puff of blue smoke when very cold is normal. You will normally observe this at temperatures of 0 down to -25 degrees. Below that to start the motor can become a mission without pre-heater (also for the diesel).

I agree with Big Dave to start one of those big diesels when it is very cold is a spectacle in itself. We used to have a pump with NOX injection in the cab. But you could only use it with the engine cranking. Otherwise there was the risk of bending a con rod.  With kind regards
DiscoGeorge
1998 Disco1 ES 300Tdi with twin TrueTracs
2005 Disco3 TDV6 S
And some more serious stuff

Hi DG - I have just mentioned there is NO blue smoke on start up - Do you mean therefore I maybe have a problem with my Freely  2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

ajuniper wrote:

Yesterday my Passat said -6 and had a ~5 second glow plug interval. I repeated the glow plug interval 3 times and then it eventually (reluctantly) fired.

The FL2 didn't do anything out of the ordinary with messages or delayed cranking and cranked straight away, and didn't start. Every so often when it tried to cough into life, the computer would drop the starter and the engine would stop because it hadn't caught properly. The battery went flat before the thing started.

I think that cycling the power a few times first helps to get the glow plugs really hot before cranking.