Long crank on cold start

[MFKN3]

My '08 sat for a couple weeks and I fired it up yesterday and it started instantly. I was in shock!!! It will click over 50,000km on this tank of gas.

Is it as people suspected - bad fuel??

[DaveDee]

Originally Posted by MFKN3

My '08 sat for a couple weeks and I fired it up yesterday and it started instantly. I was in shock!!! It will click over 50,000km on this tank of gas.

Is it as people suspected - bad fuel??

Your car would be terrified at not being compliant after Morgan Park

It would be an interesting exercise to try 98 from IFS as they are a different source to the others

[DuaneTh]

Originally Posted by MFKN3

My '08 sat for a couple weeks and I fired it up yesterday and it started instantly. I was in shock!!! It will click over 50,000km on this tank of gas.

Is it as people suspected - bad fuel??

Yeah mine has been fine with almost zero issues...

[EarthboundMisfit]

I've updated the opening post.

I think the bad fuel (new fuel formulation?) theory has merit. I've been alternating between 98RON and 95RON (BP, Shell and Caltex). Car now starts best (what I'd consider normally) on 95, poorer on 98.

[Smiddyberg]

Hi I've had the same exact issue as your first videos on my 11' with slip on mufflers.

BMW had my car for three weeks and basically changed everything with nil change. Same as you I found fuel is the fix, from testing in Brisbane area I've found BP to be the worst with shell and caltex to be the same (98) i.e. Long crank and erratic idle first start of the day. Also my car is a weekender which possibly makes the issue worse??

I haven't tried 95 but I've found with Puma 98 octane the long crank and erratic idle is no longer evident, car starts normally fro the weekend duties!

Hope this helps.

[DBE]

Excellent documentation and summary Earthbound
Did you notice any general performance change running the 95 ?

Smiddy - Also excellent info. Id considered trying Puma 98 but hadn't taken the risk. I wonder if based on Earthbounds findings its actually equivalent to BP / Caltex / Shell 95. Thoughts ?

[aussiem3]

Originally Posted by DBE

Excellent documentation and summary Earthbound
Did you notice any general performance change running the 95 ?

Smiddy - Also excellent info. Id considered trying Puma 98 but hadn't taken the risk. I wonder if based on Earthbounds findings its actually equivalent to BP / Caltex / Shell 95. Thoughts ?

I think the base fuel is the same across the different brands, but individual properties vary across the range ... BP v Caltex v Shell. He in WA I've always used 98 across the range and haven't had issue. But the dealership here has told me that owners are reporting what was mentioned above and has been attributed to fuel.

[Ingenio]

Ditto. Im on BP Ultimate here in Perth and have no issues at all... Can there really be different batches / blends on East Coast vs West?

[MFKN3]

Seems to be seasonal and I used BP and Shell and they were all the same.

Although fuel seems fine lately!

Makes me wonder if it struggles to start, god knows how rubbish it is at high RPM under stress. Bet the ECU pulls timing to avoid detonation. I might have to go back for another dyno on the "good stuff" now.

[MFKN3]

Originally Posted by EarthboundMisfit

I've updated the opening post.

I think the bad fuel (new fuel formulation?) theory has merit. I've been alternating between 98RON and 95RON (BP, Shell and Caltex). Car now starts best (what I'd consider normally) on 95, poorer on 98.

I've spoken to people in the industry who fill up on 95 claiming it's equivalent or higher to 98. After all, they boost octane by adding ethanol. I certainly wouldn't lose sleep over using 95

[EarthboundMisfit]

Originally Posted by DBE

Excellent documentation and summary Earthbound
Did you notice any general performance change running the 95 ?

No, nothing noticeable. Fuel economy is about the same too:

[MFKN3]

Sorry to bump an old thread. Recently sorted it out and ended up being the throttle actuators. One bank wasn't always responding at cold start.

[MisterClutch888]

wow i went thru all 4 pages haha, and this last post got the answer, bravo.

[MFKN3]

Originally Posted by MisterClutch888

wow i went thru all 4 pages haha, and this last post got the answer, bravo.

I also had slightly longer ones earlier this year and a fresh oil change fixed it 100%

[DMC380]

I’ve had this problem over the years too, and very convincingly resolved it by using 95 fuel. Even one tank of 98 and it starts like this. Back to 95, and no problem. I also had this problem with the old engine and the new engine (no different). Caltex, and live in Brissie.

Interesting point about the throttle actuators. Mine don’t display any other signs of problems (yet) after 73,000km but there could be a link. I guess time will tell.

[BanjoPaterson]

Originally Posted by EarthboundMisfit

Updated the first post.

I had this, although not as bad, and turned out to be the battery. Definitely following this thread, just in case.

[Fezza]

had this issue with BP 98, changed to Mobil1 98 from 7-11/Costco was the fix for me

[xcusem3]

I had this issue a couple years ago on my 2013, it had 56k kms at the time.. long cranks on cold starts, it was indeed the throttle actuators.

Replaced under warranty at the time and never had this issue in the slightest again.