Cold Start Issue - BMW 3-Series Forum (F30 / F32)

SomeRandomer123 · 11-05-2012, 10:14 AM

The winter is drawing in here in the UK, so I came out to a very frosted 328i this morning. Got in, ignition on and a warning that the outside temperature was 1.5c.
Went to start it and it cranked into life beautifully, to approximately 1200rpm (with a great exhaust note) and quickly began to settle down as usual to a lower idle, in P obviously. Just as the RPM's went below 1k however, the revs dropped and shook suddenly, but I instinctively caught it before it stalled and brought it back up to 1300rpm ish.
So I let the RPM go down again and the car repeated the behaviour. I would've liked to see if it would actually stall but I caught it again without thinking. With HPFP severity (just YouTube "335i HPFP idle" and you'll see what I mean), I'm pretty sure it would've died on me.
Back to 1200-1300rpm again, I let it go and it dropped to a sweet idle.

Not too concerned, just a blip, but any thoughts/experiences with the 28i/35i?
To say the cars and engines go through harsh winter testing though, I didn't think +1.5c was all that cold for it.

wayman519 · 11-05-2012, 11:03 AM

Hey this is very interesting, 1.5c is not cold at all. The temp is dropping here in Canada, but ill post something when I start the car at -10c or -20c in december.

SomeRandomer123 · 11-05-2012, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayman519

Hey this is very interesting, 1.5c is not cold at all. The temp is dropping here in Canada, but ill post something when I start the car at -10c or -20c in december.

My thoughts exactly. I haven't had a petrol car for over 18 years but surely petrol is easier to start than diesel? My E90 LCI 330d would crank and run sweet as a nut at -18c after a few seconds delay for the glow plugs to work their magic. Maybe just the occasional little stutter at idle in those extreme temperatures but nothing it couldn't sort out itself.

Our 1.4 Cee'd LCI also cold starts really well. That is a seriously sweet, fun and torquey little engine. It's a great little (big) car overall and always a fun drive with the lively little engine!

That's going off topic anyway, back to my 328i

jsedlak · 11-05-2012, 12:11 PM

My E46 does this sometimes, more often in the winter. In general, it is fairly rare.

Naambezet · 11-05-2012, 01:37 PM

Mine sounded once like it was runnong on 3 cilinders only, it also had the same behaviour.

StevenBTO · 11-05-2012, 03:09 PM

Mine did this the other day when the temperate was also around 1C. I didn't give it any extra gas and it did not stall out, but the car certainly felt like it was about to

wayman519 · 11-05-2012, 08:23 PM

my guess is, the car is calibrating the ECU for new temperatures. We just got to wait it out. This is one of the most advanced engines in the world. Lets give it a chance!

shivaswrath · 11-05-2012, 08:28 PM

about 0° C this morning, started fine for me....was ur auto start stop on or off?

Sephanite · 11-05-2012, 09:02 PM

ive had a little shake in the car when the revs drop after its warm up stage. It was not as bad as yours but nevertheless there. Our lexus does that quite often aswell and the car is 2 years old so this shake i am getting in the bmw, to me, is miniature. I know i shouldnt do this but i am puting it down to the newer timing and ignitions in the cars these days

micknugget · 11-05-2012, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayman519

my guess is, the car is calibrating the ECU for new temperatures. We just got to wait it out. This is one of the most advanced engines in the world. Lets give it a chance!

This and it could also be the car calibrating to the "new" fuel. Remember that they increase the additives in fuel during the winter months.

BavarianFanatic · 11-05-2012, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by micknugget

This and it could also be the car calibrating to the "new" fuel. Remember that they increase the additives in fuel during the winter months.

Not in the UK.

cchukan · 11-05-2012, 10:28 PM

It's normal. Mine did something similar and I read it on this forum somewhere that it's normal. As the RPM drops, it does a quick shutter with a weird noise, which I was told that one of the exhaust pipe is closing...

SomeRandomer123 · 11-06-2012, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cchukan

It's normal. Mine did something similar and I read it on this forum somewhere that it's normal. As the RPM drops, it does a quick shutter with a weird noise, which I was told that one of the exhaust pipe is closing...

Yeah the weird noise of the exhaust flap opening I'm aware of but this was HPFP/misfire severe. Oh well, I'll see how it goes these next few mornings!

SomeRandomer123 · 11-06-2012, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shivaswrath

about 0° C this morning, started fine for me....was ur auto start stop on or off?

Default on, but surely this shouldn't have an effect on a cold start?

SomeRandomer123 · 11-06-2012, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BavarianFanatic

Not in the UK.

^ What he said.
Good call, but we can rule that one out.

HighlandPete · 11-06-2012, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayman519

Hey this is very interesting, 1.5c is not cold at all. The temp is dropping here in Canada, but ill post something when I start the car at -10c or -20c in december.

Agree, 1.5C is not cold.

Personally I imagine it is a little glitch, if it happens every 'colder' start, I'd see something as being wrong.

My N55 engine is no different at around freezing than any other temperature. Had a few starts below freezing and no issues, same rpm run down after a few seconds.

HighlandPete

SomeRandomer123 · 11-06-2012, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayman519

Hey this is very interesting, 1.5c is not cold at all. The temp is dropping here in Canada, but ill post something when I start the car at -10c or -20c in december.

Agree, 1.5C is not cold.

Personally I imagine it is a little glitch, if it happens every 'colder' start, I'd see something as being wrong.

My N55 engine is no different at around freezing than any other temperature. Had a few starts below freezing and no issues, same rpm run down after a few seconds.

HighlandPete

Yeah +1c is mild as it goes!

Started up again this morning, +3c. Like yesterday, it cranked into life beautifully and worked its way down from 1200rpm to usual idle. Just as it came to 900rpm there was an ever so slight disturbance in RPM, something or nothing, just the merest shake for a fraction of a second and then it continued as normal in it's cold start process.

Will update tomorrow morning, although I think it may be warmer tomorrow morning (+4/5c).

shivaswrath · 11-06-2012, 10:28 AM

Here's a video from this morning, 27 F, cold as balls. No issue.

SomeRandomer123 · 11-06-2012, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shivaswrath

Here's a video from this morning, 27 F, cold as balls. No issue.

Smooth as a baby's ass.
At 0:30 where your revs start to drop off to normal idle, that's where my 328i (two mornings ago now) did it's funny bit, and ran like the video below at 0:19 (so skip to that bit). Because I caught it and gave it a little gas, it didn't last for any more than a second, but this was repeated twice on that start, albeit the second one perhaps occurring 100rpm lower.
From there on, it's been running better than factory fresh now it's run in more (10,000mls).

[u2b]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSnDj4fNV_w&feature=fvwrel[/u2b]

Noor · 11-08-2012, 05:02 PM

Guys it reaches around 6C Here in the winter MAX, should we warm up the car or do as the manual says just start and drive moderately?

Vitoco · 11-08-2012, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noor

Guys it reaches around 6C Here in the winter MAX, should we warm up the car or do as the manual says just start and drive moderately?

Warming up the car means just start and drive moderately, idling it is not warming it up if thats what u had in mind. And a side note, everything below 10C is considered a cold start.

Sauveur · 11-08-2012, 08:37 PM

Minus 8 c for me today. St sauveur quebec. No problem with start.

11-05-2012, 10:14 AM	#1
SomeRandomer123 Lieutenant Colonel Drives: F30 328i Luxury - Sport Auto Join Date: May 2011 Location: Lancashire, North West England, UK Posts: 1,939 iTrader: (0)	Cold Start Issue The winter is drawing in here in the UK, so I came out to a very frosted 328i this morning. Got in, ignition on and a warning that the outside temperature was 1.5c. Went to start it and it cranked into life beautifully, to approximately 1200rpm (with a great exhaust note) and quickly began to settle down as usual to a lower idle, in P obviously. Just as the RPM's went below 1k however, the revs dropped and shook suddenly, but I instinctively caught it before it stalled and brought it back up to 1300rpm ish. So I let the RPM go down again and the car repeated the behaviour. I would've liked to see if it would actually stall but I caught it again without thinking. With HPFP severity (just YouTube "335i HPFP idle" and you'll see what I mean), I'm pretty sure it would've died on me. Back to 1200-1300rpm again, I let it go and it dropped to a sweet idle. Not too concerned, just a blip, but any thoughts/experiences with the 28i/35i? To say the cars and engines go through harsh winter testing though, I didn't think +1.5c was all that cold for it. __________________ Gone: 2006 BMW E60 520d SE 6MT Gone: 2009 BMW E90-LCI 330d SE 6MT - Awesome! 28th May 2009 - 28th May 2012 Current: 2012 F30 328i Luxury 8AT - Loving it! My 328i thread!http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=712673
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11-05-2012, 08:28 PM	#8
shivaswrath Lieutenant Colonel Drives: 2012 335i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Norwalk CT Posts: 1,971 iTrader: (2)	about 0° C this morning, started fine for me....was ur auto start stop on or off? __________________ 2012 335i Mineral Gray M Performance Whore: PPK\|Exhaust\|Brakes\|Performance Suspension Struts & Springs\|Black Kidney Grilles\|CF Spoiler and Mirror Caps\|M Sport 400M\|BMWF30.com 335i brakes FS!

11-05-2012, 10:28 PM	#12
cchukan New Member Drives: F30 328i Luxury Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 16 iTrader: (0)	It's normal. Mine did something similar and I read it on this forum somewhere that it's normal. As the RPM drops, it does a quick shutter with a weird noise, which I was told that one of the exhaust pipe is closing... __________________ 2012 F30 328i Luxury Line

11-06-2012, 10:28 AM	#18
shivaswrath Lieutenant Colonel Drives: 2012 335i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Norwalk CT Posts: 1,971 iTrader: (2)	Here's a video from this morning, 27 F, cold as balls. No issue. __________________ 2012 335i Mineral Gray M Performance Whore: PPK\|Exhaust\|Brakes\|Performance Suspension Struts & Springs\|Black Kidney Grilles\|CF Spoiler and Mirror Caps\|M Sport 400M\|BMWF30.com 335i brakes FS!

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11-05-2012, 11:03 AM	#2
wayman519 Private First Class Drives: F30 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 178 iTrader: (0)	Hey this is very interesting, 1.5c is not cold at all. The temp is dropping here in Canada, but ill post something when I start the car at -10c or -20c in december.

11-05-2012, 12:11 PM	#4
jsedlak First Lieutenant Drives: F30 335i 6spd Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Morristown, NJ Posts: 344 iTrader: (0)	My E46 does this sometimes, more often in the winter. In general, it is fairly rare.

11-05-2012, 01:37 PM	#5
Naambezet Second Lieutenant Drives: BMW X1 sDrive 20i Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Netherlands Posts: 208 iTrader: (0)	Mine sounded once like it was runnong on 3 cilinders only, it also had the same behaviour.

11-05-2012, 03:09 PM	#6
StevenBTO Private Drives: 2012 328i Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Toronto Posts: 53 iTrader: (0)	Mine did this the other day when the temperate was also around 1C. I didn't give it any extra gas and it did not stall out, but the car certainly felt like it was about to

11-05-2012, 08:23 PM	#7
wayman519 Private First Class Drives: F30 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 178 iTrader: (0)	my guess is, the car is calibrating the ECU for new temperatures. We just got to wait it out. This is one of the most advanced engines in the world. Lets give it a chance!

11-05-2012, 09:02 PM	#9
Sephanite First Lieutenant Drives: BMW Z4 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Melbourne Posts: 319 iTrader: (0)	ive had a little shake in the car when the revs drop after its warm up stage. It was not as bad as yours but nevertheless there. Our lexus does that quite often aswell and the car is 2 years old so this shake i am getting in the bmw, to me, is miniature. I know i shouldnt do this but i am puting it down to the newer timing and ignitions in the cars these days

11-08-2012, 05:02 PM	#20
Noor Private First Class Drives: '12 BMW 328i, '02 VW Passat V6 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Saudi Arabia Posts: 137 iTrader: (0)	Guys it reaches around 6C Here in the winter MAX, should we warm up the car or do as the manual says just start and drive moderately?

11-08-2012, 08:37 PM	#22
Sauveur Enlisted Member Drives: 328xi \|2013 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Quebec Posts: 36 iTrader: (0)	Minus 8 c for me today. St sauveur quebec. No problem with start.