Benthic81

My '93 124 is having trouble starting in cold weather... Is there a way to help this? I've put 'Heet' in it to make sure that there isn't any water in the lines freezing.

Basically I have to crank the ignition fro about 5 minutes and the thing will finally start.

What can I do?

ZorroAMG

Get a block heater installed. You plug your car in when not in use, in the morning, start car, unplug and go.

Benthic81

That doesn't solve the fact that is SHOULD start!

neanderthal

get a tuneup. plugs, fuel filter, wires, cap, rotor.
get an oil change. try a slightly thinner oil. it'll be easier to spin that thicker oil. so say 5W- 30 instead of 10W- 30.
get a new battery. something thats got a lot of juice. ive got an optima. $170 at costco.
check your fuses and grounds.

get your fuel pressure regulator checked. you might not be holding pressure at night.

one other option is to get a remote starter installed. then what you want to do is start the car late at night for about 5 minutes, let it heat up, then turn it off again. the heat takes a while to dissipate, unless its bloody freezing.

or you could get a block heater as youve beed advised.

shdoug

How cold? We have people on here in Arizona that think 70°F is cold. Anything above -10°F should not be a problem if you have a good battery and are using the correct weight oil. Like Neanderthal said, are you using the correct oil? I think it should be 5W30 conventional if I recall.

The OVP relay can cause starting problems, but I think that is primarily hot starting. You should be using premium fuel only. No methanol or ethanol blends.

Be careful with that Heet. Some types have methanol in them. They make 2 different kinds; a red bottle and a blue bottle. I think the red has methanol. Either way, all it does is mix with any water in the tank so the water can become soluble with the gas. Normally gas and water won't mix because water is heavier, but the isopropyl alcohol in Heet allows gas and water to form a solution so the water can be pumped out with the fuel. One bottle per year should be enough to remove any moisture that may have accumulated. "Gas Line Antifreeze" is kind of a misnomer. Gas does not freeze at any temperature where you would want to venture outside.

A faulty crank position sensor can cause hard starting, but again it is usually when hot. Fuel pressure, as mentioned, would be a good idea to check but not really a DIY item. Also good, non-platinum plugs would be a good starting point.

Hope this helps!

Benthic81

It was -4 this morning here in Chicago. I'm using 15w50 Mobile1 Synthetic. That's the same thing that's been used in the car for the last 7 or so years. I have new OEM plugs and new coil packs. I've ordered the Cold start injector valve, the CIS Temp Sensor and the fuel pressure regulator. All cheap parts, so I figured I'd try that. I also have a brand new battery.

shdoug

What did I miss here? CIS? Cold Start Valve? I thought you had a '93. It should have an M104 engine.

floodkid

15w50?
isnt that way to thick??

shdoug

It's pretty heavy for Chicago. That's San Diego oil.

I'm still trying to figure out how an M103 got into a '93 W124. It must be a 4-Matic.