Cold Start Switch

[roosmith]

Sorry if this is a novice question but what is the cold start switch for? What does it do? I tried it a few times during this cold snap and while I think I can hear a solenoid moving I can detect no difference to anything! Stumped

[lazyb5]

Hi it closes a valve in the exhaust among other things which makes the engine work harder and warm up quicker.

[kloonsy]

In the words of MC Hammer.........don't touch it!!

[Northern Bongolow]

the way to test it is to try to drive off when its switched on, if it runs like its got a spud up the exhaust-----its working.
the theory behind it is if you warm up your engine with it, it warms up quicker, thus running efficient, earlier, so cleaner and saving fuel as it will kick into top cog earlier.

i use mine all the time.

[Driver+Passengers]

the way to test it is to try to drive off when its switched on, if it runs like its got a spud up the exhaust-----its working.
the theory behind it is if you warm up your engine with it, it warms up quicker, thus running efficient, earlier, so cleaner and saving fuel as it will kick into top cog earlier.

i use mine all the time.

Does it make a difference if the EGR is blanked? I've disconnected the vacuum tube to the exhaust baffle at the moment, but will re-attach if you reckon it'll still work.

[Northern Bongolow]

my egr is blanked using alan's plates. the long pipe near the glow plugs removed. the egr valve is still in place and is still connected both to the vac system and electrically, so the ecu still operates it.
the winter switch still works fine.
i have never studied the link/s between the cold start, egr, winter switch, but as all are on the vac system and the ecu i felt it may be sensible to leave as much intact as poss, i didnt want to find the ecu didnt get a signal to operate something because i had disconnected something down the line.
take the cold start solenoids,down stream from them are the egr solenoids,one of these dumps the same vac supply to the air inlet pipe, so removing the egr vac solenoids may affect the vac pressure to the cold start. then there is the elec supplies, if the egr valve is not switched does this send a signal to the ecu saying not switched, it has a position switch fitted ????.

[roosmith]

Well I tried it over the weekend and it is working on the "turn it on and drive away test". I might actually use it now I know as I only have a 2 minute drive to a main road and of course it won't select top gear until warm so I trundle the mile or so either at 40 p**sing everyone off behind me, or screaming along at 60 hoping she doesn't blow up!