Technical how to start car

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Technical how to start car

shuffmuff

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i know this sounds silly but it seems the only way i can stat car is to put key in and turn fully to start up the starter motor and release all in one quick motion.

is this correct or is there a step in the key turn i am missing.

i just know that when i drove a diesel i had to turn key once and wait for light to go out and then start up engine, im worried im not doing something and eventually break something.
so any help on how you start that is different to my way would be great, sorry if this sounds as a waste of time but thought i would ask anyway lol, thanks
 
i know this sounds silly but it seems the only way i can stat car is to put key in and turn fully to start up the starter motor and release all in one quick motion.

is this correct or is there a step in the key turn i am missing.

i just know that when i drove a diesel i had to turn key once and wait for light to go out and then start up engine, im worried im not doing something and eventually break something.
so any help on how you start that is different to my way would be great, sorry if this sounds as a waste of time but thought i would ask anyway lol, thanks

If your car has a petrol engine, you can start it like you are doing - by turning the key fully.

With a diesel engine, you turn the key once, and wait for the glow plugs to warm to operating temperature. This is indicated by the "light going out" on the dashboard like you describe. Petrol engines do not use glow plugs and this step is not relevant.
 
the only way i can stat car is to put key in and turn fully to start up the starter motor and release all in one quick motion.

is this correct

My car is the same. If I only have the ignition on, then I start the car by turning the ignition off and going immediately to cranking the engine with the ignition on. There is no other way of doing it.
 
My car is the same. If I only have the ignition on, then I start the car by turning the ignition off and going immediately to cranking the engine with the ignition on. There is no other way of doing it.

Almost.. :)

I have petrol and diesel

I turn the key to the 1st spot (MAR)

WAIT.. for the fuel pump to prime the engine..and the dashboard to run its 'self-test'

then I crank the engine

This means less chance of the Immobiliser staying active..and less stress on the Power steering system ( big electrical load )

Because my punto Twinair 'needs' the seatbelt plugged in as the engine cranks I turn the key to MAR
Fit seatbelt as all the electric stuff happens
Start engine

No issues..and no telling off at service time ;)

1352 logged 'incorrect starts' :(
 
Last edited:
Almost.. :)

I have petrol and diesel

I turn the key to the 1st spot (MAR)

WAIT.. for the fuel pump to prime the engine..and the dashboard to run its 'self-test'

then I crank the engine

This means less chace of the Immobikiser staying active..and less stress on the Power steering system ( big electrical load )

Because my punto Twinair 'needs' the seatbelt plugged in as the engine cranks I turn the key to MAR
Fit seatbelt as all the electric stuff happens
Start engine

No issues..and no telling off at service time ;)

1352 logged 'incorrect starts' :(
Same procedure here Charlie. I like to see that little padlock light extinguish before "hitting" the starter motor - which, of course, means the fuel pump has brought the line pressure up too.

Our old 1999 Cordoba TDI had a glowplug light which would go out when the plugs were properly up to temperature. The engine was in excellent condition with good compression, so would start even if you just twisted the key all the way in one go (except on the very coldest of days) however she would crank for a bit longer before firing and emit an enormous cloud of filthy smelly smoke from the exhaust for the first few seconds of running. Mrs J was guilty of frequently forgetting to wait for the little light to go out - in fact I don't think she often looks at the dash display for any reason, not even the fuel gauge! - I think most modern diesels now activate their glow plugs when the drivers door is opened and some don't even have a dash light at all. They also tend to keep their plugs "hot" for the first few minutes of running which reduces smoke and "cold diesel knock" but may, in my opinion, lead to them needing to be replaced more frequently? - A horrid job which I hate doing as I find they are often seized in place - and some are ridiculously long these days - and prone to snapping off. Sometimes there is no way round just having to remove the cylinder head to rectify the problem if this happens. Always brings the sweat out on my forehead when you first "lean" in the socket!
 
Because my punto Twinair 'needs' the seatbelt plugged in as the engine cranks I turn the key to MAR
Fit seatbelt as all the electric stuff happens
Start engine

No issues..and no telling off at service time ;)

1352 logged 'incorrect starts' :(

Advanced driving teaching uses a 'cockpit drill', a process where the driver gets settled comfortably, fits seatbelt, check neutral and handbrake, check footbrake pressure, check windows are clean, and mirrors in right place, turn key to ign on, checks warning lights, waits for those that should to extinguish, then turn to start, and check all other lights extinguish. (There could be a few more steps, but I really don't care. The Punto Mk2 had so many warning lights, most of which went out after 204 seconds, it was impossible to know that all the required ones had come on.)
Having grown up with cars that might not start, I developed a routine that started the engine, before the seatblet was fitted. Being safely strapped inot a dead car just seemed silly. Had many conversations about this with advanced trainers and examiners. As cars have become more reliable, I do now tend to fit the belt before engine start, but it has taken a long time.
 
Having grown up with cars that might not start, I developed a routine that started the engine, before the seatblet was fitted.

None of our cars require the belts to be fastened to operate the starter and I do tend to start the engine before fastening my belt for much the same reason I think as stated above ie, I just got used to doing it that way, but also because I've had at least one car, usually a diesel, but now the wee Ibiza petrol, with a turbo and it lets oil flow to engine parts, especially the turbo, establish whilst your doing the belt fastening and you can also check the warning lights. I never depress the throttle pedal when staring a turboed engine as the last thing you want to do is spin up the turbo before oil is flowing around the spindle bearings.
 
Yes..me too

Certainly before 2004.. and our new panda

The process of letting the oil flow was very much to my way of thinking..

Having read the manual cover to cover for my 1st diesel it stated:

Do not leave idling to warm - just drive !

That old 1929cc TD Was bullet proof :)

Thats the one that hit road debris losing the oil AND oil pressure warning in 1 hit

Carried on towing for another 3 hours..120 miles

Fitted a now oil cooler and repaired the wiring.. it was still oil tight 100,000 later (y)
 
I found today that if I stall the car, I have to turn the ignition off before I can use the starter. So I suppose that is where I got that idea from

This was invented some time in the late 60s, but if you never stall, you may never know it is there.
There's a latching mechanism in the key switch, that will only allow one start. For another, the key has to be returned to the off position. This prevents people from engaging the starter when the engine is already running, as such an action can destroy the starter, and can cause other damage to flywheel or clutch.

Most new cars now do not connect the switch to the starter. The switch just sends a signal to the body computer, which then operates the starter. Vauxhall did away with the latching mechanism some years ago. If the key is turned to the start position with the engine already running, the computer ignores the request. This means a stall is quicker to restart. Most other manufacturers seem to have retained the latch. A lot of button start cars need the start button held for a second or more to restart after a stall, which creates a delay, sometimes frightening if other traffic is approaching expecting you to move.
 
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