Now that temps have dropped to near and below freezing, my '86 VdP has gone from fires right up to not starting at all. I've sprayed starter fluid in the intake and it still doesn't even try to fire. It just turns over and over with no luck. Since it doesn't even try to light up with the starter fluid I am assuming an ignition issue and not fuel.

What would cause it to starts perfect every time to no start in near freezing weather only. If I go out later in the day and it has warmed up, then she fired right up.

Don't know if it's related, but when it is cold, and now not starting, while the engine is turning over my odometer also likes to turn over too. Seems like the colder it is the faster the odometer turns.

Thanks for any help,

Eric

 

The odometer things suggests a large voltage drop.

Check/clean/tighten battery cable and grounds, including the main ground under the car, RH side. Don't forget the main "+" voltage junctions posts on the firewall

Run a jumper wire from the battery "+" post to the "+" post on the coil and see if anything changes

For the heck of it, remove the main coil wire.....the fat one that goes from the distributor cap to the coil. Are the ends corroded? And.or the sockets in the coil and cap?

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks Doug! That gives me some things to check this weekend. I'll report back what I find.

Eric

 

I also have this problem, but it is hard starting when it gets below 60ºF
starts great when warm outside and rest of the day.
I'm suspicious of cold start injector. Guess I have to pull injector and see if it sprays on cold cranking.
'85 s3

 

Years ago I had exactly this problem on a 74 MGB (which I had owned since new)...exactly the same issue and symptoms. After spending $600 with an MG specialist over several months who could not find the problem, I decided (finally) to use some critical thinking. The result and the cure? I zeroed in on the coil/distributor lead. I swapped the lead from my wife's never fail Accord (it always started but the list of other problems with that car was very long indeed). The MGB fired instantly and ran smoothly. Now I put the original MGB lead in the Accord...it simply would not start. Eureka!
I went to Canadian Tire and spent about $2 for an equivalent lead. Problem solved and for the next 15 years the car started immediately. I went to the specialist mechanic to tell him what the problem turned out to be. He was not interested.
This is an instance of applying Occam's Razor: the simplest explanation is often the correct one. And with the XJ that is very often the case.