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Tough to start, smoke and strange smell

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Old 02-14-2002, 08:53 PM
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brh986
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Post Tough to start, smoke and strange smell

<img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" />

I've got an 88 944 NA w\63k miles and it's getting really hard to start. Sometimes it barely starts. Two or three times recently in addition right after starting it's put out a pretty good sized cloud of bluish smoke which was accompanied by a burning plastic type smell. The smell and the smoke quickly went away and the engine ran fine afterwards. This last time the smoke and smell occured it almost didn't start.

When I first got the car it had the same symptom minus the smoke and smell and it got progressively worse, it turned out to be a bad battery. At first it was fine and now the hard starting has been getting progressively and just recently this smoke and smell. It always seems harder to start than it should be it's to varying degrees. Any ideas?
Old 02-14-2002, 10:50 PM
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Thaddeus
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I don't know what it could be, it could be a couple of unrelated things happening at the same time. I just wanted to reply so I could mention that, when I read the title to your post, I had to read the body to make sure it wasn't a posting about me. The description was a little too apt...

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Old 02-15-2002, 08:03 AM
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Hans
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Hi Thaddeus
[quote]...to make sure it wasn't a posting about me... <hr></blockquote>
Please forgive my limited knowlege of the English language, but does this mean that
- you do not get up early in the morning?
- belong to the repressed majority of people that think a cigaret does no harm to the environment?
- should take a shower after working on the car but prefer to have a beer first?

Well, in that case, count me in as well.
(Hey...its Friday )

BRH
What about your oil? any consumption?
Checked the injectors / fuel pressure lately?
Checked the cat?
This could be plugged / ruined by oil/fuel transferred to the exhaust. Car wont start easy, lots of smoke and a horrible smell (H2S, rotten eggs).
Take Care
Old 02-15-2002, 08:07 AM
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Thaddeus
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Your English is excellent, Hans, you understood me precisely. And I bet you're right about the cat being plugged/messed up too!


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Old 02-15-2002, 05:04 PM
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brh986
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[quote]Originally posted by Hans:
<strong>
BRH
What about your oil? any consumption?
Checked the injectors / fuel pressure lately?
Checked the cat?
This could be plugged / ruined by oil/fuel transferred to the exhaust. Car wont start easy, lots of smoke and a horrible smell (H2S, rotten eggs).
Take Care</strong><hr></blockquote>

It doesn't seem to be consuming more oil than normal. I don't know how to check the injectors or fuel pressure. As for the cat the smoke is very intermittant and it varies alot how hard it is to start - that doesn't seem indicative of a plugged cat does it? When htere is smoke it goes away quickly it's jsut at startup and the smell is definitly exactly like burning plastic, melted wires, etc. not rotten eggs...
Old 02-15-2002, 05:28 PM
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emilysgranny
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Check into a bad connection at the starter or the battery. If either is bad your charging system won't work correctly and the battery is then not fully charged. They( bad connections ) also will also not supply enough cranking power and this may be the burning smell you talk about..It might also be the start of a dying starter..The blue smoke is another problem.It is most likely bad valve seals, particuarly if it does it only on start up after the car sits for awhile.Say overnight.Mileage in this case is not as important as age.The rubber seals simply dry out and are not pliable anymore. <img src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" border="0" alt="[blabla]" />



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