How do you start your Sprinter?

how do you start your sprinter?

  • wait for dash lights to turn off before cranking

    Votes: 70 78.7%
  • do not wait for dash lights to turn off before cranking

    Votes: 19 21.3%

  • Total voters
    89

hein

Van Guru
When starting our 2010 Sprinter...

I turn the key to ON,
Then wait for all the dash lights to go off.
(except CEL which doesn't go out until engine is running)
Only then do I continue to turn the key to crank the starter.

Do you wait or not?
Does it matter?

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan
541 490 5098
 
Last edited:

Shawn182

Well-known member
I know waiting for the the glow plugs to warm up and the glow plug light to go out was SOP for older diesels before starting hence that "waiting" to crank habit...but is that still a thing for the newer diesels?
 

sparkplug

Well-known member
Funny how I had to think about it!

These things are so routine....

Get in, key in, turn ON

Reach over, put seatbelt on, that's usually enough time for the glow plug light to be out and then ignition.
 
D

Deleted member 50714

Guest
I put key in and turn second position and wait 60-seconds to allow the ECU-SCR to initialize.
 

BikeJozz

Member
Start when glow plug light go out. On cold winter days the glow plug light can stay on for 4-5 sec. If I start before it's off the van starts really rough.
 

4wheeldog

2018 144" Tall Revel
I put key in and turn second position and wait 60-seconds to allow the ECU-SCR to initialize.
It would seem this would allow the glow plugs time to cool. Especially in cold weather.
Or am I wrong, and the glow plugs continue with power, up until you turn to start?
 

OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
Not that it is a choice, but....

I start mine as per the Owner's Guide.

Turn key to the second position, wait for glow plug light to turn off, turn key to next position and immediately let go.


:idunno:



A better question might be.....


...how many forum members does it take to start an engine?






.
.
 
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OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
It would seem this would allow the glow plugs time to cool. Especially in cold weather.
Or am I wrong, and the glow plugs continue with power, up until you turn to start?
Now that you quoted him, and I unfortunately had to look..... my eyes, my eyes!!!!!


Emergency-Eyewash-Stations.jpg
 
D

Deleted member 86082

Guest
Unfortunately, my routine is to turn to the second position, check the oil level, if ok then start.:thinking:
 

ptheland

2013 144" low top Passgr
Put me in the "wait only for the glow plug light to go out" group. I don't really know why I bother, since I rarely see temps below 50 when starting. But that's what I do anyway.
 
D

Deleted member 50714

Guest
It would seem this would allow the glow plugs time to cool. Especially in cold weather.
Or am I wrong, and the glow plugs continue with power, up until you turn to start?
I am thinking, and could be wrong, depending on engine coolant temp, the ECU will determine proper glow plug activation.
 

4wheeldog

2018 144" Tall Revel
I am thinking, and could be wrong, depending on engine coolant temp, the ECU will determine proper glow plug activation.
Yeahbutt…...You turn the key, the glow plug light is lit, then goes out signifying that the plugs are nice and toasty. Then you wait another 50+ seconds for the dash to settle, all the while the glow plugs are surrounded by cold cold metal that sucks the heat out of them.

It seems more appropriate to me to strike while the glow plugs are hot, rather that concern yourself with the ECU completing its gyrations. Just sayin'.
 

Streams

Member
I put key in and turn second position and wait 60-seconds to allow the ECU-SCR to initialize.
Why? Does that give you 50 more horsepower?

Start when glow plug light go out. On cold winter days the glow plug light can stay on for 4-5 sec. If I start before it's off the van starts really rough.
What I have noticed is that the glow plug light has never stayed on longer than a split second past the other lights.
 
D

Deleted member 50714

Guest
Why? Does that give you 50 more horsepower?

Every time the ignition is cylcled on and off, On Board Diagnostics OBD programming incorporated into the ECU and SCR modules, begin to poll all the hundreds of sensors, analyzing and comparing post-power-down data. Then, add on top of this, the processing power and electricity required to start and maintain vehicle operation, the burden and limited processing power could potentially cause corrupted data as ECU struggles to multitask during ECU initialization. No firmware program runs 100% efficiently.

I use the the time to put on sunglasses, take my shoes off, put seatbelt, adjust steering wheel, etc.
 
D

Deleted member 50714

Guest
Yeahbutt…...You turn the key, the glow plug light is lit, then goes out signifying that the plugs are nice and toasty. Then you wait another 50+ seconds for the dash to settle, all the while the glow plugs are surrounded by cold cold metal that sucks the heat out of them.

It seems more appropriate to me to strike while the glow plugs are hot, rather that concern yourself with the ECU completing its gyrations. Just sayin'.
Not sure, starting is never been a problem but then again my Sprinter is garaged not sure what the temperature for glow plug activation. But I do know the glow plug activation is determined by ECU via engine coolant temperature.

There's a whole bunch of different glow plug functions and confident ECU will make the necessary adjustments.

• Preglowing:For reaching the start temperature of the glow plugs more quickly
• Start-ready glowing: Ensures that the temperature is high enough after preglowing and until the engine is started
• Start-upglowing:Stabilizes the starting speedof the engine
• Afterglowing: Improves engine running after a cold start and the warm-up characteristics of the engine
• Diagnostic glowing: For system diagnosis
• Diesel particulate filter (DPF) glowing: Supports
regeneration
• Emergency glowing: Initiated in the event of
problems with communication over the Local Interconnect Network (LIN) bus.
 

Mein Sprinter

Known member
Yeahbutt…...You turn the key, the glow plug light is lit, then goes out signifying that the plugs are nice and toasty. Then you wait another 50+ seconds for the dash to settle, all the while the glow plugs are surrounded by cold cold metal that sucks the heat out of them.

It seems more appropriate to me to strike while the glow plugs are hot, rather that concern yourself with the ECU completing its gyrations. Just sayin'.
Aye, perfectly stated :thumbup::thumbup: :cheers::cheers:

cheers...
 

OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
Yeahbutt…...You turn the key, the glow plug light is lit, then goes out signifying that the plugs are nice and toasty. Then you wait another 50+ seconds for the dash to settle, all the while the glow plugs are surrounded by cold cold metal that sucks the heat out of them.

It seems more appropriate to me to strike while the glow plugs are hot, rather that concern yourself with the ECU completing its gyrations. Just sayin'.
He must park on a hill with the nose pointing up. I heard it take longer for the electrons in the ECU to move up hill.

On a related note, it only takes the ECU fractions of a millisecond to crunch numbers and in order for things like injections, Anti-lock breaks, traction control, crosswind assist to operate.
 
D

Deleted member 50714

Guest
You guys don't keep your beautiful Sprinters in a heated garage?
 

4wheeldog

2018 144" Tall Revel
You guys don't keep your beautiful Sprinters in a heated garage?
I have only been through one Winter so far with my Sprinter. It can get well below zero F here.
If the temp is 20F or above, I just wait for the coil to extinguish, then start. Below 20F, I cycle the glow plugs an additional time. The beast has never hesitated to start, so far.
I do put a smart charger on the battery if it sits for more than 2 weeks.
 

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