Cold start problems - 1993 90 V6

[Todd Young]

Hmmm, I would think it would somehow be related to what the computer 
thinks the engine temp is. Therefore, I would check the ECM (ECU, 
whatever the heck you want to call it) temp sensor. Let's see, there are 
two temp sensors, one for the gage and one for the computer. Gage sensor 
is on the passenger side, the ECM sensor is on the driver's side of the 
steel coolant pipe running along the back side of the engine.

If the "check engine" light isn't on, the stealership most likely 
charged you for nothing. If I remember correctly, OBD1 in the Audi 90 
series does not store codes after the engine is turned off. So pretty 
much they were "blowing smoke up your ass".

I suppose if you didn't get everything lined up exactly between the cams 
and the crank, you could have some hard starting issues. That would also 
  explain the "back fire" condition.

David VS wrote:
> Seems that the colder it gets outside the harder it is to get my father's 90s started.  Any ideas?  With temps in the 30's (F) the motor will sputter and spit when turned over - sometimes even back-firing through the intake.  Only after serious flogging of the starter will it run and even then it's not running on all 6.  When the motor does finally warm up, it seems to run fine.
> 
> My father took it to the local Audi wrench and they plugged the car into their computer and cleared any codes.  They concluded that the motor was out of time.  Which I suppose is possible since I did change the water pump and timing belt last spring when rebuilding the motor (due to a seized water pump... and bent valves).  But I did use "the" tool for holding the cams and crank.  
> 
> Any ideas are greatly appreciated!

-- 
Todd Young
7079 Dawn Ave. E.
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076