98 A6Q Intermittent start problem

HI: New to the group here. Have a 98 A6 Quattro 2.8 144k miles.. heres my
problem.. twice in past two months have had starting problem.. first time
was mid Jan in NYC.. temp had dropped to single digits.. second time was
today.. temp had not gone too low over night .. but both times similar
symptoms... engine had plenty of cranking power.. engine turned over and
over... no weakening... both times when vehicle finally fired that engine
was slow to "take".. like it was starrved for fuel or something.. needed to
keep pedal depressed to keep engine firing... my hunch is a fuel problem..

Anyone out here have simialr problems or any suggestions? I am a sort of
newbie mechanic.. that is I used to help my dad work on vehicles back in the
70s when u could stand in the engine compartment and work...lol havent dont
much since..

Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks

"Kevin M." > wrote in message
news:Rw2_d.5700$aS5.851@trndny05...
> HI: New to the group here. Have a 98 A6 Quattro 2.8 144k miles.. heres my
> problem.. twice in past two months have had starting problem.. first time
> was mid Jan in NYC.. temp had dropped to single digits.. second time was
> today.. temp had not gone too low over night .. but both times similar
> symptoms... engine had plenty of cranking power.. engine turned over and
> over... no weakening... both times when vehicle finally fired that engine
> was slow to "take".. like it was starrved for fuel or something.. needed
> to keep pedal depressed to keep engine firing... my hunch is a fuel
> problem..

I have seen that problem if the engine is started and run from cold for say
10-15 seconds then turned off and left over night.
Could that fit with your situation ?
Rgds
alec

Alec.. Thanks.. but that doesnt apply to my situation.. enginew as run and
shut normally previous night.. update! today I was idling in vehicle and
noticed some intermittent sputtering in idle.. like a misfire or bad fuel
ignition.. I will have to see if I am due for a tune up?? Only had this
vehicle short time.. inherited from relative..

Thanks..
"Alec" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Kevin M." > wrote in message
> news:Rw2_d.5700$aS5.851@trndny05...
>> HI: New to the group here. Have a 98 A6 Quattro 2.8 144k miles.. heres my
>> problem.. twice in past two months have had starting problem.. first time
>> was mid Jan in NYC.. temp had dropped to single digits.. second time was
>> today.. temp had not gone too low over night .. but both times similar
>> symptoms... engine had plenty of cranking power.. engine turned over and
>> over... no weakening... both times when vehicle finally fired that engine
>> was slow to "take".. like it was starrved for fuel or something.. needed
>> to keep pedal depressed to keep engine firing... my hunch is a fuel
>> problem..
>
> I have seen that problem if the engine is started and run from cold for
> say 10-15 seconds then turned off and left over night.
> Could that fit with your situation ?
> Rgds
> alec
>

"Kevin M." > wrote in message
news:1ri_d.15775$FB6.7948@trndny09...
> Alec.. Thanks.. but that doesnt apply to my situation.. enginew as run
and
> shut normally previous night.. update! today I was idling in vehicle and
> noticed some intermittent sputtering in idle.. like a misfire or bad fuel
> ignition.. I will have to see if I am due for a tune up?? Only had this
> vehicle short time.. inherited from relative..

Could it be water in the gas? Try some gas conditioner/ "drygas".

I tride that before when we had the icy cold temps back in January... I
didnt think of it this time so much because temps have been more moderate...
but I will try that.. If it is water in the gas is that something that will
clear itself up when the "bad" fuel has been expended or is it a problem
that remains in the fuel system?

Thanks

"Ian S" > wrote in message
news:Z6q_d.256821$0u.8708@fed1read04...
> "Kevin M." > wrote in message
> news:1ri_d.15775$FB6.7948@trndny09...
>> Alec.. Thanks.. but that doesnt apply to my situation.. enginew as run
> and
>> shut normally previous night.. update! today I was idling in vehicle and
>> noticed some intermittent sputtering in idle.. like a misfire or bad fuel
>> ignition.. I will have to see if I am due for a tune up?? Only had this
>> vehicle short time.. inherited from relative..
>
> Could it be water in the gas? Try some gas conditioner/ "drygas".
>
>

It depends a bit on how much water might be there but I would think one or
two applications of drygas would solve the problem if that actually is
what's wrong.
"Kevin M." > wrote in message
news:TNF_d.5397$db6.4536@trndny02...
> I tride that before when we had the icy cold temps back in January... I
> didnt think of it this time so much because temps have been more
moderate...
> but I will try that.. If it is water in the gas is that something that
will
> clear itself up when the "bad" fuel has been expended or is it a problem
> that remains in the fuel system?
>
> Thanks
>
> "Ian S" > wrote in message
> news:Z6q_d.256821$0u.8708@fed1read04...
> > "Kevin M." > wrote in message
> > news:1ri_d.15775$FB6.7948@trndny09...
> >> Alec.. Thanks.. but that doesnt apply to my situation.. enginew as run
> > and
> >> shut normally previous night.. update! today I was idling in vehicle
and
> >> noticed some intermittent sputtering in idle.. like a misfire or bad
fuel
> >> ignition.. I will have to see if I am due for a tune up?? Only had this
> >> vehicle short time.. inherited from relative..
> >
> > Could it be water in the gas? Try some gas conditioner/ "drygas".
> >
> >
>
>