2001 Beetle starts but something is not right.

lojosh

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Location
Kansas
TDI
2001 Beeetle TDI
Okay here is what happened. I drove home from work last night which is 45 miles from my house and stopped at a convenience store and shut off my car. I was there about 15 to 20 minutes. when I came back out to start my car, it started but it was like the glow plugs were not working. The engine was really hard to start and super rough. So I thought I didn't give the glow plus the proper amount of time. So I tried again making sure the glow light went off. Same thing. About 2 weeks ago I had the engine code for glow plug system come on in which I did find that 2 of my glow plugs were bad so I replaced them all,plus the harness and relay. I was wondering could this be something linked to a turbo problem? I have notice that my mileage has not been as good lately. Around 36mpg instead of 40mpg. If so what should I check for and how bad could it have hurt the engine if it was oil in the cylinders. Hopefully not the last problem but any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
Fifteen to twenty minutes in the store in the middle of a 45 mile drive, your glow plugs aren’t even needed.

From your description it looks like the glow plug light came on like normal, correct?

Was the asv open?

Do you have the means to check the timing?
 

lojosh

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Location
Kansas
TDI
2001 Beeetle TDI
Yes, the glow plug light came on like normal. On the timing not really, I had a new timing belt put on about 15,000 miles ago by Chad in Wichita, a mechanic on the TDI forum list. And as for the ASV, not sure what that is.
 

lojosh

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Location
Kansas
TDI
2001 Beeetle TDI
I can look up on how to check the timing and run thru the steps. I did clean the intake and EGR valve about a month ago. The only reason I brought the problem about the turbo is when I was cleaning the intake the build up inside of it was not as rock hard as the viedo's that I saw on the web. It was not soft but it did have like oil film on it. So that is why I was asking about the turbocharger. Maybe a seal was leaking and now there is oil where it shouldn't be?
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
Anti shudder valve, they close when you turn the car off and then open back up. When they get sticky or you have a vacuum leak they stay closed and the car won’t start.

As for falling mpg’s, go through oilhammer’s sticky.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=342274
 
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UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Battery/charging system?

How well is the starter spinning the engine? If you're not spinning well then that'll cause difficulties in starting.

Oh, if nothing seems to go Right then try going Left:D
 

lojosh

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Location
Kansas
TDI
2001 Beeetle TDI
The battery and charging system are fine. The starter is spinning everything just fine. It starts, but it is rough, so rough I don't want it to run. It was running fine when I shut it off. I pulled the hose off the EGR valve and Turbocharger they are nice and clean. I checked all the vacuum lines they seemed fine. I did a quick look at the timing belt it is still tight. I know that might not mean much, but that's where I am at now.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
I guess we'll have to use the values of "fine."

Have you scanned for codes?

My "crystal ball" guess would be a crank position sensor or 109 relay. But, verify you're getting fuel (and no air) to your injectors) first.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
....................... The engine was really hard to start and super rough......................
Interweb guess- A big pipe came loose, or vacuum tubes bad or some control just decided to go. See if there is an additional stored code.
Never hurts to check timing belt, bad timing would also cause this.
 

PHOTOGUY1000

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2012
Location
Canyon Lake, CA
TDI
2015 Golf S, SE & SEL & 2003 New Beetle
Fuel system? Maybe change fuel filter & valve on top cant hurt. Maybe IP getting ready to go?
 
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UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
These IPs aren't really HPFPs, but that's not saying the IP isn't the problem.

The fuel filter is, of course, a low-hanging piece of fruit. OP, what's the state of your fuel filter? Maybe there's some gelling (of other blockage)? Maybe something in the fuel pickup in the tank? These things can be isolated by running from a separate fuel source/container (refer to diesel purge procedure).

If the problem can be duplicated then that'll for sure help trace the source of the problem.
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
A compression check would tell you if you have bent rods from oil ingestion, but unlikely for it to go from running fine to this from your description of events.

What does Chad think?
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
If one is concerned about oil ingestion then pop the lower IC pipe and check for oil. I'm thinking that there is no such issue here.

IP/timing.
 

lojosh

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Location
Kansas
TDI
2001 Beeetle TDI
I am still trying to get this figured out, and appreciate all the help. And I apologize for some of my terminology. All of the vacuum lines are good I checked them all. Some of the other test I couldn't run because I do not have a mighty vac or any other type of vacuum tester. I was trying to get it figured out before calling Chad. But that will be my next step if I can't get it here soon. The temperature the day this happened was around 50 degrees. I change my fuel filter every 20,000 miles. It is time for a oil change and fuel filter change and was planning on doing that this weekend until this problem. happen. Again thanks.
 

lojosh

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Location
Kansas
TDI
2001 Beeetle TDI
Here is another thing I found yesterday while working on it. I pulled my bash plate off to check the vacuum line down to the turbo. When I did I found a bolt there on my bash plate. This bolt has a 17mm head on it and a 2mm thick washer that will not come off and the threaded end is about 12mm long. I been trying to figure where this fell out from. I know this is not much to go by but that's what I got. Again thanks for all the suggestions and help.
 

lojosh

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Location
Kansas
TDI
2001 Beeetle TDI
Nope not the oil plug. I will get it figured out where it goes Thursday. And yes, again that's a local term. I am leaning toward the EGR valve being stuck opened. Even when it was cleaned when I cleaned the intake about 3 weeks ago. Again thanks.
 

lojosh

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Location
Kansas
TDI
2001 Beeetle TDI
What is the easiest way to check to see if the fuel level sender unit is good. I'm thinking that it might be a fuel problem. Because now it is acting like it is not getting enough fuel. Because now it will start but will not stay running. Again Thanks.
 

jmodge

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Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
Was that the bolt to your turbo mount?
 

jmodge

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
the bracket, that is. Large bubbles in the clear fuel line? Check blowby, hopefully nothing major.
 

lojosh

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Location
Kansas
TDI
2001 Beeetle TDI
Hey everyone thanks for all the advice and ideas and help. I did not mean to take so long to get back but it has been kinda busy around here. My problem was a fuel restriction caused by the Fuel Level Sender. It was pretty dirty, once I replaced that and got the air out of the lines it started running. So then, just to be safe I replaced the fuel filter too. Again thanks for your help and suggestions.
 
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