Car won't start troubleshooting

Whitedog

Sorry for not getting back to you. Haven't had a chance to work on this. Can you check the timing before starting or does it have to be running? I started it again on ether 2 nights ago and checked the timing and it was good. I hadn't noticed your reply so I haven't checked the timing belt yet. I will do that today and let you know. Thanks

Timing before starting: Crank at TDC, cam lock fit snuggly and lock for injection pump fit in.

@whitedog

Sorry, I should have been more specific about checking timing before starting ... I meant with the VAG-COM

Dale

Then no.

Timing is good. TDC (checked with rod in glow plug hole) cam lock fit in and Injector pump lock slid right in...

Swapped ECU's with another '96. No change. ECU from this car worked fine in the other.

Any other ideas / suggestions? this one's really got me stumped...

Have you been able to check the cam belt drive gear on the crank?

nwmn77,

I had similar starting problems on an ALH. Eventually the IP failed, and when it did it gave some high powered bursts (I was climbing a grade on an interstate, and then the car "took off"). One of the bursts caused the TB to slip one cog. Then I had valves kissing the pistons. And I had an IP which would not run. And I had a starter which stalled out when the pistons hit the valves. It would cool down, and crank over, but there was no oil being injected.

Consider the IP, although I don't know how. Mine would start horrible, but run GREAT.

@whitedog

First of all, thanks for all your help. I have not physically looked at the cam belt drive gear on the crank. I assumed (probably shouldn't have...) that confirming the piston was at TDC by putting a small rod in the glow plug hole and the cam lock and injection pump lock sliding in I was ok. I will pull the other belts off and look the drive gear, though. What should I be looking for?

Hi, new to the TDI forums but have looked around. Just picked up my 2010 jetta TDI over the weekend, yesterday as I was on my way to work I stopped at walgreens. When I came back out to leave the car wouldnt start, it cranked but wasnt turning over. After 3 attempts to start it, it finally started up.

Ive been through the links to why this occurs, but am curious if this is a recall of some sort that is covered out of warranty. It has only gave me trouble the one time.

Honestly, there isn't much here covering your 2010. Have you had your car looked at by anyone to see if there are any codes stored? There can be codes in the ECU even if the Check engine light isn't on.

No it hasn't been scanned yet. I might be able to get someone to check it tonight.

I'm new to the Diesel engine so still trying to skim the Internet for knowledge lol

04 ibiza cupra pd160 bpx
I have refrained from posting without doing checks etc first.
I have had a problem for a while whereby when the car has sat for a good few hours (combined with cold weather) or when I'd start the car in the morning it would fire up and cut out after 2 seconds. It would then take a long crank to get it started but once it was started it would run normal.
Also if i started it while pushing the gas it would fire up, rev up and NOT die.

The car had randomly (twice before today) cut out after pulling it out of gear anticipating to stop. However, fired up after a long crank and continued as normal.

Today the car has cut out on so many occasions on the way home from work. It did start each time taking a long crank but finally firing up after 30 or so seconds. On one or two occasions it felt as though it was continuously spluttering (not under wot), but went away after the engine cut out and was restarted.

Syncro angle is set to around -1.4, lift pump in tank is working, pulled out for visual inspection and it is fine, replaced fuel filter around a month ago (inspected fuel for contamination - none), ran diesel purge (which fixed a stutter i had on WOT) and i also replaced relay 109 as i had them in stock.
All lights on dash are working. Car has a MAF less map. No fault codes on vcds.

Any ideas what is going on?

So how does it run under WOT? I am thinking about the tandem pump and if it's down on power and sputtering under WOT, you should check the output pressure and flow of the tandem pump.

It was previously sputtering/bucking hard under wot, however this has since stopped since i did a diesel purge. Now it is fine under WOT.
the sputtering i experienced today was different,was throughout the rev range, almost same as when fuel is about to run out.

Yeah, I need to work on reading comprehension! LOL! You mentioned twice that it doesn 't sputter under WOT.

Anyway how about the wiring to the crank sensor? That may not throw a code and has been known to cause troubles. You can check for chafed wiring but beyond that it's rather difficult to troubleshoot without swapping. The cam sensor might do the same thing. I don't know if VCDS can read those fast enough to see if it's dropping out intermittently. With the engine running, you could start doing wiggle tests on the harness to see if you can create a stumble.

Ok thanks.
I have had previous experience with the cel coming on when the timing is out for the cam sensor after a tb change (comes up right away after crank).
very odd situation, it almost feels like the fuel line is filling with fuel then as its being used not topping up and cutting out when its finished.
Because after the long crank it seems it fills up, drives fine for a few minutes and dies...
Shall i do a flow test on the tandem pump and let you know what i find? I am thinking of retarding timing slightly to see if that makes any difference but syncro angle of -1 or -2 seems decent?

Very likely the crank sensor, in this case with what you have already checked out.

If it dies like you turned a switch, then it is almost certainly the crank sensor. The ECU fault detection must be poor, or it would throw a code for this problem, but it often does not.

Thanks Dan.
Is there any way of testing to see if this is the fault without replacing it?

You have an intermittent problem, so it will test good most of the time.
About all you can do is replace it with a known good one, and see if the problem goes away.

Often it is the wiring, and you can have the engine running and shake the wires to see if it dies. But I had one last year that was failing after it heated up - otherwise it worked perfectly. So the wires are not always the cause.

I started the car up for the first time this morning, took long crank again as it cut after a couple seconds of being started. Took the car for a drive and once all warmed up I did around 10 miles with no problems. Then as I approached a set of traffic lights the same thing happened; cut out, took a long crank and then started. Half a mile down the road and the same thing.

The wiring for both cam and crank seem fine (as in no cuts or chamfs etc), while the car was running I gave them a good wiggle, but nothing. I disconnected the crank sensor and as expected the engine cut.
I will order this tomorrow, it should be stock item so I will try let you guys know if it solves the problem.

On a side note...I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it but one of my radiator fans stopped working a while back (month or so) the motor burned out, so I now only have one fan working. I can't remember what sort of problems this show but I think I did read about it somewhere.

cranks, won't start

ALH jetta. TDI. sits for a week. Cranks, won't start. Clue: diesel smell. Otherwise, it runs fine. Sitting is the issue. Do I have a fuel leak (@ pump?) or something else?

Most likely correct on the fuel leak. Could be the thermostatic Tee, could be the injection pump.

Just to update, I have the crank sensor but not had time to fit it yet. Away to Germany & Switzerland so can not fit it until the weekend on my return.
Will update as soon as its fitted.

Cold Starting Problem

I have an 03 Golf TDI with about 163,000 miles on it. I have had it since new. The intake manifold was cleaned out at about 120,000 miles. In the past year I have had starting problems. If the engine is warm, it starts perfectly regardless of the outside temperature. In warm weather with the engine warm or cold, it starts perfectly.


In cool or cold weather with the engine cold, it doesn't want to start. It turns over on the starter fine, but doesn't fire. If I wait until the glowplug light goes out & immediately turn the key off & back on again & repeat this process several times before turning the key to start, it starts fine in cold weather, i.e at temps below about 30 F. It appears that that the glowplugs aren't staying on long enough & this trick keeps them on long enough to get hot. If the weather is cool, i.e. 35 to 45 F, the trick of cycling the key on & off to keep the glow plugs on longer doesn't seem to help much, & it takes considerable cranking to get it to start.


I assume the engine computer determines how long to heat the glowplugs based on input from an engine temperature sensor. Is this the way the system works? I assume that the glowplugs aren't staying on long enough due to a bad temp sensor or bad connections to the sensor.


I have gone to the VW dealer for this problem several times, & they say they can't find anything wrong with it.


Any suggestions?

It could be the gp's, but at 35-40 you shouldn't need them. It would be worth checking the coolant temp gauge. Do you have access to VCDS?

Could be timing.

Hey guys,

Just wanted to update my previous post. My golf died out a few more times, with lower and lower mileage each time. Last one was !!!406!!! and I knew it had some other issue... Here's what solved mine: Drilling out the fuel sender pickup tube:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=68872

Been running great for a few months since. Noted large power in low end and top end speeds too!

Dave

After reading through here, I'm still having some trouble diagnosing the troubles my Jetta is having starting. 89' turbo.

It turns over slowly then won't fire up. If I boost it, it will run as normal for the day. I can shut it off, and it will start up again without requiring a boost. If it has sat for any length of time, I'm back to square one. My first assumption is bad battery or drain, but I'd like to get some input before I spring for a battery tester and possibly new battery.

The main thing that makes me ask for help is that the glow plug light on the dash *will not* illuminate at any time. How could this be connected? Is it as simple as a bad battery? I've checked the ground multiple times, I do not feel that is the problem.

Graham

Update:
Sorry for the late update, I was away to EU for a week then away to the states, just got back yesterday.
I was back for a weekend after I came back from Switzerland, my car had been left for a few days.
When I tried starting the car it took some time, maybe 3 or 4 cranks, almost to the point where my battery died, but finally managed to get it running. Drove home (35 miles) no problems at all, however I noticed clouds of white smoke in the rear view mirror when i slowed down, came off the gas, or when the car idled, on the highway I did not see any smoke.
I left the car and was in the US for 2 weeks and returned yesterday to the same problem. I barely had enough energy to change my crank sensor, but managed to get it up on the ramp to do so.

Because the car is throwing out white smoke I can't say for sure if the crank sensor fixed the starting problem as I have stopped driving the car. I think it has but have not tested it long enough.

I hope i can sort out the smoking issue..

2002 Jetta TDI 1.9L Diesel WON'T START

Alright so here goes...

What I have on my hands in no experience working with Jetta's or Diesel motors for the most part.

My girlfriend has a 2002 Jetta TDI 1.9L Diesel that is no crank, no start. This problem was intermittent at first, but now the car has been parked in the driveway for almost 2 weeks and WILL NOT START. I've seen things on here saying it could be starter relay, ignition switch and power supply relay.

I have tested all the fuses (All good) and even went as far to pull off the cover in order to access the main relay panel underneath the steering column. I replaced the fuse labeled 53 since it looked like it may be corroded. I have the stuff to test the battery and have even condsidered wiring the battery directly to the starter to get it to fire.

Can anyone help here? I'm getting so much conflicting information and I just want to get this thing fixed!!