'02 VW TDI No Start issues

I have posted on here once before (Conversion Problems). I now have a different car that I am working on. Background on it is vehicle was being driven about 50 mph when it died. Would not start back up 30,000 miles on replaced timing belt all timing belt components where replaced to include the water pump. Upon investigation found that tensioner pulley had started to come apart. No teeth missing on timing belt. Went through and replaced timing belt and all idler pulleys and tensioners. Replaced fuel filter. Ensured timing on and correct. Still no start. Fuel squirting from injector unions when loosened and fuel being drawn through filter lines. Tested compression cylinders range from 440-480 psi. Checked for fuel entering cylinder on #1 by unplugging glow plug cranking and checking for wetness on glow plug tip found it to be wet. Engine will start with light spray of starting fluid. I have since purchased a VDCS, but am not sure what tests I can run with it to diagnose the problem. Not sure if it is a faulty IP or if the cam and crank got out of time slightly with the tensioner problem it looked to be in time still when belt was removed. Any help would be great.

It sounds like you have all the components you need: air, fuel, compression. Now you just need them in the correct timing.

Eyeballing it won't do. You will need the correct tools to lock the cam and injection pump at TDC, and then observe if the timing mark on the flywheel is in the correct position. Close won't do - as you now know, if it is off by a little, there will be no fire.

The procedure can be seen at the end of the timing belt pdf where the timing is set.

A VCDS will be needed to set the final adjustment, but the tools are required to get you to the point where it will run. It sounds like the problem was that something slipped enough to cause failure in ignition - now you need the tools to set it back.

Cheers,

PH

Also, if engine is fueling while cranking, white smoke will eventually make it out the tailpipe. No smoke means no fuel being injected.

Check anti shudder valve to make sure it is open.

Try cranking with big 90deg air hose disconnected from egr/asv valve inlet.

Try bleeding fuel system, maybe it got air in it while mucking around with TB.

Even if the belt didn't lose teeth, and you think it was still in time... something caused it to stop running. It doesn't just die like that because the tensioner is falling apart. The timing (of cam, crank, or pump) needs to move in order to stop the engine like that. So at the very least you're going to need to re-set / verify that, ideally with proper lock tools.

Additionally, once timing has been lost (especially at highway speed), then you're in dangerous territory of potential head damage.

It's possible that you could just replace the timing belt, pulleys and tensioner and drive away worry free... but the downside of being wrong on that gamble is huge.
At the very least a close inspection of the valves is worthwhile just to ensure that a damaged valve doesn't go unnoticed leading to a far more costly failure later in the engine's life.

Also that can you were using for starter fluid... lose it.

Okay I have a quick update for those of you who may be following. I cheched and verified that timing was correct for crank to cam and injection pump. I decided to verify air was purged from the pump and found that when I put my vacuum pump on the return line i was not getting any fuel to flow through the feed line to the pump. I verified all the lines were free of restiction from the tank to the pump. Still not getting fuel to pull through return line under vacuum. I decided to crank the engine while drawing vacuum and found fuel was leaking out of seal in between the head and the pump body. So I am now looking for a new pump unless any of you would recommend trying to reseal the pump.

DieselGeek sells a pump reseal kit that has saved many pumps. Given the cost difference of reseal vs replacement, it's always worth a try.

Seal kit, and specialty bit available here:
http://www.dieselgeek.com/TDI_injection_pump_reseal_parts_s/1827.htm

Videos showing the process:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL60A728A1526379ED

Okay I have an update for all of you. The project has actually been done for a couple of weeks, but this is what I ended up with. I decided to try and reseal the pump myself. It ended up being preaty simple since I already had the pump removed from the car. I resealed it then reinstalled it and retimed it with the VCDS. Everything is working great now. Thanks for your help.