New TDI owner in over my head, bought a project car

Timing jumping around a bit is normal. I like to use the TDI timing check graph feature in VCDS. If you select "cloud" it will average all the targets into one so it's less confusing.
Be sure to select the correct engine family from the drop down menu.
As suspected the CTS was ok and would read near -40F unplugged.
Makes quite a difference when set correctly. It will cold start the best advanced almost to the top of the spec in the graph.

Interesting. Sounds like you nailed it.

Nice call jetta and congrats to the OP!

Thanks much for the advice. I let the car sit in the 50 deg for about 2 hours and it starts quicker than my Civic. Much nicer.

My injector pump is very noisy though and I have another one to swap out, however will it hurt to drive the car with the noisy pump or should I just figure on swapping it out sooner rather than later?

These IP make some noise. Can you compare it to another ALH VE type?? Maybe it's "normal noise". If you don't have running issues, I'ld continue to run it.

jettawreck said:

These IP make some noise. Can you compare it to another ALH VE type?? Maybe it's "normal noise". If you don't have running issues, I'ld continue to run it.

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I compared it to my friends 03 TDI and his is nearly silent. Mine is noticeably louder. But it drives fine now. Again thanks for the help

Try running some diesel purge directly through the pump and see if it helps.

csstevej said:

Seriously.....you think the GPS are the issue here........WOW!!!

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Huh? where did I mention GPS? His problem has nothing to do with navigation.

Instead of replacing the CTS, the OP did rule it out with his VCDS, which is fine. My intent was to make sure the CTS was ruled out before moving on to something else.

Going from there, Jettawrecks timing suggestion was spot on...............

Anyway, my point is when you have a problem you need to figure out the why to the problem. Some problems will give you no rhyme or reason to what the actual problem is until you wrap your head around how the system works.

So why did unplugging the CTS make the car start? It makes no sense, being it was working correctly unless the -40 reading effects timing as well as glow time..

Ol'Rattler said:

Huh? where did I mention GPS? His problem has nothing to do with navigation.

Instead of replacing the CTS, the OP did rule it out with his VCDS, which is fine. My intent was to make sure the CTS was ruled out before moving on to something else.

Going from there, Jettawrecks timing suggestion was spot on...............

Anyway, my point is when you have a problem you need to figure out the why to the problem. Some problems will give you no rhyme or reason to what the actual problem is until you wrap your head around how the system works.

So why did unplugging the CTS make the car start? It makes no sense, being it was working correctly unless the -40 reading effects timing as well as glow time..

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GPS. Meant GPs obviously.
Starting with the CTS unplugged on a TDI with really retarded timing makes perfect sense as I (perhaps poorly) explained earlier. If you don't understand it, you need to go back and research how/what makes a diesel start.
I don't explain things very well, but basically the compression in the cylinder superheats the air as the piston reaches tdc. The fuel has to be injected early enough that it gets hot enough to light off. If it's injected too late (retarded timing) it doesn't have time enough to get to light off. Here's where GP come in. Cold engine means a couple things have to happen that don't need to on a warm engine. Cylinder temps are lower so the air/fuel doesn't get hot enough for decent starts so GPS warm the cylinders and fuel is injected earlier. So if timing is retarded and the GPS don't stay on excessively long (as in CTS unplugged to simulate very cold temps) it won't start well.
It's been explained much better in many previous timing threads if searched for.

Thank you Jetta wreck for explaining that to him...fat fingers on a small keyboard do not work well together.....

Great explanation, thanks for your patience. The why part is pretty apparent to me now.

I apologize if I stepped on any toes. My bull dog approach puts folks off sometimes.

If it wasn't for the talented folks here on Fred's, I would have destroyed my car a long time ago from not understanding and would be spouting to the world like so many do that TDI Dubs are lemons.............

I am pleased the OP had a favorable outcome.

Tdi and gas transmissions

I just have a quick question I have a 2001 Jetta tdi auto with 200k miles the tranny is cooked only will move in reverse I have an auto tranny out of a 2.0 gas jetta I didn't know if the could be compatible? I figured there would be some ratio differences

Cwcarley said:

I just have a quick question I have a 2001 Jetta tdi auto with 200k miles the tranny is cooked only will move in reverse I have an auto tranny out of a 2.0 gas jetta I didn't know if the could be compatible? I figured there would be some ratio differences

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This should be a separate new thread. Unrelated to the original.
Final gear ratio will be vastly different. A TDI runs about 2000 rpm at 60 mph, the 2.0 about 3000 at 60 mph. Not a workable solution.