Turns over - doesn't run

I just purchased this car less than a month ago have not registered it yet or driven it much other than the test drive or parking spot to parking spot.
2006 DSG 147k unknown history.
The other day I went to start the car and it turned over and over but wouldn't start, no pop no smell from the tail pipe.
- new battery (starts my other tdi)
- I can hear the in tank pump running
- The ASV is open
- No codes
- warm temperatures
- glow plug light doesn't stay on.
- no changes to the car have been made before it was parked.
Today I pulled the fuel filter housing, drained the fuel, changed the filter. I primed the car 10-15 times. Now the car turns over and pops but doesn't start. The canister is full with fuel, so my in tank pump must be good? I'm assuming my next course of action is to pull the supply line from the tandem pump to the filter and see if I get fuel?

That's a good place to start.

If you are getting fuel at the tandem pump, try pulling the glow plugs and crank. That will make it easier on the starter. You should eventually get fuel plumes coming out of the holes if the injectors are working. It can take quite a bit of cranking to re-bleed the rail/injectors. Crank until the fuel comes out of all four holes. Once that happens, put the glow plugs back in and see what happens.
If it was popping then, the fuel rail may have drained back to the tank and that can mean a weak seal on the tandem pump's check valve.

Also, check and make sure that the RPMs on your tach are above 250. I forget the exact number, but the motor has to turn at a certain min rpm to fuel. (Slow starter - pull apart clean and grease)

I just went thru a no start issue one of my BRM's recently, but in a warm start (hot engine) condition. It was related to a fuel issue (bad diesel - had gas in it as well)

Here is also a good thread on no start conditions:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=199398

If you need to dig deeper on the fuel side, Dan G has a great thread on how to check. (Dan G144's post (225672))

Thanks guys. Just got hit with two feet of snow so might be a couple more days before I get to this.

I'm going start at tandem pump then pull glow plugs.

No need to wait for the snow. These stupid cars do not love lack of fuel. If it pop at least once, then just keep hitting the starter for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 and hit again until she starts. Once she does start it will still take a minute or two before she runs properly. The car needs to work all the air out of the cylinder head and injectors before running correctly.

spray a bit of ether in the intake. not too much or you will blow the engine. I have started TDIs with ether MANY times...no harm done ever..just be careful how much you spray

strider17 said:

spray a bit of ether in the intake. Not too much or you will blow the engine. I have started tdis with ether many times...no harm done ever..just be careful how much you spray

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bad idea! Never use ether on a diesel that is equipped with glow plugs.

I second dweisel. Ether bad for diesel.

tassolake said:

No need to wait for the snow. These stupid cars do not love lack of fuel. If it pop at least once, then just keep hitting the starter for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 and hit again until she starts. Once she does start it will still take a minute or two before she runs properly. The car needs to work all the air out of the cylinder head and injectors before running correctly.

Click to expand...

Spot on,

I had a recent post that was a "pucker moment" for me. I was a 190 miles from home in the middle of cornfields in Indiana. It would crank and not start. Tried several times and it finally started. The key for me, until I diagnosed, was to keep cranking. My issue turned out to be bad fuel (lot of petrol dumped into the diesel at the old fuel stop I went to prior)

I purchased my 2006 TDI about a year ago. I was told it needed a turbo. I put in a new turbo and could not get it to start. I was helped by a good guy from Indiana who walk me through a few processes to eliminate things. I pulled glow plugs and cranked until I saw the mist of fuel. So I knew it was getting fuel. Checked compression, all good. Then I pulled the EGR valve and found that it was stuck open. I pushed the valve back up in and left it unplugged. The car started right off the bat. At that point, I removed the EGR cooler and added blocking plates.

Got it running today after cleaning a path with the snow blower. Pulled the wrong fuel line at first. Fluid came out the filter housing I knew the in tank pump was good for sure. Pulled the other fuel line and I got some fuel out of that. Those fuel clamps are Pia, I ended up breaking them and replacing them. I cranked quite a bit after putting the fuel lines together and ran like a bad cam at first. After a while it quited down. I have to do the serpentine belt tensioner next since it's making noise but I'll do that after emissions. Thanks for the help