Hard start, Hot only, long crank

FamilyCar

Active member
Joined
May 24, 2004
Location
Richmond, BC - Canada
TDI
1999.5
Has anyone any clues to as why I've got a hard start hot engine long crank appox 5 sec crank time to maybe 7 secs?
Cold engine starts on the first heart beat. Long good sounding crank (compression wise) then starts. Vag-Com blocks all read in spec. Not sure what's going on or if anyone has any Ideas (?) Car has 125k on it and history for the first 95k are unknown other than the t-belt and waterpump have been replaced at the dealer.
 

Herm TDI

Vendor
Joined
Nov 21, 2001
Location
Richmond, Maine...The far side of Witsend
TDI
2002 Golf GLS Malone Stage 3, P+520 nozzles, 11MM Inj pump, Sachs VR6 clutch, Stelth Race Pipe, Immo Deleat, EGR Deleat
If this problem started to develope during your ownership...
Its your starter. The windings are shot. When they get warm/hot (from normal eng compartment temps) the resistenance jumps...and the starter cranks slower as a result.
Thats why when the engine is cool/ cold...the starter cranks the eng at the correct RPM (min 250 RPM)..and it starts right up.

However, if this problem started right after the last timing belt service (difficault starting)then I'd say it was a botched timing belt job..and the cam timing is off.
 

Herm TDI

Vendor
Joined
Nov 21, 2001
Location
Richmond, Maine...The far side of Witsend
TDI
2002 Golf GLS Malone Stage 3, P+520 nozzles, 11MM Inj pump, Sachs VR6 clutch, Stelth Race Pipe, Immo Deleat, EGR Deleat
A starter amp draw test should verify this?
Yes...some of the time it can...just make sure that the starter is "HOT" during the amp draw test.
If the draw test is done when the started is cool / cold...it will draw normal amps
 

Benlinus

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2003
Hmm.
I had the same problem a few months ago, but it was only the SECOND start after warmed up (I stop and go alot). Oddly enough, the problem went away right after changing the fuel filter. Now 3 months later, it's back. Same deal. Starts good the first crank, but then after travelling some and shutting down, the second start - and ONLY the second - it cranks for some time before starting.
 

suds

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Location
Newcastle, ON, Canada
TDI
Jetta, 1999.5, Silver
I had this problem with my 99.5 but the starter was replaced under warranty. No problems since. The service manager told me that is was fairly common on the early builds of the A4.
 

FamilyCar

Active member
Joined
May 24, 2004
Location
Richmond, BC - Canada
TDI
1999.5
Are there any starter rebuild kits available for them or am I best off sending it out to a starter/altenator shop for rebuilding. I hear new starters are big bucks. If you know of someone who caries a rebuild kit please let me know. thanks
 

RobNJC

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2001
Location
Northampton County, PA
TDI
Jetta, 2005, Silver-Gray
On my car, if the engine is still warm then the glow plugs are not engaged and it is hard to start. If it is cold, then the glow plug circuit will engage and it starts easily. One way to test is to disconnect the temp guage wire temporarily and see if it starts easily. That is what I have to do all the time to start mine even in warm weather...
 

bitterberry

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2003
Location
Lenexa, KS
TDI
1999.5 Jetta (5-speed)
I have been experiencing the same problem with my TDi for approximately 3 months now. I have been putting off replacing the starter and am wondering when my luck will run out.
 

sljkr

Veteran Member
Joined
May 26, 1999
Location
Burleson, TX
I have had this problem for 25K plus miles. Since I generally make single long trips and the car sits before restart it hasn't been a big issue. However it seems to be getting somewhat slower to start hot (maybe just killing battery from overworking it?) than when it first started.

Has anyone had a different solution other than the starter with this and/or has the starter solved it for those who have had it?

My mechanic believed it to be the fuel pump losing prime when hot but I don't buy that it could lose prime hot but then have it back once it cools. I'm assuming a starter would be a heck of a lot cheaper than the high dollar fuel pump job!

Thanks
 

Hamman

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 4, 1999
Location
Warren, OH
TDI
No TDI's, but an '84 Rabbit diesel
I have had this problem for the last 3 years with my 99.5.
I first thought is was the battery and this solved the problem for a while. When it returned, I ended up buying a starter out of a junked '02 with 27k miles. this took care of the problem for a while, too. I even bought an optima battery and yup, this solved it for a while. I really think
my pump has a problem, but how do you find it. What I have
now done that is a jury-rigged solution is to put an electrical shunt into the circuit between the coolant temp
sensor and the CPU. I have a pushbutton switch that is normally closed and will push it while before and during cranking and the CPU thinks it is cold and changes the settings to make the engine start up with great gusto on the first crank. However, to keep the CPU from throwing a code for the disconnected sensor, I soldered a 10K ohm resistor across the wire at the switch.
No more hard start when hot.
 
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