Tdi slow start hot and cold.

Bdpprocessors

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Location
texas
TDI
1999 jetta tdi 5 speed
Im having slow starts about 10 seconds cold and 5 or 6 hot on my 99.5 tdi jetta. It started after i changed my fuel filter ( i cranked the motor quite a bit til it started about 10 mins. Letting the starter rest every 10 seconds for 30 seconds).


Ive done some testing. And the car starts up with the coolant tem sensor unplugged. So i replaced it with the one from napa and this did nothing.


I also unplugged the glow plug harness and coolant temp sensor and it fired right up. Which leads me to believe theres a fuel pressure problem at start up when the sensor is plugged in .


Is there a way to test this in vcds.
Is it possible that my starter is not spinning fast enough
Is there a way to raise start up pressure or ammt in vcds?

Thanks for any help
 

Danno!

Active member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Location
Kemptville Ont.
TDI
2011 Golf TDI Highline
I replaced my starter because it was the only thing left that prevented my car from starting cold weather. Not only does the car crank over in bitter cold now, but it surprisingly fixed the hot starting problem that has plagued the car since the day I bought it.

It all has to do with cranking speed.
 

Bdpprocessors

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Location
texas
TDI
1999 jetta tdi 5 speed
Thanks! I guess thqtll b next. But what gets me is it starts perfect withou the coolan temp sensor plugged in
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
There's glitch in the ECU that does not allow fueling if the engine spins less than ~250RPM. When it's cold(ie unplugging the temp sensor), the engine uses a cold start map and it brings it out of a glitch area.

If you do a search there is a HUGE thread on this very topic.
 

Bdpprocessors

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Location
texas
TDI
1999 jetta tdi 5 speed
That makes sense. So ill need a new starter. Is there a way to fix this in vcds or do you need a tune to fix it?
 

Bdpprocessors

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Location
texas
TDI
1999 jetta tdi 5 speed
It bounces from dead On to slightly retarded. But the car started fine brior to replacing the fuel filter and cranking it alot toget it started
 

lifer

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2000
Location
wisconsin
Replace the starter. VW starters seem to like to draw a huge amount of power when they start going bad. It has been that way for years. I had an 86 TD did the same thing . I just put a starter in my 2000 jetta 5 or 6 weeks ago that was doing the same thing. If you can wait a few days you can order one from ebay. I got a high torque starter brand new for $79 on ebay. I believe it was from california starter. Just make sure you get the high torque 2 kw starter. The one I got works great even in sub zero temps. The car starts like new now.
 
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Bdpprocessors

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Location
texas
TDI
1999 jetta tdi 5 speed
Sweet that definantally beats 130 from the parts stores here. Ill order it today and put it on next week! Strange thing is. I just got in the car and its cranking up perfectly fine now.... Its been taking a long time the past two weeks. But now its fine. Ill order it just to be safe
 

TheBullwinkle

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2010
Location
Indiana
TDI
2000 Jetta GLS
Next fuel filter interval fill the new filter with diesel or a power service additive that can be found pretty much anywhere. She'll start right up with no wear on the starter. Hope u get it figured out.
 

Frank M

BANNED
Joined
Apr 7, 2000
Location
NH
TDI
NB
Why not do a little trouble shooting before you replace an expensive starter it may not need anyway.

Since this occurred right after replacing the fuel filter try to determine if you fuel is draining back into the tank due to an air breach.
check the o-rings are sealed on the thermostatic T and check if all hoses are snug where they attach to the filter. Perhaps the T cracked and is letting air into the system after shut down.

The last thing one should do when buying parts is to buy quality parts from a known source. If you find your starter has really failed buy a quality one such as the Bosch or better yet take it apart and replace the brushes as 95% of the time this is all that is needed to repair a starter.

Fixing a car the shotgun method not prudent, especially in light of INTERNET forums with good advice from experienced technicians.

Trouble shoot don't just shoot.
 

Bdpprocessors

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Location
texas
TDI
1999 jetta tdi 5 speed
Ive already tested for fuel drainage. There is none. Where could i buy brushes for my starter? Hardware store? Or are they specially made? Is there a write up on how to replace them? Or is it prwtty straight foward?
 

Frank M

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Joined
Apr 7, 2000
Location
NH
TDI
NB
Ive already tested for fuel drainage. There is none. Where could i buy brushes for my starter? Hardware store? Or are they specially made? Is there a write up on how to replace them? Or is it prwtty straight foward?
A starter from the dealer should run about $78 with a club discount. Ask for a discount, most dealer parts departments will do it. You be be sure of the quality and source of the pats buying from a dealer.
Brushes often times can be ordered from a dealer or a shop that rebuilds starter and alternators may sell you a set. One found at hardware store are usually not able to handle a starter's current.

Just curious here, how did you check for fuel drainage?
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
Ive already tested for fuel drainage. There is none. Where could i buy brushes for my starter? Hardware store? Or are they specially made? Is there a write up on how to replace them? Or is it prwtty straight foward?
I couldn't locate any brushes when my starter went. I tried several rebuilds and nobody would sell them to me.

Not sure how you are going to get a OEM reman starter for $78.
 

Frank M

BANNED
Joined
Apr 7, 2000
Location
NH
TDI
NB
I couldn't locate any brushes when my starter went. I tried several rebuilds and nobody would sell them to me.

Not sure how you are going to get a OEM reman starter for $78.
You are correct the oem starter is much more. I was thinking of another auto brand.

I am not allowed to edit my posts for some reason so this post is to correct my error.

A good reman can run $185 or more.

A brush assembly may available from the dealer for $100 on certain models.
 

lifer

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2000
Location
wisconsin
Bosh does not exactly have a good track record for electrical parts. Like VW plastic, they just keep using them. For sure only put a Bosh starter back in that is known to be poor. I took a chance on a different brand and can not be happier. But by all means bash everything else. At least with most starter brands when they go bad they stop working when a Bosh starter goes bad you have test and check everything else first before you finally bit the bullet and spend $250 for a new or $150 for a rebuild that will make you go through the whole nine yards agian it 75 to 100k miles.
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
By original Bosch starter in the 99.5 went 250,000 miles. It probably would have been still going if it wasn't for the stupid 99.5 ECU glitch that overheated the brushes and killed them.

Not sure where you got that infomation from but it's false IMO.
 

Bdpprocessors

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Location
texas
TDI
1999 jetta tdi 5 speed
i replaced the starter last night! starts hot and cold are perfect! thanks for all your help everyone!
 

NinjaGaiden

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Location
Hillsboro
TDI
A4 Jetta
I replaced my starter with a bosch and this helped, but after a couple of weeks, it was slow again. So, I replaced the battery next and this seems to have helped, but now it seems to be bad again. My friend's passat will fire up almost instantly. mine sometimes will fire up instantly, but usually it takes up to 2 to 3 seconds.

Aside from bad timing on the injection pump, can it be anything else? glitch on the computer if motor spinds too slow? is this true?
 

Bdpprocessors

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Location
texas
TDI
1999 jetta tdi 5 speed
I replaced my starter with a bosch and this helped, but after a couple of weeks, it was slow again. So, I replaced the battery next and this seems to have helped, but now it seems to be bad again. My friend's passat will fire up almost instantly. mine sometimes will fire up instantly, but usually it takes up to 2 to 3 seconds.

Aside from bad timing on the injection pump, can it be anything else? glitch on the computer if motor spinds too slow? is this true?

Should have got the high torque starter. Its alot better
 

Bdpprocessors

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Location
texas
TDI
1999 jetta tdi 5 speed
Ebay. The seller is california starter and alternator It ran me 89 bucksincluding shipping and is awesome. Includes a 20k miles warranty
 
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