Intermittent Crank and No Fire Problem

My 99 Jetta TDI has developed a new quirk and I need to get some help with it. It just started doing this this past friday and I need to know if anyone else has had this problem. Turn the key and the engine cranks with no cylinders firing at all. Turn key off and do it again.....nothing. After about three or four tries, finally she'll fire up. The problem reminds me of when I defeat the run solenoid on my Cummins engine in the Dodge as an anti-theft. The engine on the VW is cranking like there's no fuel being injected. Fuel filter is fine. Good fuel being used always. Is there a run solenoid of some sort that can be sticking in the shut off position? Any replies will be appreciated.

OilHammerAG---
Don't forget to check the other key (You have two folding keys and one valet key?). If I half-fold my key (place it at 90 degrees to the fob instead of letting it click in at 180 degrees) the engine cranks and won't fire. Real wierd until you think about how you are protected from people who have temporary access to the key (valets). It's an anti-theft feature so duplicated keys without the keyfob electronics allow the starter crank but won't start the engine. Maybe your key fob electronics are flakey or maybe the battery is marginal?

Dr. Dotgain
2000 Golf GL TDI

All keys have made this happen. The batteries are fine. I was able to duplicate it in the driveway tonight by taking a circuit tester to the wire that goes to what I guess is the run solenoid and trying to start the engine. It won't start when the test light is tapped into the wire and it shuts off when the light is tapped while the engine is running. I think this is the gremlin.

I've never had this on my TDI, but my sister has on her 99 NB TDI. It started a while back and is intermittent. Crank, Crank, Crank and no start. Especially if it was just run for a few minutes (like move the car up the driveway or run to the cornerstore--then no start). She called me in an angry panic just last Saturday with the no-start problem returning after a many month hiatus. I had run a search on this problem on this site last year, made her print out what needed to be done and had her take it to the dealer. (I'm not technically inclined, so pardon me if my terminology isn't quite right). Basically the EGR valve sticks and needs to be cleaned out. She took it to the dealer last year and the dealer told her that the problem couldn't be duplicated and that she's a dumb woman that doesn't know how to wait for the glow plug light to go out. She was furious, complained, called the service manager, who turned out to be the one who had berated her in the first place and gave up on the issue--til Sat when it recurred. So I did another search here and found all sorts of info on this EGR valve--even some pictures to help direct you. There's apparently some sort of arm outside the EGR valve that you can push on to get it "unstuck". It's completely accessible just by opening the hood. It's located on the back left side of the engine. Over the phone, I directed her to this arm (as I looked at mine), had her push on it and lo and behold "it doesn't move--wait now it's moving--the more I push on it, the looser it gets!". She pushed on this arm a few times to loosen it up and it started right up. The real solution, though, is to have it taken apart in some way and have all the gunk cleaned out. Give the EGR valve arm a push or two and see if it starts then. If I have a chance I'll try again to find the helpful photo in the archive for you. Best of luck.

I'll have to take it apart and check it out. A while back while trying to defeat the EGR, I broke a little vacuum controlled diaphragm on the back of the EGR and had to buy a whole new one to just get the diaphragm. I can switch them out and clean it on the bench without taking the car out of duty.

How hard is it to take that EGR valve apart to clean it? We took off the large diameter tube connecting to mine and scooped out a bunch of crud, with a seemingly endless supply of more crud, but couldn't really get at it very well. I wouldn't mind cleaning mine some more if it's not too difficult.

If that '99 is an A4-chassis (new body style) then make sure the anti-shudder valve is opening (it's the butterfly valve before the intake manifold). If that '99 is an older style Jetta, then this isn't the problem, because you don't have an anti-shudder valve.

If that checks out okay, there are some other possibilities, like Relay 109, or an air leak into the fuel system. If it happens when the glow plugs should be operating but they are not operating, then something's up with the coolant temp sensor or the glowplug circuit. Incorrectly set injection timing can play havoc with starting, too.

Wow, you bought a new EGR valve? That's, like $230. I know because I just priced one when I broke off that same nipple on the changeover valve solenoid (I think that's the official term, also called anti-shudder valve). With The Ripster's guidance, I was able to repair it. A tip for others: cut the hose off, or be very very careful.

Yeah, it was pretty expensive. I work in the industry, so I got it at my price (wholesale) and it was not that bad, but still darn expensive. Mine's an A4 body style. Still haven't gone inside to clean and dejunk.