Car won't start troubleshooting

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
Augie, it sounds like you won't be using this very often, so I would suggest getting a cheaper model unless yo ulike spending money on really nice tools. Go for the hand operated one that is made of plastic. I'ts not as nice as the metal one, but it works fine for occasional use.
 

l_c

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2003
Location
San Jose, CA USA
TDI
Wrecked and gone: VW Jetta wagon 2002 silver TDI
Re: 2001 (auto), dry filter ...

Augie, it might also be a good idea (in case you haven't done this already) to put a start assist on your car (in parallel w/ the battery), while you're trying to prime the fuel path and start the car.

I mean, you know those battery chargers, a lot of them have a mode you can switch into where it'll provide additional current (like, 100A maybe); so your car will crank better and the battery won't get nearly as exhausted during the process. I'm thinking that the rpm's during cranking may be higher this way ... which increases your odds of getting some cylinders to successfully fire.

Definitely you need to do the full fuel-priming procedure; and, take care not to crank for too long at a time. I'd say 20 seconds every attempt is a good limit (then let the starter rest for a minute at least). Good luck; Larry.
 

AUGSX

Veteran Member
Joined
May 7, 2007
Location
Miami, Fl.
TDI
2001 Jetta GL TDI 5spd
Thanks Larry, I just hook up the jumper cables to the excursion and set elevated idle on it and away we go.
 

AUGSX

Veteran Member
Joined
May 7, 2007
Location
Miami, Fl.
TDI
2001 Jetta GL TDI 5spd
I have fuel all the way to the pump but nothing at the injectors, any clue?
 

AUGSX

Veteran Member
Joined
May 7, 2007
Location
Miami, Fl.
TDI
2001 Jetta GL TDI 5spd
Filled the fuel pump and presto worked like a charm. Thanks for all the help guys.
 

l_c

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2003
Location
San Jose, CA USA
TDI
Wrecked and gone: VW Jetta wagon 2002 silver TDI
You pulled vacuum at the return pipe, above the banjo conn, and that helped it to fire?
Larry
 

Jeff Haefele

New member
Joined
Jan 16, 2009
Location
Durban South Africa
TDI
Caddy
Hi I have a problem to starting my 2005 Caddy. It swings for a while before it starts. I had the glow plug checked no problem there. Running on the dinostic and there is no fault. Please help
 
Joined
Jul 8, 2005
Location
Richmond, Virginia, USA
TDI
jetta, 99.5, black
99 Jetta TDI won't start. Problem happened while getting on highway entrance ramp. Down-shifted to 2nd gear, then switched back to 3rd... and the engine got noticeably louder. Found it quite difficult to accelerate. Made it (very slowly) up to 50mph and 5th gear, with the pedal down the whole way. Then started to slow down, lost all ability to accelerate. Pulled off, with car still running. Turned off the car, tried to start it again: nope. The engine would turn, just wouldn't catch.

This sound familiar to anyone? If so, does it involve a relatively simple fix (i.e. one that a guy with no mechanical experience could do without ruining his dear TDI?)

Hopeful,
Joe G.
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
Pull the timing belt cover and look to see if the timing belt is loose. It shouldn't be easy to push it down off the roller without considerable effort.

If it's loose, don't try to start the car, contact a TDI Guru near you.
 

twryan1972

New member
Joined
Oct 23, 2007
Location
Temecula, CA
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
No Electric Fuel Pump

I have a 2003 and I think the sender unit is not an electric fuel pump. The Bentley manual show that I should have an electric fuel pump, and everything I've seen in this thread says I should have an electric fuel pump...but I don't believe it.

My electrical connector on the sender only has two wires (not 4 like the manual shows). I got a replacement from the dealer...an there is definitely no electric motor in there.

So, my questions:

Am I crazy? Do I really have an electric fuel pump in there?

My car still isn't getting gas at the injectors after I've bled the system. What would be the next likely cause?

Thanks.
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
Sorry, you have misunderstood this. The 2003 did not have the electric fuel pump, only the >2004 (2004 and above) has them.

Shoot me a PM with what I wrote that was confusing though. I don't like it when I make things too confusing.

You went through all of the steps in situation #9 for bleeding the filter, the pump and the lines?
 

dukku

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Location
Romania
TDI
1.9 PD-TDI AJM
Hello!I own a 2000 TDI Passat . The engine code is AJM and it's 116 BHP , pumpe duse type.In november I changed the hydraulic cam lifters and the timing belt kit and since then the car barely starts .
The day before I changed these parts the car were strting normally only problem was that there was idle fluctuations betwen 700 - 1000 rpm for few seconds while the cam lifters were making some noise till the oil pressure were to fill them well.
Since then every cold morning is a hell for this car .I crank the engine for 1 minute to start .
I have a list of possible causes that I have checked:
Mechanical tuning for Pump-injector - checked
Engine advance timing - double checked with my VAG COM and another Delphi tester (stays at 0 -0.5 degrees)
All filters - new MAN filters (fuel, oil, air)
Glow plugs - 4 new BERU
All actuators checked with vag-com , including glow plug relays
Electric fuel pump - my car doesn't have one
Injectors correction - betwen + - 0.8 each
coolant temp sensor - put a new one (just in case)
MAF sensor - brand new
Battery - Bosch Silver6 moths old
No error on VAG COM
Before I do this the engine were starting quickly.
Here are 2 youtube clips that I made (inside the car and outside at the same time).
The problem is that the colder is the engine the harder it starts .When is a spring temperature (4-5 degrees in the morning) I crank it for 2 seconds.At - 1 I crank it for 5-7 seconds and if tere were 10 degrees I cranked for 1 minute . At -17 degrees I had to pull the car to start.Is not about how long the engine stays . It seems to be related how colder the engine gets gets.Did I forgot to do somethig during the camlifter change?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIFhv39XitA&feature=related
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrYvsnq20lI&feature=related

I also have a friend that owns a 2002 AJM TDI Bora that changed same parts that I did in a diferent workshop and his car starts same as mine. Please help us !
 
Last edited:

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
You should double check two things:

First thing to check is that all of the timing is correct, but I'm pretty sure it is, but could you check again just to be extra sure?

Second thing to check is the pump in the tank. Easiest thing to do is look at the wire connector to the sending unit/pump. If it has four wires going to it, (two big, two small) then you have an intank pump.
 

dukku

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Location
Romania
TDI
1.9 PD-TDI AJM
There is no fuel pump in the tank. I got wires and when the engine is started i got voltage on them .
I guess the timings are OK because I double checked this when I replaced it (using my VAG COM )and few days later at other workshop when I checked the mechanical PD tuning (you know...attack the injector's cam and set that bolt about 180 degrees backwards the maximum screw)
Here's an example: Outside temp is -10 degrees and i crank for 1 minute to start the engine . Once I started the engine it will start easely that day unless it gets cold again . If I use the car for few minutes and I let the engine to get cooled again then I have to crank for 1 minute again when I try to start.
If outside is 3-4 degrees and I try to start the car after it stayed unused for the weekend i have to crank for 1-2 seconds and it starts. So I think the fuel circuit doesn't lose fuel .
In both cases I got black-blue smoke and it smells like unburned diesel.When it's colder I got more smoke in the first seconds the engine struggles to start.
I allso noticed that the car is lazyer in 1000-2000 rpm zone after this camlifter-timingbelt change.Once 200 rpm is passed the engine runs great .Top speed is the same...
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
dukku,
I know your cam timing is within specification. It sounds as if you have done a very good job of checking everything.

May I suggest that you put the cam timing at about +1 or + 2 units? It is easy to do, and easily changed back, if it does not help.

Please let us know what ultimately solves your issue.

Dan
 

l_c

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2003
Location
San Jose, CA USA
TDI
Wrecked and gone: VW Jetta wagon 2002 silver TDI
dukku, in -10 deg temp you try disconnecting the coolant temp sensor (harness), to force the max GP pre-glow time?
Larry
 

whitedog

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Bend, Oregon
TDI
2004 Jetta that I fill by myself
dukku, you have a car that we are not familiar with at all. No pump in the tank, fuel coolers on top of filters... Who knows what else. The best I can suggest is to start with the basics. Are you getting air? Are you getting fuel? You say that your timing is set correctly.

With VCDS (VAG-COM) you should be able to watch the cam signal as you are cranking as well as the crank (RPM) signal. Make sure that you are getting a good signal from both.

(Thanks to MOGolf for the help with looking up parts)
 

dukku

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Location
Romania
TDI
1.9 PD-TDI AJM
Thanks to DanG144 (he teached me how to do this)I have modified the cam timing from -0.6(sometimes it shows -1) to +2.8 . I will come with news tomorrow after the morning start.
For I_C : I used 2 coolant sensor (my old one and a new one ) and no change , anyway I have no error on the vag-com and the shown coolant temperature is near the temp shown by fuel sensor's temperature .
whitedog: My car starts . It's just that when it's cold (sub zero temps ) I have to crank the engine for more secconds than it wold be normal and this thing happened after I changed the cam lifters and the timing belt.

P.S.
The B5 and golf/bora(you call it jetta) cars made for Europe in 1999-2000 powered by AJM engines and no 4motion /syncro transmision were sold without electric fuel pump .In the tank there is possibility to mount a fuel pump because there is the place to put it and there also is the electrical part.
 

dukku

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Location
Romania
TDI
1.9 PD-TDI AJM
I got news !
In the morning the car started quickly like it started years ago ,but I still have one problem :
For about 5 to 15 seconds the idle speed fluctuates betwen 800 and 1000 rpm and this thing is annoying me .Actually this is the reason I changed the cam lifters and I see that this problem still persists.
What could it be?
 

l_c

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2003
Location
San Jose, CA USA
TDI
Wrecked and gone: VW Jetta wagon 2002 silver TDI
Re: Cold / problem

dukku, I still suggest that you test the cold start with that coolant temperature sensor harness connector DISCONNECTED.

This is to "rule out" (eliminate) the factor of Pre Glow time.
I don't mean to assess whether the temperature sensor is working properly;
I wanted to bypass the factor that modulates the Pre Glow time, when you start the engine.

Doing this will force a maximum / very long pre-glow time, and I would be curious to see whether that affects the problem that you describe. Regards, Larry.
 

dukku

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Location
Romania
TDI
1.9 PD-TDI AJM
You were right ! I pulled out the coolant temperature sensor's harness connector and the glow plugs indicator kept lighting for 10 secods and the engine started quicker and smoother than yesterday . (today the air temp was about 3 degrees celsius and the other day was about 5 ).
What do you suggest next? Replace the sensor?
The other sensor's body was black-colloured and this one is green ...does it matters? Is it a kind of collour-code?

I am waiting for you to tach me what to do .Thank you for your advices!!
Regards ,Radu.
 
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