Tough to start

dzlchef

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2004
Location
Redondo Beach, CA
TDI
Previously 02 Jetta TDI
My 2002 Jetta has been very tough to start recently. After the car sits overnight, it takes 3 or 4 times cranking the engine before it will turn over. The engine runs fine once it is started and it will restart instantly during the day as needed.

I have checked my air filter and the snowscreen was recently removed. The engine is receiving air as far as I can tell, my question is if the problem is fuel related (ie, fuel filter, pump, etc.), and what things do I need to check out or replace?

Thanks for any constructive input. I've searched for threads on this subject without much luck.
 

weedeater

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Location
Reston, VA
TDI
Jetta, 2001, Baltic Green
Check the fuel side of the equation:

Is your filter blocked? has it been changed lately? are there any air bubbles in the clear fuel line going to the pump? do the bubbles move when the engine is cranked?
 

wpeets

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
Chateaugay NY 12920
TDI
2014 TDI Wagen Hers
Search for the post (Please Help with Starting Problem) lots of info there. I have been keeping an eye on the post but haven't seen a solution for the problem.
 

dzlchef

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2004
Location
Redondo Beach, CA
TDI
Previously 02 Jetta TDI
Thanks for the advice. I couldn't find much on the search for "Please Help with Starting Problem", but I checked the filter for bubbles and none were present during starting this morning. The anti-shudder valve seems to be working fine as well.

I will be meeting up with a member on Saturday and he was planning on checking my timing and adjusting the EGR. I'm getting the UPchip installed tomorrow and I was hoping to solve this problem so that the car was in perfect working order.

The car has 58k miles and it wasn't until 57k miles that I ever cleaned the snowscreen and started to do work on the car myself. It has been approximately 18k miles since the fuel filter was changed, and I was planning on doing the 20k maintenence later this summer, but maybe I should start thinking about it sooner?

I'm hoping that replacing the fuel filter is the answer, but If anyone has any other possibilites, please help. I'm also not sure if I should be thinking about pulling off the intake manifold for cleaning as well. Would it be imperative to clean the intake at this mileage, even after adjusting the EGR?
 

dzlchef

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2004
Location
Redondo Beach, CA
TDI
Previously 02 Jetta TDI
The link to the other thread was great. There are a lot of people with the same problem. I found my solution and posted it on the other thread.

Thanks!
 

Brice

New member
Joined
Dec 4, 2003
TDI
Jetta GLS, 2003
I had the same problem - just solved it! It took replacing the 2 o-rings on the "t" on the fuel filter. The o-rings were hard and I think they were allowing air into the system as it sat. Once they were replaced, the startup was back to normal. Make sure those o-rings are replaced anytime the "t" is opened up - only 2.50 from VW. Not too bad.
 

dzlchef

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2004
Location
Redondo Beach, CA
TDI
Previously 02 Jetta TDI
Thanks for the advice. I tightened up the clamps holding the fuel filter, but I'm still getting a little air into the system. Starting is better but not quite normal. I will be replacing the whole filter soon and replacing all of the o rings.
 
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