03 alh very hard cold start

Gabe.tdi

New member
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Location
Norwich ny
TDI
03 alh
Okay let me start off by saying I'm a new member to this sight but I use it all the time you guys have a ton of good info, and thanks for that but I can't seem to find my problem so I'm asking for your help. I have a 03 alh after it sits for 10 hours in the cold ( over night ) I have a very hard time starting it. Okay I go out in the morning it's around 0 the car starts and runs rough and smokes like a train for 6 sec at 500 rpm. Now if I try agin the car with fire right up for 3 sec then die and will do this for 20 min and still not start. If I go inside and wait 20 min and go back out sometimes I get lucky and it will start but i usually have to wait 10 min 2 mor times. Then after that the car will fire right up and idle like nothing is wrong but it will smoke like a train for the first 3 min. Once it's started as long as it doesn't sit more then 4 hours it starts fine if it sits for 8 it's a little harder to start. This is what i have done so far with vag com witch I had to buy to see timing. I checked my timing I'm just above the center line. Timing belt was done 4k ago and ran fine and started in the cold no problem. I ran a maf test and found mine not the best so I replaced it the car has a lot more power when I can get it running. It's not fuel this is the 2nt tank of fuel from a gas station I know has good fuel and I always run an additive. I tested the glow plugs all checked out fine and I have 12v at each one on the harness. I checked the anti shudder valve moves free but I took it off and cleaned it anyways, it's staying open on start up and it's not what's killing the motor. I pulled the sending unit out of the tank and cleaned it thinking I had something blocking it. I replaced the fuel filter witch was new 4k ago it didn't help same problem. I replaced the I o-rings on the fuel filter tee one was bad. I pulled out the pump shut off valve and bench tested it and it works fine I even hooked it to 12v with a jumper to make sure nothing was turning it off. I installed a 12v pusher pump from napa just a 5 pound pressure pump on the feed line to the filter. Snow screen and air filter is not clogged. The last time it was cold here the car fired right up down to -18 with out a problem. The immobilizer light comes on when you turn the key on and then goes out and does not come on when the car shuts off. The glow plug light comes on like normal I unplugged the coolent temp sensor to have them stay on longer at start up still doesn't help. I had some little air bubbles in the line when running before I installed the pusher pump. No leaks at injectors or around pump or under car. I think I covered everything I have done. Please help, any ideas I'll go test and try thanks again
 
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