VW Passat 1.9 TDI Poorr starting

[sevennine]

I have a 2001 VW Passat 1.9 tdi. It starts OK when the engine is warm or when the weather is warm, but if it has been lying a few days or it's cold weather, it won't start without a jump or bump. I've changed the glow plugs so it's not them. Anyone got any idea what I can try next? Battery and alternator are both good, by the way.

[negev]

You'll run out of money before you run out of guesses :P have it diagnosed.

[arman123]

You could try coolant temp sensor

[MrPassat02]

My pd130 started perfectly when the cts sensor was totally kaput, and no different when a new one fitted, so I would discount that.

[rowdy-999]

I guess that depends what was wrong with, and the readings it was supplying to the ECU .

OP what happens when you try to start it from cold?.....just turns over? Or not at all?

[sevennine]

It turns over but won't start. The battery flattens pretty quickly and then all sorts of things happen. Alarm goes off and the tailgate unlocks. I park on a brae (hill) and bump-start it on those days, and it starts no bother that way

[MrPassat02]

Which suggests your battery is at the end of its life.

[rowdy-999]

Could be air getting in to the fuel lines.

[micheal balbrig]

Try cleaning battery terminals and posts with sandpaper,also the earth at engine / gearbox.
Is it possible to try a known good battery to see if problem still exists.
Another thing to try is removing earth connection from battery when parking for a long period,this would be to see if you have a battery drain.

[arman123]

When was the cambelt last changed?
get someone with Vcds and check the torsion value It could be out and causing poor starts


http://www.myturbodiesel.com/wiki/camshaft-timing-torsion-value-adjustment-on-vw-and-audi-pd-tdi-engines/

[sevennine]

Battery is good. It puts out 12.8 volts and goes up to 14.6 when idling. So, it's charging ok too. Car starts on warm days like today on the first turn of the key. It relates directly to temperature, it would seem. Like I said, I've replaced the glow plugs but they weren't the problem.

[micheal balbrig]

Glow plugs would not be required in warm weather. The battery Voltage does not prove that the battery may still be weak,as you said the battery does flatten fairly quickly !!

[MrPassat02]

Float voltage is meaningless. Cranking capacity test is needed. How old is the battery?

[sevennine]

Battery is sealed but when I took the top off there was a dipstick, which was coloured green. Phoned Varta. They said that meant the battery was good. Perhaps trying another battery might help. Just have to wait till winter now

[sevennine]

I hadn't used the car for a week and battery was pretty flat when I went to start it a couple of times so I'm beginning to think there's a battery drain somewhere. But where to start looking I've no idea. There's something odd with the central door locking so I'm wondering if it could be something to do with that

[MiniMental]

Glovebox light would be a good place to start looking. I kept getting flat battery and eventually figured out it was this not switching off. Lol. Might not be but you never know. Sometimes it's the stupidest of things....


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[sevennine]

Don't think my glow plugs are working at all. I want to check the glow plug fuse and then check the relay. Anyone know where the glow plug fuse is? Supposed to be on the bulkhead but I can't find it. And anyone know which relay it would be?

[sevennine]

OK. Cancel last. Glow plugs are working. I pulled the connection on the coolant temperature censor, and pulled an exciter wire from the top of a glow plug and connected it to a spare glow plug. I switched on the ignition and touched the body of the glow plug to the earth and it heated up. I did this on the exciter wire from numbers one and two cylinder. Both worked fine. So. by my reckoning, it is either the battery or the coolant temperature censor. Don't know which. What's my next move?

[arman123]

A scan