A4 1.9 TDi 1999, White smoke, flashing glowplug and loss of power!!

[tom_lew]

I have recently bought an A4 TDi SE Estate 1999.

It is a biatch to start. Almost ticking over but really struggling,
after about three attempts it will start but with a big white billowing cloud (vaporised diesel).

After about 30 seconds the Glow Plug light will flash (rear break lights are all working).

If you put your foot down in third the turbo will drop out.

I think all these problems are related. But I cant figure out what. Turbo doesn't whine. No VAG COM codes yet.

Had oil change, new glow plugs and all filters. Nothing has helped.
Told it could be rear break light switch, faulty MAF or dying turbo.

Anyone seen these symptoms before. Any ideas

[the_old_diver]

The Red Arrows display might be (was in my case, AAZ and AHU engines, both around 200,000 miles) a work keyway on the crankshaft allowing the timing pulley to move around on the shaft, changing the timing as it felt like it. It didn't show up on a VAG-com scan.

Don't know if this happens to your engine model because you didn't say which one it was.

Hope this helps diagnose the problem. My pulley was glued back on 14000 miles ago.