Running Issues at Cold

I have a PD 130 AWX and when its been cold overnight the car has the same symptoms as you have for the first couple of seconds. Something i'd like to sort also. My thoughts have always been that the injectors need cleaning. I also have an old shape S3 and the others on that forum swear by removing the injectors an using an ultrasonic cleaner to clean them.

Link here..

Postal cleaning service
 
Funkyfin2000 said:
For sure!! Sadly this morning it was just as bad........its funny.....it just runs rough as soon as it starts and bluey/black smoke piles out the exhausts and then it just picks up and the smoke stops after about 15-20secs!!! Very evry odd!!

When are you gonig down MidVW with yours!!!!! Come on....i'm out of ideas now :(
Click to expand...

TBH Rich I have still not got round to booking it in, but when I do you'll be the first to know :thumbsup:


I've basically got my priorities all ****** up & gone & bought some new alloys. And I'm still trying to source some door blades that don't require a second mortgage :haha:
 
ADC - How about trying this. I've found that putting the ignition on for a min or so before starting improves it...or turning the car on and off constantly on the ignition seems to make a big difference.....might be worth trying yourself.

Car is going to BVr for a week to see if they can get to the bottom of it!! :(
 
Think you should give feathers diesel a call mate they are suppose to be shot hot with pd engines mines off on sat there
 
Scottie did you get this sorted?

I didn't get to the bottom of it, but my car now has a bit of a knocking/tapping and still smokes heavily.

Its going in to BVR Automotive Stoke in the next few days for diagnosis. I have a feeling it could be Camshaft issues :( :(
 
ADC or PJ did you get yours sorted?

Once question, those with the same or similiar issue....did you ever have your Clutch or DMF changed?

My car is also starting to eat a bit of oil...only a little bit though
 
Hi!

Did you get this sorted out ?

Having the same problem on my passat AVF, and its driving me insane...

Did a lot of research, and finally found a tandem pump test procedure. it seems like my tandem has a faulty backpressure regulator or some other leaks inside due to that its worn. This lets air in the system and gives you low pressure to the injectors at cold starts.
And it will smoke and have low power too.

So i am going to do some final tests before ordering that 200£ piece of a pump.

If you found something else that causes this problem please let me know.

Link to tandem pump test (its a usa car, but still same pump...) : http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/517/PD_fuel_delivery_check.pdf

Mine failed on the check where you hook off the retur line and let the liftpump run.
 
it may be worth having the timing checked these syntoms could be seen if its incorrect...... cheap option to start aswell
 
marktdisport said:
it may be worth having the timing checked these syntoms could be seen if its incorrect...... cheap option to start aswell
Click to expand...

Timing checked with vagcom 0-0,6 on idle. marks are there too, and the pd wont run if you miss out with more than say 3mm to each side.
Car runs fine, and like the others it has no starting issues unless cold after staying overnight.

Idling correction (block 13 vag-com) are good. PD status even, only the fuel flow trough injectors are some off, but in range there too.
 
Espen, thanks for this you are fantastic.

I still have the same problem and just got worse now its really cold.

Have you tried putting the ignition on constantly on off on off before starting, i find this usually helps and also may back up the theory on the tandem, as you keep forcing a flow of fuel as you are priming the lift pump presumably.

I might just pop to my mechanics today with your guide and get mine checked!!!!!

He did mention it could be the tandem pump....where can you get them for £200? I thought they were about £400! I did have the internal seal of mine replaced incase it was leaking internally but that wasn't the case!!!!

Any more thoughts would be great!
 
The other thing, is the car really chattery if you pull away quickly after starting, its almost struggling to run, sounds awful.

It has to be a fuel pressure thing, funny it worse in the winter though. The fuel must be thicker in colder weather!?
 
I did a test, mounted a check valve on retur line from tandem, this check valve has around 0.2 bar of backpressure
I have had 2 cold morning starts now, and both were good...(cyceling ignition 2 times to build pressure)
So that points to that the tandem pump is the problem.

all you reading this, remeber i have ruled out all other possible errors on the engine, so i am now only left with the tandem/injectors.
Dont start changing tandem first, unless you have done a good diagnose. you might end up spending alot and discovering that your fault was somwhere else.

Fueltemp and coolant temp are wery important sensors for the ecu to determin how it should set ignition and fuelling on cold starts.
Also if your Car is Remapped(chiptuned) BADLY You can have all sorts of problem since the bad remappers often do flash in files from other cars and that is not good for engine management.
 
Any idea where you get the check valves from? My mechanic wasn't able to get stuff the right size etc?

Only thing I could do is take it to Audi to check the pressures as they will have the right equipment to do this.

My mechanic also put it down to a pressure issue or injectors....everything else has been checked down to camshaft etc etc

Getting a price today for tandem pump reknewal...probably be best part of £350 i would think!

No map on my car....
 
Funkyfinm have you checked timing via vag com like espen22 has done?

Another thing to try is to disconnect the EGR valve, pull the vac line off it and plug it with a golf tee.

I had terrible running problems with a dodgy EGR valve and/or solenoids along with my timing out due to a bad timing belt change.
 
Hi Phil,

Will check that.

Where exactly is the vac line to the EGR? Sorry for sounding thick, do you have a pic?

Will see if that makes a difference but I think with everything goin on, its more serious than that, either Injector related or Tandem pump. Funny, I've never had any vag com logs on anything to do with injector etc etc

Timing has all been checked and is all spot on.

Rich
 
Block 004 i think it is, syncro angle. Spec im sure is between -3 to +3°.

This top hat will be sticking out of your engine cover on the top left hand corner.

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/2182/dsc00068bx.jpg

Do the same as the photo.

Also pull the hose off and look inside the EGR to see if its sooted up.
 
Hi, while youre in there, check block 13 (idle correction), block 19 (pd status) and block 23.
It might be worth checking fueltemp and coolant temp on cold engine, they should read the same as outside temp!

You Audi guys, have you tried that lightswitch trick. turn your lightswitch fully on before starting... Not kidding here, think this one made some sleepless nights for the VAG engineers :)

I can send you the ebay link to where i bought the checks, they were cheap.. you can do the same test if you just block the hose before leaving the car in the evening(bend and clamp it with something or use one of those clamps for hose blocking...). the tandem has a built in overpressure valve so it should live a cold start with blocked retur, just dont run with it as your fueling system is looping fuel inside tandem and fueltemps will be extreme....
 
audi upgrades
Funkyfin2000 said:
Any idea where you get the check valves from? My mechanic wasn't able to get stuff the right size etc?

Only thing I could do is take it to Audi to check the pressures as they will have the right equipment to do this.

My mechanic also put it down to a pressure issue or injectors....everything else has been checked down to camshaft etc etc

Getting a price today for tandem pump reknewal...probably be best part of £350 i would think!

No map on my car....
Click to expand...

Did you get my answer with the adress where you can get that pump cheaper?
 
Thanks Phil, will try that over night and see if it makes a jot of difference.

I doubt it will, the whole EGR valve and manifold has been off for a clean!

It's got to be either injectors or fuel supply/pressure like espen says.
 
Hi Espen,

If you have the ebay link for the check valves from etc, the right size for the AVF engine that would be great. Can you post it up.

In terms of checking a price on the pump. £415 fitted from my mechanic, or through: germanautopartsdirect.co.uk I can get it £250 delivered (genuine audi apparantly but checking that!) and £35 fitted by my mechanic. Must be quite an easy part to change I guess.

I will do some logging with VAG com on those blocks you mention. But I think it's already been done by mechanic and everything was in spec.

Espen - in terms of checking the tandem wear, can I just un do no 3 inlet on the fuel filter and block it and turn on the ignition (you mentioned about powering the lift pump) Can I not just run the igition in stead. I wouldn't run the car like that of course.

Rich
 
Sounds more like glow plugs to me, especially if cycling the ignition a few times helps as mentioned a few posts ago, as this means the pre-heat will occur for longer, putting more heat into the cylinders.

Only takes a crappy connection on the glow plug on one cylinder to have it start lumpy and belch black smoke.

If it was fuel pressure leaking back it would fix itself within seconds of starting, or simply crank for longer until the pressure built up, rather than taking 10-15seconds.
 
Last edited:
Ive not had trouble cranking at all, did at the beginning when i bought the car, but a new set of plugs fixed that. going to get the plugs changed again at next service just for piece of mind but doubt make any difference.

Mine cranks up straight away no problem. Just runs lumpy and chucks out acres of smoke, then 20secs later runs smooth.

ESN - whats the headlight trick you keep talking about?
 
You've got a glow plug in each cylinder, which helps the fuel mixture to combust when the engine is first started. Sure if all of them were knackered it would be a complete pig to start, but if only one plug had a bad connection, the engine would still start instantly because the other 3 cylinders will fire as they should, and the engine will run, if somewhat lumpy, on 3 cylinders. The one cylinder with the faulty plug wont be hot enough to properly burn the fuel, and so that one cylinder belches smoke until enough heat builds up in the cylinder to properly combust.

Cycling the ignition means the plugs put more heat into the engine, before you attempt to start it, reducing the problems.

It could be a bad connection to the plug so its not receiving full power, or simply a dead plug.

I dont believe theres any way a fuel pressure issue would persist for 20seconds after starting the engine. Jumper the fuel pump for 60seconds then try starting if you want to prove to yourself thats not the issue.
 
aragorn said:
You've got a glow plug in each cylinder, which helps the fuel mixture to combust when the engine is first started. Sure if all of them were knackered it would be a complete pig to start, but if only one plug had a bad connection, the engine would still start instantly because the other 3 cylinders will fire as they should, and the engine will run, if somewhat lumpy, on 3 cylinders. The one cylinder with the faulty plug wont be hot enough to properly burn the fuel, and so that one cylinder belches smoke until enough heat builds up in the cylinder to properly combust.

Cycling the ignition means the plugs put more heat into the engine, before you attempt to start it, reducing the problems.

It could be a bad connection to the plug so its not receiving full power, or simply a dead plug.

I dont believe theres any way a fuel pressure issue would persist for 20seconds after starting the engine. Jumper the fuel pump for 60seconds then try starting if you want to prove to yourself thats not the issue.
Click to expand...

New glow plugs, and all are tested on cold engine out of the hole, they all glowed like stars...
My glowtime was also extended with vag com to be 100% sure that the plugs are not the issue. that was one of the first thing i checked when the problem started.
Now only one thing can make this a glow plug problem, its if the connections goes bad when i put them in place.. but i am doing a test with my thermolaser, shooting each plug next time i glow the car and check if they all heat up evenly.

If you dont think fuelling can cause this problem, you need to study the complexity of the PD engine, as fuelpressure/timing is wery wery important to starts and how the car runs, only a small ammount of air from a bad tandem will cause problems, and might use a good run to get out.

As i stated earlier, i have done all tests and are down to leaking pd seals or bad pressure from the tandem, as soon as i have my adaptor for the pressure tester i will be able to see how the fuelpressure is on cold engine. if its jumping up and down at start, thats air in the system, if its under limit, that means the injectors are not getting enough pressure to dust the diesel, and thats really a good source for hard starts and smoke...
 
Funkyfin2000 said:
Ive not had trouble cranking at all, did at the beginning when i bought the car, but a new set of plugs fixed that. going to get the plugs changed again at next service just for piece of mind but doubt make any difference.

Mine cranks up straight away no problem. Just runs lumpy and chucks out acres of smoke, then 20secs later runs smooth.

ESN - whats the headlight trick you keep talking about?
Click to expand...

Some audis have had this funny error, hard to start, and if you turn your lightswitch fully on so that headlights are on when you start the car, then it was ok.. Solution was to change the headlight switch.

So to test this, turn your headlight switch fully on before you start the car and see if it makes a difference.
 
espen22 said:
Some audis have had this funny error, hard to start, and if you turn your lightswitch fully on so that headlights are on when you start the car, then it was ok.. Solution was to change the headlight switch.

So to test this, turn your headlight switch fully on before you start the car and see if it makes a difference.
Click to expand...

I've had this problem and you only need to put the side lights on for it to start

After about 3 to 4 months of doing this everything works as it should now without the lights turned on so I think its a bad connection in the switch causing it and has rectified its self with use!
 
Thanks guys I thought that might be what it was.....tried it and it seems to help a little but barely noticeable and could be just in my head!

Espen, when will you be changing the Tandem? You waiting for some more kit to arrive at the moment?

I could bite the bullet and go for it and have it here ready for my service on 3rd Jan......but it might not arrive in time......was going to wait until we see if yours if fixed that way.

What worries me is my smoke is actually quite blueish not just white.......

don't think its glow plugs at all, cycling the ignition isn't making a blind bit of difference any more for my car....the glow plug light comes on for about 2 secs and then whizzes off.

Again with all of this, no VAG com errors have ever been reported, and it's been doing it for the past year or so and not got much worse....Tandem or Injectors!
 
Hi, did the tandem pressure test today.
Bad news, pressure is way above limit (3-4 bars) and peaks the gauge (7 bars) on 1500 rpm.

The pressure is also uneven, the needle is pinning up and down, so it has to be related to the injectors somehow.

So if i trust my gut feeling i would say that i have leaking injector seals...

Ordering new seals today, as the pds are famous for leaking on those seals, i would guess changing them is a good idea anyway...

will keep you posted on this one :)
 
espen22 said:
Hi, did the tandem pressure test today.
Bad news, pressure is way above limit (3-4 bars) and peaks the gauge (7 bars) on 1500 rpm.

The pressure is also uneven, the needle is pinning up and down, so it has to be related to the injectors somehow.

So if i trust my gut feeling i would say that i have leaking injector seals...

Ordering new seals today, as the pds are famous for leaking on those seals, i would guess changing them is a good idea anyway...

will keep you posted on this one :)
Click to expand...

Don't order the seals from audi find a bosch dealer and get them they will cost less then half for the same kit I replaced all mine for about 30 quid due to a leak but I didn't have starting trouble!
 
Hi guys,

Are the seals a big labour job? I guess they are....

I will grab a quote for injector seals through germanautopartsdirect.co.uk as genuine but half the price!

Well I have ordered the Tandem and I think will just change it in my case anyway just so it's done! Its not a bad price at £250 really.

Rich
 
The seals are easy to replace but you also have to replace all the rocker bolts too as they are stretch bolts and are about 60 for the lot!

The hardest part is getting the injector's out you need a slide hammer really I made one up its easy if your any good with a welder
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
cold running
Replies
3
Views
635
mattyb6
mattyb6
C
Running issues please help
Replies
0
Views
508
Chris lawry
C
neilA4
2.5 TDI Cold start issues
Replies
15
Views
7K
neilA4
neilA4
S
1.8t Cooling Fan Running From Cold
Replies
1
Views
918
Mike_B
M
M
Running issues after head gasket -help!
Replies
14
Views
1K
Viking
Viking
Top
Back