Starting woes......................sort of

[mikeygulley]

Hi there,

I have an '03 1900 TDI sport and every now and then starting can be 'prolonged'.

Sometimes it will swing over for a few seconds before firing into life and other times its pretty instant. The prolonged swinging can last up to a week or so before it goes back to behaving. When it takes it's time it doesn't matter how many times I give it heat.

My initial thought was injector seals but if it was wouldn't it be like it all the time??

It is also a little 'shaky' on first start up from cold every morning but this disappears after 20 seconds or so, could the problems be linked??

A new one that started yesterday is the starter is staying engaged for 2 seconds after starting and longer when cold. I'm used to working on my 26 year old 205 GTI where these symptoms can be diagnosed in a few minutes up at the workshop but this is the newest car I have owned!! hahahahaha! and know that I can't just tinker myself!!! :/

I had thought about removing the starter and giving it a once over but how easy or difficult will this be?

I suppose whilst I'm here I have one more question. Being used to driving petrol motors that rev high up in the range my A4 doesn't rev further than 3750rpm after 2nd gear, not that I take it that high but sometimes I just forget. The car loses all power for a couple seconds then picks up when I change up. Is this a fault??

Sorry for all the questions.

Many thanks,

Mike

 

[S4_dan]

Get a vcds scan done on the car. Try unplugging the MAF and drive the car to see if that eliminates your temp power loss. (did this on my 2.5 and it cures it)

Sounds like the solenoid is sticking on the starter. Not sure of its location on the 1.9s.

Not sure about the lengthy starting issues, maybe VCDS can shed some light....

Dan

 

[cnut]

Yeah get it on VCDS first. The 130 pd should easily rev past 4000rpm and then tail off as it's approaching 4500rpm so something is definitely wrong.

 

[mikeygulley]

I'm booked in to have the Audi plugged in first thing tomorrow so hopefully some light will be shead! Ha!

I tried disconnecting the MAF earlier but that was tragic!! Hahahaha!

 

[stu_m]

Next time it does it flick your headlights on before you start it

I know it sounds odd but the light switch develops a fault and causes the same problem when in the off position!!

 

[mikeygulley]

OK so had the car plugged in this morning. 3 faults came up, 1 of which cleared no probs (MAF) but the other 2 wouldn't.

17994/P1586 - Engine Mount solenoid - short to ground
19561/P3105 - Valve for intake flap - short to ground

I have been on Google and looked at Ross-Tech.

My questions are:

Do both engine mounts have a solenoid?
Would it be a case of just checking wiring and for any corrosion on this or get sensor/s??

Valve for intake (N239) - same again clean up and check for damaged wires?
Just to be clear, this isn't the EGR is it?? Forgive my stupidity.

The mount solenoid would explain a shaky start and judder after switch off??

Would these faults cause the early power loss??

Many Thanks for any replies.

 

[Google44]

solenoid defo not a problem. Your intake valve needs sorting.

 

[pauldazzle]

First find yourself a good independent VAG specialists. Main dealers are an expensive joke when it comes to fixing things, they just plug in & rely totally on fault codes for diagnosis. No fault code = no clue.
N239 is part of the boost/vacuum system. Your juddering on shut down is a symptom of this failure as without vacuum the anti shudder valve on the EGR will not operate & the engine will judder on shut down.

 

[mikeygulley]

I'm a bit of a have ago hero when it comes to my motors. I will trace the wires back and strip the sheathing to check for any damage. Clean up the connectors etc. I'm in the middle of building a turbo loom for a 205 so all the gear is already next to the ramp.

My cousin is a mechanic for Murray's and is very capable, so I will lean on him if I need to.

Mike

 

[pauldazzle]

Most likely your N239 has failed, but it's worth checking the wiring & connectors to it. There are a bunch of vacuum pipes for the N239, N75 etc that are prone to splitting. I replaced all of mine as a precaution as some of them looked tired. Be careful though as it's common for the nozzles on the valves to break when trying to remove the vacuum pipes.

 

[pauldazzle]

 

[mikeygulley]

Is there any chance you have a larger version of that diagram??

Mike

 

[pauldazzle]

Don't know why it's showing up so small.

 

[pauldazzle]

Try this.
diagram for vacuum lines - TDIClub Forums

 

[mikeygulley]

Try this.
diagram for vacuum lines - TDIClub Forums

Nice one.

 

[mikeygulley]

Ok so I managed to have a tinker today and had some success and still having some issues! Ha!

I discovered the earth to the actuator that controls the flap valve had been chopped, repaired it and the car switches off smoother than a smooth thing, but still won't rev above 3750rpm under load.

After this I checked all the vacuum pipes with the diagram in the above post, this is where I discoverd a couple of problems.
These problems occur with one actuator, which has the larger pipe from the EGR connected to it. Firstly the small pipe which comes out on the rear (to the air box) isn't connected because I don't have an air box!!! Haha! And the other small pipe that T's in above the one way valve wasn't connected (the T wasn't even there), so I T'd it in but it makes the car fluctuate in revs as if its going to stall. I assume this is because the airbox side isn't connected??

So can someone give the part number for the airbox for an '03 A4 TDI SE?
Also the actuator? (On my phone and can't see the N no. And left print out at the workshop!)

Many thanks in advance.

Mike

 

[mikeygulley]

I'm going to try blocking the pipe off the EGR to see if I get an improvement this afternoon, if not I think I'm out of idea's so any help would be much appreciated.

Mike

 

[stu_m]

Next time it does it flick your headlights on before you start it

I know it sounds odd but the light switch develops a fault and causes the same problem when in the off position!!

did you try this???

 

[mikeygulley]

did you try this???

I thought this was referring to the prolonged starting and not the performance issue?

 

[stu_m]

I thought this was referring to the prolonged starting and not the performance issue?

ooops sorry thought you was talking about the starting issue lol

 

[mikeygulley]

I'm going to try blocking the pipe off the EGR to see if I get an improvement this afternoon, if not I think I'm out of idea's so any help would be much appreciated.

Mike

This made no difference

I have noticed that the car will rev higher when cold.

 

[mikeygulley]

So I am still having this hesitant revving under load. A few things I have done are cleaning turbo veins, intake manifold, blocked EGR, fitted new thermostat (now runs at 90!) and was about to replace coolant temp sensor before I got crashed into!!

The temp gauge will drop to 0 and stay there from time to time but then will flick back up to 90. I had pinned my hopes on the coolant sensor. What do you reckon?? I thought this might also be the cause of the hesitant higher revving under load??

Also just after crimbo someone drove into the side of me while I was on my way to the supermarket, the day before my clutch went too!! hahahaha!
Anyway, had a repair estimate done which was ~£2.5k! I thought this was a write off for sure!! But no it is being repaired!!

I am slightly gutted as I had enquired only yesterday about a 309 Goodwood! Always wanted one and being a 205 nut I would have loved it on the drive! But hey ho! hahahahahahahahaha! I must say if I was in the 205 it would have been far worse and I had my kids in the car who weren't phased at all!

Back to the clutch, should I go for a DMF or single??

Many Thanks,

Mike

 

[mikeygulley]

A quick..........ish note on this issue I have been having.

I have finally sorted it!! It turned out I have had the incorrect Air Mass meter on the car all along!! The one I had was considerably smaller than the new Bosch item. Apparently my car was built on the cusp of when there was a change made :/

I also ended up going for a DMF with my new clutch. Fitted over 2 evenings and was a piece of cake

I did change the coolant sensor too so hopefully my gauge will stop dropping to 0 now.

Many thanks for the suggestions early on.

Mike