mk3 fr 2.0 Diesel Cranking but no start

[Mack88]

Hi All,

Used this forum loads for sort issues so thanks for posting.

I have tried starting this morning and car cranks healthy but will not start. I hooked up VCDS and not a single fault code present.

Just checking has anyone experienced this and what direction to go.

Any advice appreciated

 

[BillyCool]

I've just replied to your comment on the other thread.

With the long crank issues, the car did always start. Your issue might be different. Are you able to test your battery health? Checking the CCA might help see if the battery is tired. It's a good place to start. When mine went stupid I had the AA man with jump leads and a booster pack and it turned over but not enough to start. When the new battery and earth lead went in, it started straight away.

I did also replace my fuel pressure sensor on the fuel rail but that was because it started stalling at low speed and I think it threw up a fault code.

Other things could be fuel pump/fuel filter, glow plug relay? I'm sort of clutching at straws here. Maybe check all connectors and test the battery. That's the cheaper option!

 

[mty12345]

I agree with what BillyCool said above. First place i'd start would be the fuel pump relay and fuel pump itself. Check at the fuel pump to see if you have voltage when cranking, if not then it's probably the fuel pump relay. If you have voltage, then can you hear the pump.

 

[Mack88]

Thanks for the responses.

So I disconnected fuel line into the filter and ran the fuel pump with VCDS and diesel is pumped up to the filter no problems.

Had the battery on charge for 3 hrs which held injected current and volts so I am confident the battery is OK.

What about the high pressure fuel pump? Is there a way of testing this?

Thanks again

 

[cairus]

Disconnect an injector and see if diesel comes out.

 

[Mack88]

Disconnected out of the high pressure fuel pump and fuel flowing through this.

Will check at the injectors next...great

 

[BillyCool]

I fuel is good (I'd be surprised if x4 injectors all had an issue) then maybe look at glow plugs or glow plug relay. I would expect the car to throw up a fault code though but worth checking everything plugged in.

 

[mty12345]

Disconnected out of the high pressure fuel pump and fuel flowing through this.

Will check at the injectors next...great

Be extremely careful with the injectors!! The pressure used by modern diesels can be many many hundreds of bar! People have died and lost limbs due to diesel being injected into them.

 

[Mack88]

So got it started but now it seems like it is blowing white smoke that is diesel smelling.

Scanned car again with VCDS and no Fault codes.

This is strange

 

[Mack88]

Update again....

Drove the car around the area and white smoke gone now. Car starting normally now.

I am still not happy without knowing what caused this and without any fault code to assist I don't know where to go with the car now.

Maybe white smoke was excess diesel burning off?

Thanks as well for all the suggestions

 

[BillyCool]

White smoke like that is usually unburnt diesel. Suggests that you were getting fuel but no compression or glow plug action. I don't know enough about it.

See how it goes for the next few days.