Hard Starting

I have a 03 Jetta TDI. The battery voltage is 12.61 V. I use synthetic oil
and last week the fuel oil filter was changed. The glow plugs are relatively
new with about 10,000 miles on them. My problem is this. After setting
overnite with the temperatures hovering around 30 degrees F., it will take
about 10 seconds or so to start the engine. Obviously, there is a lot of
smoke due to the injectors putting fuel into the cylinders. This occurs
every morning.
Now, with usage during the day and also with a cold engine, the engine
starts up immediately with no problems and no smoke.
I have used Seafoam to clean the injectors as well as to rid the engine of
carbon.
Could the problem be the glow plug relay? If not, what should I be looking
at?
Any help would be greatly appreciated due to living about 100 miles from the
dealer.

Replace your battery. It should be reading 13.2 volts when fully charged.

"wja" > wrote in message
...
>I have a 03 Jetta TDI. The battery voltage is 12.61 V. I use synthetic oil
>and last week the fuel oil filter was changed. The glow plugs are
>relatively new with about 10,000 miles on them. My problem is this. After
>setting overnite with the temperatures hovering around 30 degrees F., it
>will take about 10 seconds or so to start the engine. Obviously, there is a
>lot of smoke due to the injectors putting fuel into the cylinders. This
>occurs every morning.
> Now, with usage during the day and also with a cold engine, the engine
> starts up immediately with no problems and no smoke.
> I have used Seafoam to clean the injectors as well as to rid the engine of
> carbon.
> Could the problem be the glow plug relay? If not, what should I be looking
> at?
> Any help would be greatly appreciated due to living about 100 miles from
> the dealer.
>

On Sat, 8 Dec 2007 05:44:44 -0500, "Erik Dillenkofer"
> wrote:

>Replace your battery. It should be reading 13.2 volts when fully charged.
>
>"wja" > wrote in message
...
>>I have a 03 Jetta TDI. The battery voltage is 12.61 V. I use synthetic oil
>>and last week the fuel oil filter was changed. The glow plugs are
>>relatively new with about 10,000 miles on them. My problem is this. After
>>setting overnite with the temperatures hovering around 30 degrees F., it
>>will take about 10 seconds or so to start the engine. Obviously, there is a
>>lot of smoke due to the injectors putting fuel into the cylinders. This
>>occurs every morning.
>> Now, with usage during the day and also with a cold engine, the engine
>> starts up immediately with no problems and no smoke.
>> I have used Seafoam to clean the injectors as well as to rid the engine of
>> carbon.
>> Could the problem be the glow plug relay? If not, what should I be looking
>> at?
>> Any help would be greatly appreciated due to living about 100 miles from
>> the dealer.
>>
>

Naw, 12.6 volts is OK...

Check to make sure the glow plugs have voltage when they are cycled
on... Use either a meter or a test light. If it has a block heater,
try plugging that in, and see if that makes a difference.

Brand new battery in my 03 tdi. It reads 12.6 v overnight but it did
not get that cold last night. I had replaced it because the starting
motor was spinning a bit slow when we had a cold snap of 30F days.
http://www.batterystuff.com/tutorial_battery.html

I filled up my tank Wednesday. I did not notice the usual foaming when
topping off. The supplier is supposed to be selling cold weather B50
which is foamy when topping off. B100 has barely any foam. Friday
morning with overnight temps outside close to freezing (car in garage)
the car took at least 10 seconds to start which is very unusual. That
kind of start time is typical after a fuel filter change. The car ran
a bit odd that day. I added 2.5 gallons of pure dinodiesel and drained
a little fuel out of the filter. I saw no water. Car was still running
off and skipping a bit. I attached the Vagcom and tried some testing.
Full throttle in third and fourth was horrid after about 2500. I got
home and discovered I should have been reading group 3 for the MAF
test. I tried that test again heading out to get dinner. The car ran
fine with no performance lags in higher rpms. Just the typical
unimpressive diesel performance. The log shows that MAF is working ok.
I guess my car got in a limp mode somehow that was reset when I turned
the car off.

I tried to start it this morning and it started right away. Maybe it
liked the warmer weather. I have found out the hard way that some B100
will gel somewhere around 40. It may be that Friday morning was a bit
too cold for the mislabeled fuel. The winter blend someone screwed up
on.

When I start the car in the rare really cold weather without doing the
glow plug thing first I notice that the idle is lumpy until the car
starts running properly on all 4 cylinders. Since it does not get cold
very often where I live I am used to just turning the key just like my
gas vehicles.

If you want a lot of diesel geeks to answer your questions you need to
head over to www.tdiclub.com Not too many diesel owners in this group.
Their FAQ may have some answers. I know they have some testing
procedures for glow plugs over there.

You are turning the key to the run mode until the glow plug light
turns off, then cranking the starter?

On Sat, 8 Dec 2007 09:38:52 -0500, "Joseph Meehan"
> wrote:

> Well the battery is getting marginal, may be time to replace it. Also
>you might have ended up with some air in the fuel system with that filter
>change.
>
>"wja" > wrote in message
...
>> I have a 03 Jetta TDI. The battery voltage is 12.61 V. I use synthetic oil
>> and last week the fuel oil filter was changed. The glow plugs are
>> relatively new with about 10,000 miles on them. My problem is this. After
>> setting overnite with the temperatures hovering around 30 degrees F., it
>> will take about 10 seconds or so to start the engine. Obviously, there is
>> a lot of smoke due to the injectors putting fuel into the cylinders. This
>> occurs every morning.
>> Now, with usage during the day and also with a cold engine, the engine
>> starts up immediately with no problems and no smoke.
>> I have used Seafoam to clean the injectors as well as to rid the engine of
>> carbon.
>> Could the problem be the glow plug relay? If not, what should I be looking
>> at?
>> Any help would be greatly appreciated due to living about 100 miles from
>> the dealer.
>>

In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled, Erik Dillenkofer wrote:

>Replace your battery. It should be reading 13.2 volts when fully charged.

If you let your battery sit overnight (car not running and not
hooked to a charger), it will not ever read 13.2 volts. 12.61 volts
is very good.



>
>"wja" > wrote in message
...
>>I have a 03 Jetta TDI. The battery voltage is 12.61 V. I use synthetic oil
>>and last week the fuel oil filter was changed. The glow plugs are
>>relatively new with about 10,000 miles on them. My problem is this. After
>>setting overnite with the temperatures hovering around 30 degrees F., it
>>will take about 10 seconds or so to start the engine. Obviously, there is a
>>lot of smoke due to the injectors putting fuel into the cylinders. This
>>occurs every morning.
>> Now, with usage during the day and also with a cold engine, the engine
>> starts up immediately with no problems and no smoke.
>> I have used Seafoam to clean the injectors as well as to rid the engine of
>> carbon.
>> Could the problem be the glow plug relay? If not, what should I be looking
>> at?
>> Any help would be greatly appreciated due to living about 100 miles from
>> the dealer.
>>
>

In article >,
PeterD > wrote:
>On Sat, 8 Dec 2007 05:44:44 -0500, "Erik Dillenkofer"
> wrote:
>
>>Replace your battery. It should be reading 13.2 volts when fully charged.
>>
>>"wja" > wrote in message
.. .
>>>I have a 03 Jetta TDI. The battery voltage is 12.61 V. I use synthetic oil
>>>and last week the fuel oil filter was changed. The glow plugs are
>>>relatively new with about 10,000 miles on them. My problem is this. After
>>>setting overnite with the temperatures hovering around 30 degrees F., it
>>>will take about 10 seconds or so to start the engine. Obviously, there is a
>>>lot of smoke due to the injectors putting fuel into the cylinders. This
>>>occurs every morning.
>>> Now, with usage during the day and also with a cold engine, the engine
>>> starts up immediately with no problems and no smoke.
>>> I have used Seafoam to clean the injectors as well as to rid the engine of
>>> carbon.
>>> Could the problem be the glow plug relay? If not, what should I be looking
>>> at?
>>> Any help would be greatly appreciated due to living about 100 miles from
>>> the dealer.
>>>
>>
>
>Naw, 12.6 volts is OK...
>
>Check to make sure the glow plugs have voltage when they are cycled
>on... Use either a meter or a test light. If it has a block heater,
>try plugging that in, and see if that makes a difference.


LOL! Attack of the bad battery cloners!!!! My father has a 2000 TDI with
the original battery still in it. It starts right away with only 26K miles
on it. I would imagine that due to the low mileage the battery would last
a bit longer. Still everyone here seems to be using age as a battery
gauge.

It sounds to me like the injection pump could be off timing a bit. I don't
think the injectors are bad at only 100K miles. Time to check the injection
pump timing. If applicable.

--
Jeeps and dubs and everything's nice...

In article >, Peter Parker > wrote:
>
>LOL! Attack of the bad battery cloners!!!! My father has a 2000 TDI with
>the original battery still in it. It starts right away with only 26K miles
>on it. I would imagine that due to the low mileage the battery would last
>a bit longer. Still everyone here seems to be using age as a battery
>gauge.
>
>It sounds to me like the injection pump could be off timing a bit. I don't
>think the injectors are bad at only 100K miles. Time to check the injection
>pump timing. If applicable.
>
>--
>Jeeps and dubs and everything's nice...

I would also add checking the water separator if you have never done that
during the 100K miles. EGR cleaning too? You should try to get your TDI
scanned with a VAG-COM.


--
Jeeps and dubs and everything's nice...

Thanks to each and all for your responses.
You have given me new possibilities as to what is wrong. The VagCom thought
is the way that I'll have to go. To analize the situation, rather than parts
substitution, is the way to go under these circumstances. It will be more
fruitful and much less expensive. When I find what the problem is, I'll let
the group know. Once again, thank you.

"Peter Parker" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, Peter Parker >
> wrote:
>>
>>LOL! Attack of the bad battery cloners!!!! My father has a 2000 TDI with
>>the original battery still in it. It starts right away with only 26K miles
>>on it. I would imagine that due to the low mileage the battery would last
>>a bit longer. Still everyone here seems to be using age as a battery
>>gauge.
>>
>>It sounds to me like the injection pump could be off timing a bit. I don't
>>think the injectors are bad at only 100K miles. Time to check the
>>injection
>>pump timing. If applicable.
>>
>>--
>>Jeeps and dubs and everything's nice...
>
> I would also add checking the water separator if you have never done that
> during the 100K miles. EGR cleaning too? You should try to get your TDI
> scanned with a VAG-COM.
>
>
> --
> Jeeps and dubs and everything's nice...

in your dreams! Fully charged battery is 12.6v.

"Erik Dillenkofer" > wrote in message
. ..
> Replace your battery. It should be reading 13.2 volts when fully charged.
>
> "wja" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I have a 03 Jetta TDI. The battery voltage is 12.61 V. I use synthetic oil
>>and last week the fuel oil filter was changed. The glow plugs are
>>relatively new with about 10,000 miles on them. My problem is this. After
>>setting overnite with the temperatures hovering around 30 degrees F., it
>>will take about 10 seconds or so to start the engine. Obviously, there is
>>a lot of smoke due to the injectors putting fuel into the cylinders. This
>>occurs every morning.
>> Now, with usage during the day and also with a cold engine, the engine
>> starts up immediately with no problems and no smoke.
>> I have used Seafoam to clean the injectors as well as to rid the engine
>> of carbon.
>> Could the problem be the glow plug relay? If not, what should I be
>> looking at?
>> Any help would be greatly appreciated due to living about 100 miles from
>> the dealer.
>>
>
>

1- check the EGR and shutter valve for sticking and crud.
2- get the battery load tested.
3- pump timing- advance it to the upper limit of the spec window.

"wja" > wrote in message
...
>I have a 03 Jetta TDI. The battery voltage is 12.61 V. I use synthetic oil
>and last week the fuel oil filter was changed. The glow plugs are
>relatively new with about 10,000 miles on them. My problem is this. After
>setting overnite with the temperatures hovering around 30 degrees F., it
>will take about 10 seconds or so to start the engine. Obviously, there is a
>lot of smoke due to the injectors putting fuel into the cylinders. This
>occurs every morning.
> Now, with usage during the day and also with a cold engine, the engine
> starts up immediately with no problems and no smoke.
> I have used Seafoam to clean the injectors as well as to rid the engine of
> carbon.
> Could the problem be the glow plug relay? If not, what should I be looking
> at?
> Any help would be greatly appreciated due to living about 100 miles from
> the dealer.
>