Thanks, i'll give it a try. I never thought of doing that. Any specific grease to use or any old stuff lying around?

Also, is it worth replacing the spring clips on the fuel hoses with jubilee clips? surely they will offer a tighter connection.

Vaslene worked fine so similar stuff.

My dealer fitted jubliee clips to the fuel filter and they are still fine, so I'd guess so on that line.

Black smoke on start up suggests fuelling is okay.

Check

A) power to glowplugs and they switch on for 3 to 5 seconds. Use a 12v lamp.

Each glowplug tip turns orangey white within seconds when power is applied.. My mates A6 who had changed all 6 found after a week all were bad again.

The car will start perfectly if the tank is full, started first time the other week when I saw -7 on the maxidot. It is linked to the amount of fuel in the tank and now i've discovered also the gradient its parked on.

I have some fuel hose sized jubilee clips so i'll give them a shot.

Now where is my pot of Vaseline...............:P

So let me get this right. Your car still has trouble starting if:

1/ there is minimal fuel in the tank <1/3

2/ it is parked "nose up" a slight incline or hill

3/ Your in tank pump was found to be OK?

So. Fuel is draining back from the engine side to the tank. i.e. the fuel is draining back from the filter housing (mini fuel reservoir). This indicates an air leak that is allowing this. If it was airtight then this would not be possible due to vacuum. If the lift pump in the tank was working as it should - surely it should bring the fuel up to the fuel filter/pump at engine when the key is turned to "ignition on" before the starter motor turns?

The reason I ask is that the MD want to charge me a "diagnosis fee" for looking at the car even though I have a Skoda approved used car warrantee etc. I need to eliminate the obvious before I book it in.

Luckily in Bath there are plenty of hills to point downwards so it has not been a problem yet,, but it will be an issue if the engine op pump is working harder to suck the fuel that should be delivered by the lift pump.....

The car will start perfectly if the tank is full, started first time the other week when I saw -7 on the maxidot. It is linked to the amount of fuel in the tank and now i've discovered also the gradient its parked on.

...P

Yep, i'm fairly certain that's an air leak in the fuel lines.

If you park it up then try and start it a few seconds after you've stopped it I'm guessing you don't get a problem.

Yep, i'm fairly certain that's an air leak in the fuel lines.

If you park it up then try and start it a few seconds after you've stopped it I'm guessing you don't get a problem.

Correct, low fuel and rapid restart is fine, low fuel and restart after say, 20 minutes = pants starting.

I'm going to try some jubilee clips tomorrow and see what happens.

Golf-Fiend -

Yes, the lift pump works fine (Mr VW assist aimed it out of the engine bay and I fired the ignition up and mucho diesel flew out on cue and the problem is worse on inclines and low fuel tank conditions.The high pressure fuel pump is of course not designed to pump air so this will make things worse as its trying to prime every time. Not good for the pump IMO.

The problem is (presumably) between or at the fuel filter and the high pressure pump. If air is leaking into the fuel system over time the lift pump will not displace it in a second or two hence the rubbish start up. The air/vacuum theory is the cheapest and least hassle to try out as it avoids another fruitless visit to the dealer

I'll add updates to this as and when possible.

I *think* I have the same problem, so I would appreciate any update on this problem!

I have not done as much preliminary research as others on this post, thought I would search first - so going to try some things.

Worth noting that my house is on a hill!

/craigad

A small update:

I have replaced the 4 spring type clips around the fuel filter with jubilee clips, it has actually improved things a little and the car starts first time more frequently, I have also noted the starting problems are still there if the car is even on the smallest of inclines. Facing downhill and its fine, any tiny uphill gradient and it really struggles.

There are a few more clips that can be replaced (where the fuel lines arrive in the engine bay from the tank and at the high pressure pump on the side of the block) So i'll be doing those once I get my hands on some more small jubilee clips.

Another update:

I've replaced all of the clips on the fuel line connectors and its made no difference.

I actually spoke to someone in the know today and he informs me this is a well known problem on 2 types of 2.0TDI engine and has been an issue ever since these 2 engine codes have been out. Audi/VW/SEAT/Skoda all have well documented cases of this problem.

By all acounts, some dealers have replaced the high pressure fuel pump, injectors, cylinder heads, fuel lines, lift pump etc etc. no no avail. By all accounts there is no hard and fast fix for it.

I had the same problem but it cleared itself up no reason.

Just a thought, check the wiring plug that enters the rhs of the cylinder head.

I removed mine and gave it a quick blast with WD40, could this be a bad connection which hinders the cold start process but as the engine warms up the pins expand slightly.

I shall give it a shot. Thanks.

I presume you are referring to the black plastic circular connector adjacent to the intake pipe?

I posted about this on my '55 2.0 TDI some time ago -> http://briskoda.net/octavia-ii/2-0tdi-hesitant-startup/59220/

About a week ago I ordered some dielectric grease from eBay and applied it to the MAF sensor ala the 'cage mod' seen on here and other VW forums and since then I've not had a single instance of dodgy starting. Now it turns over without hesitation on every cold start. £3.99 well spent

Another interesting development:

I took the car into a Skoda dealership for a cam belt change last week and while it was there I asked them to investigate a few other niggles including the poor starting of a morning.

They spent a few hours messing around with it and finally decided to update the engine management software. I was extremely sceptical to say the least but fingers crossed the car has been starting fine with no problems. I even went to the extreme of leaving the car all day with zero miles in the tank. Did it start?

First time

I shall post an update on this during the week as I know there are a few people that are still having issues.

I think i'll do the cage mod as well for the sake of a fiver. Forgot about that one.

Nuts, spoke too soon. Started the car up this morning and it was back to it's grumbly self. Might have a go at re-greasing the MAF sensor connector tomorrow.

Mine is holding up well with the updated ECU software, its started first time, every time since it was done, the car feels better all round with the dielectric grease on the MAF connections.

Something odd I've noticed: Since the flash the car when sitting stationary with the clutch pedal depressed will not rev above 2900rpm but goes to the red line when the pedal is released.

Sounds like launch control to me

has anyone made any more progress on this? I am waiting for dealer to hear back from Skoda before the car is booking in again

Is there any way that I can find out the ECU version without VAG Com?

I've got 2500 miles to my next service which equates to a few weeks so it'll be looked at then.

They determine the software version when VAS is plugged in at the dealership and whether a suitable update is available.

Well it's done it again.

Tried to start it up this morning, not a chance!

Sat there cranking it for about a minute (with booster pack as well) and sod all, its as if there is no fuel in the tank, there is about a 1/3 on there.

To say i'm ****ed off is an understatement :mad:

Something odd I've noticed: Since the flash the car when sitting stationary with the clutch pedal depressed will not rev above 2900rpm but goes to the red line when the pedal is released.

Sounds like launch control to me

Sorry this is off topic, but I just went and tried this myself and you're right . Did it definitely definitely not do this before 26E6?

My car is a BKD PD140 so doesn't have a DPF SWMBO has a vRS TDI and I haven't tried it out for that.

I am 100% certain it didn't do it before they updated the ECU. I am not sure what the update entails as my car was built in May 2007 so it might just be a slightly revised version of the software. It has made the idle a little smoother but thats about it.

Ah, ok, cheers.

Holy thread revival batman!!!

I've dredged this one up as my car is going back in for the 11th time for investigation into the rubbish starting/non starting TDI.

I have also noticed a pattern in the starting problems:

If the car is parked on a left/right slope (driver's side being lower than passenger's side) the car starts relatively ok as in it only coughs and splutters for a few seconds. If it is parked sloping the other way it really struggles to start.

On both occasions where it didn't start it was parked on the side of the road with the passengers side nearest the kerb meaning it was sloping down towards the passengers side.

It goes back in on tuesday but they still won't entertain changing the tandem pump despite 2 reports from the Skoda Assist callouts suggesting the tandem pump non return valve being the culprit.

The parking angle seems to add weight to the argument as the problem is worse when the tandem pump is on the lower side of the engine.

There is also suggestion that the work will not be under warranty as the car has done 106,000 miles. The fault first appeared just after its 40k major service..........................

SWMBO's vRS TDI has sat idle for 4 weeks. Fired up first time with no problems.

B0llocks

If you are replacing the clips, then make sure you use fuel hose clips such as Jubilee Juniors.

These people do them in packs of 4, 10 and 50

13-15mm-JUBILEE-FUEL-LINE-HOSE-CLIPS-x-10

It goes back in on tuesday but they still won't entertain changing the tandem pump despite 2 reports from the Skoda Assist callouts suggesting the tandem pump non return valve being the culprit.

I have heard about this too as someone i knew has had this also on a 2.0TDi Passat.

VW say they are prone for it.

Interesting.

Why is it VW say there is a problem with it but Skoda tell me they have no recorded cases of tandem pump problems.

Even the 2 Skoda assist techies know of this problem across the VAG range.

I feel a bit like a mushroom, fed sh|t and kept in the dark