Lumpy / hesitant cold start?

[reesky]

Update regarding my starting problem:

Took it to a diesel specialist who diagnosed a leaky seal underneath the injector pump. Seal replaced and it now starts pretty much within 1/2 a second of turning the key, even down to 2 degrees C. Will try and post before / after videos.

£430 lighter for the privilege though - cam-belt change job, plus removing and refitting the pump.

Reesky.

[yashicamat]

Update to this: new injectors in and it still is hesitating a bit now the weather is cooling down. Did have the cambelt done in August though and my fuel economy is worse now (although there was a little 'ECU fettling' done by the Lincolnshire workshop in question ). I think the next step is to check the fuel pump timing . . .

[alexandjen]

I'm also getting these symptoms on cold starts, I've changed the glow plugs which has improved things slightly.

Was thinking of CTS next, does anyone know the part number or have a link to this part? cheers

[jamesk656]

oddly, my Tdi 110 elegance has never ever smoked, not even when flooring it, i bought it with 170.000 and now has nearly 190.000 mies on the clock. seems to start fine, even in the colder weather. 'touch wood' apart from an slightly odd coolant leak its fine!

[BIGMIKE1]

Oh good its not just mine! Now the weather has got cold Ive noticed when it starts it seems like it only just catches, slightly rough idle for a second, puff of grey smoke then all settles down again. I was assuming I had a glow plug on it's way out but until it gets worse I'll leave well alone!

[Johnnoj]

I get the same thing when cold starting runs fine the rest of the time.

After reading this thread I now have something to work on. If nothing else its an excuse to change all the bits in a "just in case" matter, and of course it wont hurt. At least thats what I'm gonna tell SWMBO.

[Gibbonius]

Same problem on my TDi 110, 100k miles. Had the problem last Winter as well. Garage replaced the starter which improved situation slightly, and they also recommended cycling the glow plugs a couple of times before firing it up which usually improves the situation although there's always a good blast of grey smoke. Unlike some others on here, after a very cold night or when temperature is still below freezing I *do* get oil warning light - does this mean I have a different problem?

I should add that it starts beautifully when the weather's warm.

[lumac999]

Just an update: took this video this morning. About -2 deg C so fairly chilly. I gave it a tiny blip of throttle when it caught.

My link

Can't access the link It's telling me it's private.

[mbames]

Can't access the link It's telling me it's private.

I get the same "private" message too.

Same problem on my TDi 110, 100k miles. Had the problem last Winter as well. Garage replaced the starter which improved situation slightly, and they also recommended cycling the glow plugs a couple of times before firing it up which usually improves the situation although there's always a good blast of grey smoke. Unlike some others on here, after a very cold night or when temperature is still below freezing I *do* get oil warning light - does this mean I have a different problem?

I should add that it starts beautifully when the weather's warm.

Red or orange oil warning light? iirc, orange = level a bit low, red = pressure issue.

Edited 15 November, 2010 by mbames

[rwbaldwin]

Same problem on my TDi 110, 100k miles. Had the problem last Winter as well. Garage replaced the starter which improved situation slightly, and they also recommended cycling the glow plugs a couple of times before firing it up which usually improves the situation although there's always a good blast of grey smoke. Unlike some others on here, after a very cold night or when temperature is still below freezing I *do* get oil warning light - does this mean I have a different problem?

I should add that it starts beautifully when the weather's warm.

Grey smoke can indicate a pump timing problem. If the basic pump timing is slightly retarded, then the timing cannot be pulled in dynamically when cold.

Is the oil light orange or red?

What oil do you have in it?

[yashicamat]

Interesting the tip about cycling the ignition a few times - mine starts up much more promptly with that procedure. Makes me wonder about either a glow plug issue (I doubt this as I've checked them all and the brand new one is showing the same ohms as the 3 old ones) or some sort of fuelling problem, i.e., something delaying the fuel to the injectors on startup. This could perhaps be either an airlock possibly or a lazy fuel pump? I don't know enough about the fuel delivery system on the tdi engines to make an informed judgement, but based on the evidence, this would seem like a possible cause to me. :wonder:

[andy-fisher]

I've had a similar problem for a few years now and I was told that it could be the battery even though I had changed it. I was told that the ECU won't put fuel in until the engine is turning over at a specific RPM.... I have still not found the true cause and the only thing left to try is the starter motor. It has taken me so long to get through the list though, due to cash flow, that one of the first things I did, which I can't even remember now, may be at fault again. After my holiday in the desert just north of Pakistan I will have enough cash to get a new starter. I'm not sure if I should bother though as a recent new arrival to the family may require me to get a larger car. Three kids seats just don't fit in the back, I've tried and as it's not that easy to turn the airbag off and on when I like, I can't put the child seat in the front. It's a shame as even though my Skoda experience has not been trouble free, I don't want to get rid of it. I have got used to its little problems, even the electric window faults that just don't stop happening has not put me off trying to keep it. Is it illegal to strap a child seat to a roof rack......?

[Gibbonius]

Is the oil light orange or red?

What oil do you have in it?

Sorry, I'm wrong. Got it again a couple of days ago and it's the temperature light (coolant temperature?), not the oil one.

[reesky]

Update: No cold starting problems since I had the work done, started almost straight away today when it was -9

[mbames]

Sorry, I'm wrong. Got it again a couple of days ago and it's the temperature light (coolant temperature?), not the oil one.

That one is easy to cure, clean the prongs in the coolant expansion tank with a toothbrush to remove the bubbles which form on them.

[paddy328i]

Ok I've something similar. Very hard to start and a blast of white smoke when it does. Once it is running though it will start first time if it is knocked off.

Been reading up on this. I beleive it is the headgasket gone as I appear to be slowly losing coolant. Seems coolant leaks it and that is what gives the starting problem because it is trying to burn off the water first. Once it kicks all the coolant is flash burnt off giving the cloud of smoke.

Explains also how it starts fine once you get over that first hard start because no more coolant has had that chance to leak in.

Its in the garage now so hopefully it is just the gasket and not the head . ..

[yashicamat]

Ok I've something similar. Very hard to start and a blast of white smoke when it does. Once it is running though it will start first time if it is knocked off.

Been reading up on this. I beleive it is the headgasket gone as I appear to be slowly losing coolant. Seems coolant leaks it and that is what gives the starting problem because it is trying to burn off the water first. Once it kicks all the coolant is flash burnt off giving the cloud of smoke.

Explains also how it starts fine once you get over that first hard start because no more coolant has had that chance to leak in.

Its in the garage now so hopefully it is just the gasket and not the head . ..

This isn't my problem though - I have no coolant leaks at all. Mine's not perfect these days, but it starts within a second or so now. I also wonder about the state of the battery sometimes . . .