So last night while moving in slow traffic the engine cut out and failed to restart I got no dash warning lights. When recovered the mech thought it was a blocked fuel line and just loaded me up and took me home. This morning we've swapped out the fuel filter and can see fuel being pumped into the filter fine.

 

The starter motor is trying to start the engine but it fails to fire up. VAG-COM doesn't show any errors logged and you can hear the fuel pump pressuriing when you turn the key.

 

Has anyone got any ideas as to what could be casuing the failure to start?

Check the cam is turning.

If the cambelt had gone would it not hit the valves ?

If the cambelt had gone would it not hit the valves ?

 

Yes, and it wouldn't start due to lack of compression.

Does the rev counter show any action when cranking the engine?

I would check the cambelt is still fitted and turning first stop if it is then it could be lots of things really, if you have vcds try to watch measuring blocks for cranking rpm next.

Edited 2 December, 20169 yr by felicia16v

I will go out now and have a look to see if the Rev counter works while cranking,it was trying yesterday for about 5 or 6 seconds then it gives up and just turns over !

Rev counter shows cranking over at 2 then when it try's to fire revs go to 4 and stops trying and just turns the engine over, I have monitored some values with vcds so I will go ang retrieve them, cheers Stuart

It's saved some data but the only way I can view a CSV file displays all mixed up, I have changed the fuel filter but at the moment there is a leak at the top which I am trying to sort out, cheers Stuart

We have checked the timing and thats OK but there is a white 'steam' coming out of the air inlet, the diesel leak was the plastic T piece on top of the filter which req a new one,for the timebeing we have superglued it back together so we crank the engine but it still wont start. cheers Stuart

I would call it smoke not steam. Could a broken turbo send the exhaust gas back into the air inlet thus smothering the engine causing it to die?

We have checked the timing and thats OK but there is a white 'steam' coming out of the air inlet, the diesel leak was the plastic T piece on top of the filter which req a new one,for the timebeing we have superglued it back together so we crank the engine but it still wont start. cheers Stuart

 That's the fuel thermostat

the egr valve could be stuck open that will choke it, the turbo may have gone and be blocking the inlet, try removing the boost pipe from the inlet manifold and starting it

Have you checked the anti-shudder valve?

One major concern for me is I've found very small bits of metal in the inercooler pipes. Also Silly question time - when "off" will the main EGR valve (that you can clearly see if the pipe is removed) stay open or should this close?

That's your anti-shudder valve, by the sounds of it. Should be open when engine is off.

I think felicia maybe correct. Exactly the same when my turbo went last time.

Not what you want to hear but hopefully no other damage

One major concern for me is I've found very small bits of metal in the inercooler pipes. Also Silly question time - when "off" will the main EGR valve (that you can clearly see if the pipe is removed) stay open or should this close?

 

Your turbo has shat itself.

Your turbo has shat itself.

another insightful, sarcastic post from you purely written to up your post count ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

 

Well it looks like I'm going to spend next weekend removing the turbo to inspect it. I haven't found any guides yet (besides the haynes) - any advice?

You can inspect it just by whipping off the turbo inlet pipe, it should be very obvious if your intercooler pipes are full of swarf.

Disconnected air inlet and output pipes from turbo and also disconnected the air mass flow sensor and also moved the flap on the egr, and she started ???? Trouble is what caused it to stop on the motorway ? I am suspecting the EGR because before the engine started it was giving off a very high pitched whistle ! So will take it off and give it a good cleaning. What's the best way to check the turbo as its right under the engine ?

Edited 5 December, 20169 yr by sparky2

The broken turbo is blocking the air from being sucked into the engine so with the pipes off it can suck air. At a guess the whistling was the turbo dieing then it fell apart and stalled the engine

Yeh I suppose if the turbo is siezed it would restrict the airflow,  we are finding out prices of turbos TPT quoted £1220 less about £200 for the exchage unit so we are just looking into hows best to get to it and find a few more prices, the whistle was the EGR valve with the rubber pipe on it, cheers Stuart

So today we took the air intake off the turbo and found the spline had split in two off the shaft. Looks like the comments of a jammed turbo are right....