morning start problems and air bubbles in the fuel line

Muttley

Catch that diesel!
Mar 17, 2006
4,987
31
North Kent
I've found with mine that hitting the starter just as the glow plug light goes out results in much better cold starting. If I leave it, even for a second or two, it often needs a second try.

Have you tried adding some injector cleaner to the fuel? I'm not entirely convinced that it does much good, but it might be worth a try and will be much cheaper than new injectors, which is the only other way to find out if they're at fault.
 

cypher007

Active Member
Jul 13, 2008
263
0
ok

ive put a can of Forte Diesel cleaner through it on a very low tank level to maximise the cleaning power. though some people recomend filling the fuel filter with it, and then letting it idle. can you have diesel injectors ultrasonically cleaned?
 

cypher007

Active Member
Jul 13, 2008
263
0
still got problems

could it be a duff crank or camshaft sensor (not sure it its got a cam shaft sensor). if it was duff could it avoid the vag-com test? also is the timming on these pumps electronicaly controlled?
 

Muttley

Catch that diesel!
Mar 17, 2006
4,987
31
North Kent
Crank sensor fault should be logged in the ECU and displayed by VAG-com.

There is no cam sensor, this is a single cam engine with no VVT

Injection timing is mechanical, with electronic modification. Commencement of injection and quantity injected are set by servo-controls within the injector pump, under ECU control. The two-stage injection profile is set mechanically by the injector design.
 

cypher007

Active Member
Jul 13, 2008
263
0
heres a graph

heres a graph i took with vag-com some time ago. though it said to check the timming when the engine was hot, so not sure if this is relavent:

timing.jpg
 

cypher007

Active Member
Jul 13, 2008
263
0
i got fed up

i reved the engine to 4000rpm and found the engine would go lumpy and emit lots of grey smoke. it then took some more reving to clear it. have i got a sticky/knackered injector?
 

Muttley

Catch that diesel!
Mar 17, 2006
4,987
31
North Kent
I really don't know, I've not encountered these problems myself. I'd expect injector issues to lead to less fuel delivery, but smoke clouds sounds like overfuelling.
 

cypher007

Active Member
Jul 13, 2008
263
0
ok

it only did it until i reved it hard a few times, which then seemed to clear it. almost like one injector was stuck open.
 

cypher007

Active Member
Jul 13, 2008
263
0
hmm

im now wondering if the bubble thing is possibly just normal, as ive had a motor vehicle tech at work try and eliminate them, and the only way was to bypass the filter.
 

cypher007

Active Member
Jul 13, 2008
263
0
ta

will do. i might have a look this weekend, if its not too parky. i seem to remeber testing the loom last year and getting about 10v on the glow plug connectors, which at the time i thought was correct, but after reading the link you supplied, which i think is on another thread here as id read it a couple of days before, it would seem it should be nearer 12v.
 
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