fr tdi cold start struggle

[alyraver]

hi all

Just a quick question

I have a 2005 Leon FR+ TDI and I am finding that after the car has been sat for a couple of days or more, from cold it struggles to start - very very slightly tho - almost sounds as if its very slightly missing - its literally for about 2/3 secs then its fine.

From warm it doesn't do it, and it always starts no probs. And if the cars been sat all day it also seems fine - It appears to be only doing it after having been sat for a few days..

Its has new MAF, new Bosche started motor, timing kit done 2010 too

Just wandering if this is ok and nothing to worry about (my old 110 did it too..) or if its something I should get looked at

Many thanks

 

[dgjdrummer]

As long as it runs ok after the initial stutter then it sounds like it's just the cold getting to it. Mine does the same and only started doing it since the end of November. Try turning the ignition to live (dash lights) without starting the car, let the glow plug light go out, do this once or twice more and then start, can sometimes help.

 

[alyraver]

ah ok cool yer I tend to try and warm up glow plugs like you say - but I think its the cold weather - when its warmer outside and car hasn't been sitting too long it seems to be fine

cool - many thanks for the help

 

[Benzy]

U could have a glow plug that's not working and therefor its only starting on 3 cylinders then after a couple of seconds the 4th will be warm enough to ignite itself

 

[Tessitura]

Had exact same problem this morning, was pretty frosty too. Spluttered abit but was fine once it got going. When you come to replace your car battery, go for a higher amps one, helps with the cold weather, dunno if that just applys to petrol engines tho.

 

[andy550]

I've had this problem in the past, but I've now had a dpf delete which highlighted the problem of seat not putting my replacement injectors in right. Since seat realigned them I haven't had a problem, though I have to admit there haven't been any seriously cold days since which is when it used to do it most.

 

[BenG]

My '54 FR TDI also stutters for a couple of seconds on cold start, accompanied by a puff of bluish smoke.

It still starts quickly enough even in the cold though.

Possible causes have been suggested to me as glow plugs, or else leaking injector or valve stem seals allowing engine oil to leak into the cylinders which is then burned off when the car starts.

Glow plugs would be the cheapest course of action and they seem fairly accessible for a DIY change at the front of the engine though I guess a deep socket might be required to remove them.

 

[Seal_LCR]

Always best to go cheapest first and wouldn't hurt if you have never changed them?

Blue smoke sounds oil related so that's a seperate issue!

 

[Russ3376]

I have a 54 plate 1.9TDI FR...smokes when starts looks white with an acrid tinge to it..could be diesel?? Ive had new glow plugs and loom, new injector seals, new coolant temp sensor, new timing belt and water pump..oh and new radiator...Im lost now.....

 

[Russ3376]

sorry also starts a bit lumpy...but great after 2/3 secs....

 

[BenG]

I have a 54 plate 1.9TDI FR...smokes when starts looks white with an acrid tinge to it..could be diesel?? Ive had new glow plugs and loom, new injector seals, new coolant temp sensor, new timing belt and water pump..oh and new radiator...Im lost now.....

Friend of mine had a Golf TDI which did the same as your (and my) car. He was told it was the valve stem seals. His car had about 100k miles at the time on I seem to recall.

Can't understand why mine would have worn out at only 63k miles though.

You've kind of eliminated injector seal and glow plug problems. What about leaking injectors? That would let diesel into the cylinders?

 

[Russ3376]

I dunno... I'm

 

[andy550]

With diesels its not uncommon to see a SMALL puff of white/bluey smoke on start-up which is diesel that hasn't atomised. If you've had the PD injector recall replacement then my guess is that Seat didn't align them right. That was the problem with mine and I haven't had the problem since, though as I mentioned before I haven't done a really cold start (less than 3/4 degrees C) since having them realigned

 

[BenG]

With diesels its not uncommon to see a SMALL puff of white/bluey smoke on start-up which is diesel that hasn't atomised. If you've had the PD injector recall replacement then my guess is that Seat didn't align them right. That was the problem with mine and I haven't had the problem since, though as I mentioned before I haven't done a really cold start (less than 3/4 degrees C) since having them realigned

Mine puffs out quite a bit of smoke for 1-2 seconds. Enough to be embarrassing

Wasn't the injector recall for the later piezo-electrically-actuated injectors, not the Bosch solenoid units?

My car has a fault code recorded for an intermittent glow plug fault on cylinder 4 which I wondered might contribute to the smoking but as I understand it the glow plugs are not required for starting in current ambient temperatures (around 13°C here) so perhaps not.

Have been told that leaky injector or valve stem seals could result in diesel / oil getting into the cylinders when the car is stood idle though.

Both sound labour-intensive - hence costly - to replace though

 

[andy550]

Mine puffs out quite a bit of smoke for 1-2 seconds. Enough to be embarrassing

Wasn't the injector recall for the later piezo-electrically-actuated injectors, not the Bosch solenoid units?

My car has a fault code recorded for an intermittent glow plug fault on cylinder 4 which I wondered might contribute to the smoking but as I understand it the glow plugs are not required for starting in current ambient temperatures (around 13°C here) so perhaps not.

Have been told that leaky injector or valve stem seals could result in diesel / oil getting into the cylinders when the car is stood idle though.

Both sound labour-intensive - hence costly - to replace though

Yeah it's for the replacements to the Siemens ones, sorry I'm not sure which engines have got which ones!
Do you know what the Siemens ones were replaced with?

I'd change the glow plug anyway. I think (though I've not done it myself) they are relatively easy to get to, something you could probably do yourself or get a local to do rather than paying a stealer.

 

[BenG]

I assume the Siemens injectors were replaced with more Siemens injectors. Don't know if they managed to sort the design and make it reliable or if they are just bodging up the cars until they're out of warranty.

I think / hope my car has the Bosch solenoid injectors but I understand the later 1.9 engines were fitted with Siemens and not just the 2.0 PD and CR units. The changeover occurred around the 2005 MY I gather though obviously old stock and pre-registered cars will cloud the picture slightly. Mine's a late '04.

 

[seatleon2012]

Hey guys i have the mk5 ibiza 1.6tdi engine..i tend to find on cold start up if i head off right away then stop at traffic lights or some traffic jam the car judders/stutters and bounces up and down sounds like some v8 lol...bit if i go cold start..leave car to idle foe couple mins i seem to gain 5 miles in my tank and car doesnt judder or anything after i head off..im.abit of a noob to diesal engine and hope u guys could shed some light on this for me..is it something to worry about or am i absolurely fine ans my car only done 40.100 miles