EMERGENCY TDI INFO PLZ!!!

[8v-of-fury]

I just need this thread to get some emergency last minute information.. After I'll go back to the other thread I have in the TDI forum.. only want this one because people frequent here.

Car is a 1998 AHU TDI

Owner says the car ran, and then he shut it down and would not start back up again. Replaced gp's and still does not start.. I am thinking that if he *** it down for the half our he said he shut it down for, and tried to start it again.. it would start back up again immediately as my IDI would, because from what I hear the TDI's start easier than the IDI's. I am thinking it must be the fuel shut off solenoid maybe, as it getting stuck shut will not allow the car to start, hot or cold, or with good gp's.. Eh eh?

I mean if it cranks but does not fire, its gotta be one of these two things.. Not getting fuel, or not hot enough to fire off..

Also another thought here, TDI's (from what I have heard) could start in 25C ambient weather without use of gp's.. he would have tried again, and this is really pointing me towards the fuel shut off solenoid.. I think I will stop in to a car parts place in the morn and see if I can't get one before I even get to the car..

NEED IDEA'S PEOPLE

[8v-of-fury]

ALSO, does the TDI utilize an electronic fuel pump to run? or does it still suck from the tank like older IDI's?

I have been reading, it could be the 109 Relay.. but I think that only applies to the mk4's? same with the shudder valve, only mk4 stuff?

[monkey magic]

have you released an injector line to see if it is moving fuel?

ALso, I havent yet used glow plugs on my mtdi (they arent wired up cos i think they're fubarred), and have no problem starting, even in cold weather.

[Dennis Froelich]

Ignition switches are known to take a crap on Mk3s. Possible no power to the pump?

[burn_your_money]

Check the timing belt. Some sellers will tell you anything

Are there any codes?

[8v-of-fury]

I will check to make sure the pump and ECU are getting power, will be taking a jerry can of diesel incase he is just outta fuel, a 17mm wrench to crack the injector lines, and some wire to jump relay 109 if i have to.

What should I use to clean the EGR? and can this be done on the spot at the car real quick like? for a quick fix if it is the problem.. ?? maybe like a shop vac and careful scraping??

I hope this is a quick fix, i kinda want to drive it home today.

I will be for sure checking the TB. is it easy to access or is it behind a metal fortress like the Mk1 1.6D? lol

[Vincent Waldon]

What should I use to clean the EGR? and can this be done on the spot at the car real quick like?

EGR is unlikely to be the cause of "it was running one day and then completely stopped"... having said that it's amazing how constricted it gets... seen 'em coked up enough that a pencil wouldn't fit in.

The problem is that it's the entire intake manifold that gums up... not just the EGR... so the fix is to pull the EGR and manifold off and clean 'em both... 3-4 hour dirty dirty dirty job... or take 'em to your local machine shop and have 'em baked.  Just did the latter on mine... 75 bucks and they are like new.

[8v-of-fury]

well if the EGR is that coked up when i go to look at it, can it be remedied a tad to get the car running? Kinda just looking for solid info to check to get the car home where I will then be able to do a whole ton of stuff to it

I would like to avoid dollying it home, as i do not have access to a truck right now, and that would involve driving back home to get one lol. I'm thinking not running I should be able to knock him down from $500 a bit more, maybe tel him after I do some work that its gonna take a lot to get running correctly

[8v-of-fury]

what happens when a TDI pump is supplied with 12v to the pump shut off solenoid alonE? and is attempted to start?

Will the engine fire off with no ECU running? or what will happen?

[Rabbit on Roids]

i believe it will run in whats called "limp mode".. but i could be wrong.

[zukgod1]

You get this fixed yet?


There is a flapper in the throttle body that mess up and stats shut. "Anti Shutter Valve"


Pull off the intake hose and see it there...

Aside from the flapper valve or the fuel shut off solenoid (NEVER EVER heard of a bad one) on a TDI they just run.

[burn_your_money]

The car won't run without power to the pump AFAIK. Just because the stop solenoid has power does not mean that it will inject fuel. Actually, even fuel at the injectors doesn't mean there is enough to start/run.

Check the big harness connection on the engine, those can come loose sometimes

[zukgod1]

Check the big harness connection on the engine, those can come loose sometimes

Never heard of that before..

That thing locks together like nothing and is hard to take apart when you are trying.

Gotta start somewhere though.

On a TDI no start I always look to the anti shutter valve first. All my techs know not to even come get me until they have checked it.

[burn_your_money]

When I worked for Giles we had a mk3 come into the shop with rough running conditions and several codes. The guy actually had to run a jumper wire to the stop solenoid and then it would run. It was the connection. It was damaged though so that likely was the whole problem to begin with. It looked like it was connected properly but it was about 1/8" out giving intermittent problems.

[8v-of-fury]

Got the car running and bought it went down there armed to the nines with info and things to try to get it running. I was hella-prepared.

Turns out though it was just a bad 109 relay. lol I got him to put it in run and checked some voltage numbers, got 0's so i asked him if i could take a look under the dash after getting a piece of 12awg wires with male spades on it.. plugged it in to where the relay should be.. i asked him to turn the key over.. Vrum vrummmm!! I was so pleased. I was the fourth person to look at it ( imean obviously thats nothing, the oher three must have been dumber then a bag of hammers, if they didnt check the easiest thing first) he told me one guy actually brought his own gp's when buying it to swap them out and try to buy it.. I was like oh, he knew what he was doing for sure.. when it doesn't even need them at this temp.. WOW some people eh? lol

so yeah, he drove it to my place with his own plates, and even four car lengths behind me, i could hear the trubo spooling when we started from a light.. it was awesome! this is gonna be one hell of project for sure.

I had to plead and beg with my mother to let me have my fourth car in the driveway... So i've got one month to get the engine out and the shell gone! Anyone need ANYTHING? I will be making a part out thread, friends get good prices