'99 Mk4 Golf TDI starting issues

[Big G]

I have a 110bhp TDI (AHF) and it's very reluctant to start lately. It is serviced every time it tells me it needs one and has so far covered 260k Latest service was within the last 500 miles using all VAG parts.

I last used the car on Monday night and this morning I goto start it and it acts like a flat battery. I recently took the car to kwik fit to take advantage of their free battery check which resulted in a good battery and good charging voltage hopefully ruling out my battery and alternator. The battery was new probably 18months ago.

The car doesn't smoke when driven even when driven hard and doesn't drink any water or oil. The car also has good performance hopefully ruling out any compression loss, although I will get a CR check just to confirm that.

Even when the car is hot it won't start straight away like you get out to goto the shops and get back in if will turn over several times before eventually firing up.

A friend mentioned a 1 way valve in the fuel line would stop any fuel returning to the tank under the theory: it has heat. it has compression (not confirmed). therefore it's missing fuel. I would of thought if you've left it off for all of 2 minutes it can't of lost all of it's fuel in the lines.

Any ideas or further info needed?

[RudeTony]

Originally Posted by Big G

I last used the car on Monday night and this morning I goto start it and it acts like a flat battery.

Starter motor matey - all the best

[Big G]

I think that might be a good start. new cables from the battery always worked good in previous experiences.

At least the starter is easy to swap around.

[RogerM]

If you don't get it sorted before I'll look at it next time I see you with the car.

If it turns over at a slower than normal speed then starter motor and or cabling could be the issue. If it turns over at normal speed then it's almost certainly a fueling related issue on those engines. Fuel pump rack position sensors and fuel temp sensors can lead to hot starting issues on the 110bhp motors (I have an ABF in the Passat and had both cause trouble, luckily both times the sensors were fine just connection issues)

[Big G]

VAGcom doesn't give me any codes on the engine side of things (only my iffy ABS sensor, but that's enough story lol)

I know there's another AHF in the scrappy so I might go get the starter off it

[spud31]

Has it had a clutch recently ?
Try replacing the main earth lead to gearbox with a descent jump lead as the earth lead is easily damaged an goes v high resistance giving symptoms uve got.
If also sure these have a starter relay worth checking that.
If uve vagcom check the measuring blocks for the MAF as these dying and giving low readings give a poor starting condition.

done some digging engine needs to be spun at 240rpm+ for fuel system to start injecting fuel, both this an Injector pump timing can be checked in vag.com

[Big G]

a slow spinning engine can be related to the starter motor also.

it had a clutch 3years ago done by myself. I'll start with a new motor, power cable and earth strap

[Big G]

Fitted a new starter motor to the golf tonight... It starts like a new car now. As soon as the key is turned it fires