T5 AXB engine starting problems

[badger440]

Afternoon all,

After someone can offer their expertise on this. I'm a trained mechanic but I have zero experience with the PD engines.

I bought a 2004 T5 Transporter 1.9d with the AXB engine 5 years ago that was overheating. I found it to be the head gasket. Cylinder head was sent away so the surface could be machined. Head gasket kit, water pump, injector seals and all the intake/exhaust gaskets were replaced and engine was starting/running fine.

For the last couple of years this thing has not been starting well. I'm converting it into a campervan and I have a few other things I'm building so this has never been a priority until now.

Symptoms are hard starting, takes a long time cranking it over for it to fire up. Increasingly, I had to keep the revs up until the engine had warmed up, otherwise it misfires, splutters and dies.

Fault codes have been checked, on occasion there has been a camshaft DTC. However, once cleared and the engine is still not firing up straight away, the DTC does not return.

Over the last year I have done the following;

Replace glow plugs and relay.
Installed 1-way valve in fuel line to confirm lift pump in the tank isn't the source
Fuel filter has been replaced
Tandem pump replaced and adjusted fuel injectors just before Christmas

I've recently got VCDS on my laptop. Found that the torsion value was -1.7kW. Have now adjusted this to 0kW.

Compression test has been carried out with the following results;

Cyl 1 360psi
Cyl 2 380psi
Cyl 3 380psi
Cyl 4 370psi

The only noticeable improvement I've seen is that after replacing the tandem fuel pump, whilst it still takes ages for the engine to fire up, it no longer has much of a misfire when cold.

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions. I'll be looking to invest in the revised injector clamps and replace the injector wiring loom while the cam cover is off. I'm considering removing the fuel injectors so they can be tested.

I've seen reports online that the injectors can wear a groove in the cylinder head and this needs to be sanded back so as not to damage/nik the seals when refitting the injectors. Is this a thing?

Cheers,

Craig

 

[WelshGas]

Afternoon all,

After someone can offer their expertise on this. I'm a trained mechanic but I have zero experience with the PD engines.

I bought a 2004 T5 Transporter 1.9d with the AXB engine 5 years ago that was overheating. I found it to be the head gasket. Cylinder head was sent away so the surface could be machined. Head gasket kit, water pump, injector seals and all the intake/exhaust gaskets were replaced and engine was starting/running fine.

For the last couple of years this thing has not been starting well. I'm converting it into a campervan and I have a few other things I'm building so this has never been a priority until now.

Symptoms are hard starting, takes a long time cranking it over for it to fire up. Increasingly, I had to keep the revs up until the engine had warmed up, otherwise it misfires, splutters and dies.

Fault codes have been checked, on occasion there has been a camshaft DTC. However, once cleared and the engine is still not firing up straight away, the DTC does not return.

Over the last year I have done the following;

Replace glow plugs and relay.
Installed 1-way valve in fuel line to confirm lift pump in the tank isn't the source
Fuel filter has been replaced
Tandem pump replaced and adjusted fuel injectors just before Christmas

I've recently got VCDS on my laptop. Found that the torsion value was -1.7kW. Have now adjusted this to 0kW.

Compression test has been carried out with the following results;

Cyl 1 360psi
Cyl 2 380psi
Cyl 3 380psi
Cyl 4 370psi

The only noticeable improvement I've seen is that after replacing the tandem fuel pump, whilst it still takes ages for the engine to fire up, it no longer has much of a misfire when cold.

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions. I'll be looking to invest in the revised injector clamps and replace the injector wiring loom while the cam cover is off. I'm considering removing the fuel injectors so they can be tested.

I've seen reports online that the injectors can wear a groove in the cylinder head and this needs to be sanded back so as not to damage/nik the seals when refitting the injectors. Is this a thing?

Cheers,

Craig

Sorry, can't help with your problem but believe you might have more luck on the T6 or T4 Forums as they are more into the mechanical side of things.

New posts

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www.vwt4forum.co.uk

 

[tobyduke]

Afternoon all,

After someone can offer their expertise on this. I'm a trained mechanic but I have zero experience with the PD engines.

I bought a 2004 T5 Transporter 1.9d with the AXB engine 5 years ago that was overheating. I found it to be the head gasket. Cylinder head was sent away so the surface could be machined. Head gasket kit, water pump, injector seals and all the intake/exhaust gaskets were replaced and engine was starting/running fine.

For the last couple of years this thing has not been starting well. I'm converting it into a campervan and I have a few other things I'm building so this has never been a priority until now.

Symptoms are hard starting, takes a long time cranking it over for it to fire up. Increasingly, I had to keep the revs up until the engine had warmed up, otherwise it misfires, splutters and dies.

Fault codes have been checked, on occasion there has been a camshaft DTC. However, once cleared and the engine is still not firing up straight away, the DTC does not return.

Over the last year I have done the following;

Replace glow plugs and relay.
Installed 1-way valve in fuel line to confirm lift pump in the tank isn't the source
Fuel filter has been replaced
Tandem pump replaced and adjusted fuel injectors just before Christmas

I've recently got VCDS on my laptop. Found that the torsion value was -1.7kW. Have now adjusted this to 0kW.

Compression test has been carried out with the following results;

Cyl 1 360psi
Cyl 2 380psi
Cyl 3 380psi
Cyl 4 370psi

The only noticeable improvement I've seen is that after replacing the tandem fuel pump, whilst it still takes ages for the engine to fire up, it no longer has much of a misfire when cold.

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions. I'll be looking to invest in the revised injector clamps and replace the injector wiring loom while the cam cover is off. I'm considering removing the fuel injectors so they can be tested.

I've seen reports online that the injectors can wear a groove in the cylinder head and this needs to be sanded back so as not to damage/nik the seals when refitting the injectors. Is this a thing?

Cheers,

Craig

Hi Craig
Did you ever resolve this? I’m having exactly the same problems with my 2007 Transporter.
Cranks over for a few seconds before stalling, then second time starting take ages before firing up. It will drive fine then, and start if left for 30 mins or so. Any longer then that and it has the same starting procedure again. I’ve done all the same replacements and tests you have done.
Cheers

 

[WelshGas]

Hi Craig
Did you ever resolve this? I’m having exactly the same problems with my 2007 Transporter.
Cranks over for a few seconds before stalling, then second time starting take ages before firing up. It will drive fine then, and start if left for 30 mins or so. Any longer then that and it has the same starting procedure again. I’ve done all the same replacements and tests you have done.
Cheers

I'm afraid the OP has not been back to the Forum since his original Post.

 

[sidepod]

Just been through all of this on my PD Golf.

Initially injector seals cured the problem but it’s back but not as bad.

I’m convinced it’s the lift pump (in the tank)..
I know you said you’ve checked this but……

There are pressure values for ignition on no cranking etc somewhere on line , I’ll see if I can find them.

Also, I recently replaced the short rubber fuel lines feeding the tandem pump. They weren’t leaking but were perished.
I did wonder if cooling down over night was allowing a slight air path to allow the fuel line pressure to drop?

Do you hear the lift pump “squelch” when you turn on the ignition? If not, this could be the problem?
They are prone to cracking around the fuel line connections.

I take it the torsion values led you to tweak the timing?

 

[sidepod]

Try here

https://www.myturbodiesel.com/d2/1000q/LiftPump.htm

Also was the tandem pump OE or eBay ?
I bought a “new “ pump and it turned out to be garbage and leaked oil.
I bought a seal kit and rebuilt the original which has now done 280k miles and is back on the car.

 

[sidepod]

Oh and another thing…..

Have you had the cam cover off to inspect the camshafts?
Unless the correct VW spec oil is used, these PD lumps do like to lunch the camshafts.
Could that explain the torsion value?

 

[sidepod]

Bedtime reading on PD torsion values.
I think I’ve been through all of these threads, apologies if you have to.

PD Engines - The Problem of Setting Torsion Value

Since first working on the PD motors, we found the setting of the torsion value a bit of a mystery. The torsion value is located in VCDS/Engine Module/ block 4/ torsion value. We tended to figure that 0.0 was a good figure and originally let it go at that. However, early on, we had a Passat...

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