cylinder 1 glow plug circuit ?

[Devon-Express]

Hi, newbie here so go easy please, have a 2007 golf 2.0 sdi engine code BKD that now refuses to start. It was taking longer and longer to start over the past few weeks or so. After reading various posts on various sites for a while I have so far changed the tandem pump for a known good used one and checked the operation of the heat plugs. Powered directly off the battery all the plugs heat up fast, although light only stays on for about 2 seconds when fitted back in the car. There is fuel at tandem pump. Have put an obd2 reader on it and it has logged codes P0671, p0672, p0673 and p0674 all to do with glow plug circuit I believe. Any help much appreciated, thankyou.

[zollaf]

sounds like you have unplugged the glow plugs and introduced a load of codes. now, with a pd engine you can have 4 failed glow plugs and it will still start, so its doubtful to be a glow plug fault. so, start with the basics, check the timing belt hasn't jumped or snapped. might also be worth seeing if it will start on a little whiff of easy start... and i mean a very carefully applied whiff, not a jet full.

[Devon-Express]

Thanks for the reply. Have tried the old easy start already, it went like a bag of spanners for a second or two then cut out. I managed to get it going a few nights ago and it drove perfect, could it still be timing belt issue? Have been checking glow plug circuit tonight and with 12v test light connected (at the plugs) there is full battery power there for about 3 seconds and then power drops off to a much duller light for about another 6 or 7 seconds or so , does this seem right? I would of thought there should be 12v or so there all the time the relay is activated, although this of course may not be the reason it won't start , thankyou

[Devon-Express]

Just a quick update put new glow plugs not made any difference really still very reluctant to start, looking like an injector problem now gutted.

[niall campbell]

Is the car turning over fast enough to start the car ?

I would get a compression test done

When the dashboard light goes off for glow plugs, the glow plugs still heat up. It is an old rule of thumb to wait 2 seconds after the glow plugs go out before turning engine over. This is supposed to aid starting & also to preserve the life of the glow plugs.

Sometimes, when really cold and possibly due to glow plugs failing ................... people will turn ignition on twice to allow the glow plugs to heat things up before starting the car up

I cannot help but to think of crank speed of starter, battery check for dud cell(s) , compression test , fuel and air filter change, an Italian tune up to clear exhaust & egr valve etc as your cheapest & good practice aids to finding fault


When was timing belt changed ?

Also can you disconnect the coolant temp sender unit & also the fuel temp sender unit ( if fuel one is fitted) before starting the car. These will make the ecu default to cold weather starting

[Devon-Express]

Hi and thanks for the reply
the engine turns over fast (have fitted new battery and it was fully charged)

When it does start it drives fine no hesitation or anything like that. It is the first start that is the problem, after that it starts ok. Once started tho it is very rough on idle. At one point today the engine was running for a few minutes then just cut out as if it had run out of fuel. It would not restart so I sprayed a touch of easy start in, then it started up.
There is power at the plugs, approx 12v for 2 seconds or so, then about 5v then about 3v which holds there.
Air and fuel filters look good, there is a good supply of diesel at the tandem pump which I have already changed.
I I do not have any service history for the toothed belt, although I would say it hasn't been changed for quite some time.
I have disconnected the ect sensor but this made no difference, I am not sure if there is a fuel temp sensor.
Once again thanks for the reply, will update with any progress.