9icetoo:
I have got a problem that I would need help with.
Car is a 2006 Skoda Octavia 1.9 litre TDI diesel.
Manual transmission.

Last week, car refused to start after work.
Been having hard starting issues for close to 8 months now.

However, car always starts after cranking for 5-10 seconds.
Sometimes oil light beeps as a result of prolonged cranking but car eventually starts with so much white smoke that it kills all the mosquitoes around.

Things done so far:

Scanned car. The autel scanner connects, scans but shows a blank screen after completing deep scan.

To rule out connection error, I connected my Bluetooth elm scanner and could get codes p0401 and p0403. Egr related stuffs. (I blocked off my egr 2 years ago).

I can see the airflow meter, temperature sensor and other sensors with the Bluetooth scanner.

I have traced the wiring running from the camshaft sensor and all engine sensors to where it enters the car. I couldn't find any breaks or cuts. That rules out electrical issues on that path.

Battery in the car is a new 90 amp battery installed two weeks ago.

I have checked fuel supply and fuel comes out of the feed to the tandem pump.

Engine rotates fast enough, rpm registers at least 180 rpm (usually enough to start the car).

Engine coughs like it wants to start but doesn't.

On Saturday, my mechanic came and snuffed the car with diesel and it started.

It ran and we shut it down. However attempts to restart was hit and miss as it would sometimes start without snuffing, other times it would need snuffing.

The mechanic popped the return from the engine to the filter pod and there was so much bubbles in the diesel. Further investigation showed that the return feed from the filter pod back to the diesel tank wasnt flowing any diesel at all.

Mechanic is suspecting that this is cause of my problems.

I am skeptical. I changed that filter pod last year when i had diesel supply issues which turned out to be a collapsed supply hose from the tank to the filter pod.

Can a non flowing diesel return line really cause this sort of headache or should I be looking for something else?

Cheers.
Demeanours please help.

One other detail. When the hard starting started, I could use the instantnous fuel readout to know when the car will start. If I start cranking and the diesel flow gets up to 0.7 l/m, car fires up.
Now it gets up to 1.3l/m and nothing happens, rather it drops off.

GAZZUZZ:


sniffing and vehicle starts is a fuel pressure related issue, for failing Fuelpump, they usually work best after being left alone for a long time (which makes this a bit confusing)

My thoughts If you do not have any Return fuel, it means the fuel pump is not giving out enough pressure for the fuel pressure regulator to give off a return.

9icetoo:
The rains in pH didn't help. I have touched everything except the timing of the car so I decided to try out what I had read on a TDI forum.
I adjusted the camshaft timing by turning it counter clock wise.
When I tried starting the car, the engine revolved faster than it usually does but this time, there was no white smoke coming out of the exhaust. While cranking I was observing the instant fuel consumption display and realised it remained stuck at zero. Usually, the readout goes to about 0.8liters/minute and car fires up.

This means diesel wasn't being injected.

I adjusted the camshaft fully clockwise, this time the fuel display showed 1.1litres/minute during crank and car started after a prolonged crank.

Well, I burnt out my starter while doing this.

However, it made me realise that my issue is with timing. I have ordered for a timing belt kit.
Will use a mechanic to install when it arrives. That type of work is above my pay grade. Will also replace the bad starter. It actually brought out smoke.

9icetoo:
The rains in pH didn't help. I have touched everything except the timing of the car so I decided to try out what I had read on a TDI forum.
I adjusted the camshaft timing by turning it counter clock wise.
When I tried starting the car, the engine revolved faster than it usually does but this time, there was no white smoke coming out of the exhaust. While cranking I was observing the instant fuel consumption display and realised it remained stuck at zero. Usually, the readout goes to about 0.8liters/minute and car fires up.

This means diesel wasn't being injected.

I adjusted the camshaft fully clockwise, this time the fuel display showed 1.1litres/minute during crank and car started after a prolonged crank.

Well, I burnt out my starter while doing this.

However, it made me realise that my issue is with timing. I have ordered for a timing belt kit.
Will use a mechanic to install when it arrives. That type of work is above my pay grade. Will also replace the bad starter. It actually brought out smoke.

nurey:


come and finish the story nah

9icetoo:

Lol. Car has since been sold.
Glow plug relay wiring got shorted out. Diagnosis from electrician was that the whole fuse box needed to be changed. Getting the fuse box was a challenge. Relay was connected direct and problems still persisted.
I park vehicle begin drive the mdx. No Time.
Car was sold last year.
New owner removed the engine and put in a petrol engine.
Turned out cylinders were a bit scoured which leads me to believe the cylinders had low compression.
The glow plug tips were also burnt out which may have contributed to the scouring as the tips fell into the engine.
Sad end to a much loved car.

nurey:


Las Las Japanese won your heart

M-arry

D-at

X

HeavenlyBang:


God forbid.

kingreign:

HeavenlyBang:


God forbid.

nurey:


Las Las Japanese won your heart

M-arry

D-at

X

senatorqz:
PLEASE KINDLY HELP GUYS
I recently got a Nigerian used Skoda octavia, and i have never enjoyed it for once, After spending lots of money to bring it to shape, it started crawling and jacking. Any time i hanged in traffic and tries to accelerate, no matter how i press the gas pedal, it will not accelerate. i need a trustworthy Skoda mechanic to deal with it cos i want to tackle the issue rather than sell the car
my mechanics is a Volkswagen specialist but he was just doing the typical trial and error stop, at first he said gear oil, later coil, now he thinks it is the fuel pump
please kindly help

senatorqz:
PLEASE KINDLY HELP GUYS
I recently got a Nigerian used Skoda octavia, and i have never enjoyed it for once, After spending lots of money to bring it to shape, it started crawling and jacking. Any time i hanged in traffic and tries to accelerate, no matter how i press the gas pedal, it will not accelerate. i need a trustworthy Skoda mechanic to deal with it cos i want to tackle the issue rather than sell the car
my mechanics is a Volkswagen specialist but he was just doing the typical trial and error stop, at first he said gear oil, later coil, now he thinks it is the fuel pump
please kindly help

9icetoo:

Skoda is a Volkswagen with a different badge.
I guess you have to look for another mechanic. If you are in Lagos, reach out to greatstephenho on Nairaland. He might help you source for a decent mechanic.
Volkswagen's. Haha. Na person wey never gave their wahalla.