Engine problems - fires up very difficult

[bmassaer]

Good morning,
We drive a 2007 VW California. For about two months now, the engine fires up very difficult. It only occurs when the car was parked overnight or for a longer period - we drive it often, but not daily. Once started, the engine runs fine and there is no more problem. If we fire it up some hours after a drive, there seems to be no problem. But an overnight later, again firing up the engine is very difficult. It turns and howls for about twenty seconds to half a minute, then it fires up. On the panel we have this unspecific message "generator werkstatt".

The mechanic replaced the battery (it was the original, more then ten years old), he read out the computer, he replaced the diesel filter but it all did not work.

Any idea what this can be?

Thank you!

Bart

 

[Gazellio]

Do VW Diesels have glow-plugs? These are usually the culprit with similar symptoms on a Land Rover Discovery 3/4.

 

[calikev]

My bet would be glow plugs

 

[mrcheesbrough]

Good morning,
We drive a 2007 VW California. For about two months now, the engine fires up very difficult. It only occurs when the car was parked overnight or for a longer period - we drive it often, but not daily. Once started, the engine runs fine and there is no more problem. If we fire it up some hours after a drive, there seems to be no problem. But an overnight later, again firing up the engine is very difficult. It turns and howls for about twenty seconds to half a minute, then it fires up. On the panel we have this unspecific message "generator werkstatt".

The mechanic replaced the battery (it was the original, more then ten years old), he read out the computer, he replaced the diesel filter but it all did not work.

Any idea what this can be?

Thank you!

Bart

This does sound like a glowplug problem as you suggest the camper starts fine if it's not been left to cool right down. Are you experiencing very cold temperatures overnight where you live? If you are the glow plugs will need to work harder/longer than normal to get things fired up. A trick you could try if there is any life left in them is to turn the ignition key to the on position until the glow plug light goes out, turn the key off then back to the on position until the glow plug light goes out, repeat for maybe 3 times then make an attempt to start the engine. If the glow plugs are dead then this trick will have no effect and they will most likely need replacing. If it does work then they will still need replacing but at least you can start it more easily in the short term. Glow plugs can be tested without their removal to check their condition. The message on your dashboard suggests an alternator fault but that maybe because you're having to crank the engine for so long to get it fired. Let us know how it goes.

 

[bmassaer]

The previous weeks we had temperatures around 4 - 5°C, so not too cold. And yes, it only happens when the car is stalled at least overnight. In the end the engine alwas starts up, but after a lot of work. I will try the trick and tell you how it goes!

 

[mrcheesbrough]

The previous weeks we had temperatures around 4 - 5°C, so not too cold. And yes, it only happens when the car is stalled at least overnight. In the end the engine alwas starts up, but after a lot of work. I will try the trick and tell you how it goes!

Not subzero for sure, however its usually around that kind of temperature glow plug condition becomes critical for cold starting on a diesel engine. It's also around then that the auxiliary coolant heater should begin to fire to help the engine reach normal operating temperatures more quickly - that's another subject though and wouldn't effect starting the engine from cold.

 

[Gazellio]

I am not sure if the Aux Coolant heater fires until the engine fires - if it did a few minutes and problem solved.

 

[mrcheesbrough]

I am not sure if the Aux Coolant heater fires until the engine fires - if it did a few minutes and problem solved.

The coolant heater won't fire until the engine is running - the alternator sends a signal confirming that. It also needs the external ambient temperature to be somewhere vaguely below 4C or 5C. My one on my '01 Westy doesn't kick in til the temp drops to 3C. Thank goodness for heated seats.

 

[Gazellio]

A retrofit remote fob for the coolant heater may well be cheaper than glow-plug replacement and the risks of them snapping when trying to get out!

 

[mrcheesbrough]

A retrofit remote fob for the coolant heater may well be cheaper than glow-plug replacement and the risks of them snapping when trying to get out!

Hmmm. Maybe if the glow plugs snapped. But I think we may be getting ahead of ourselves here. There are many other things that are worth checking beforehand.

 

[SimonK]

If it's not the glow plugs get the injectors checked.

 

[WelshGas]

The previous weeks we had temperatures around 4 - 5°C, so not too cold. And yes, it only happens when the car is stalled at least overnight. In the end the engine alwas starts up, but after a lot of work. I will try the trick and tell you how it goes!

In a 10 yr old vehicle, on the Continent, that tends to experience much colder winters then I would put my money on the Glow Plugs.
Very unlikely to have problems in replacing them if done by someone knowledgeable and with the correct tools.

Just one thing, if switching the Ignition On/Off a few times doesn't improve the starting you should check the Fuse AND the Relay on the circuit before focusing on the Glowplugs.

Relay under Battery.
http://www.vwt5forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=154771

http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=59955

 

[Gazellio]

In a 10 yr old vehicle, on the Continent, that tends to experience much colder winters then I would put my money on the Glow Plugs.
Very unlikely to have problems in replacing them if done by someone knowledgeable and with the correct tools.

Just one thing, if switching the Ignition On/Off a few times doesn't improve the starting you should check the Fuse AND the Relay on the circuit before focusing on the Glowplugs.

Relay under Battery.
http://www.vwt5forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=154771

http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=59955

I mentioned Glow-plugs breaking on attempted removal as my experience is with Discovery 3/4 and with these they break very often when attempting to remove as noted in the Discovery forums. However VW Glow-plugs maybe easy to remove I have no experience.

 

[sidepod]

Or the glow pkug control relay?
Get the voltmeter out and check it.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Obviously try the glow plugs first.
However, it could possibly be a problem with the cylinder head. Might be worth getting a compression test done on it.
Fingers crossed it’s not. But be prepared if it is

Good luck

 

[bmassaer]

OK - some update now. First the glow plugs were changed, with unfortunately no result. Then the relay underneath the battery - driving the glow plugs - was changed and... yes, problem solved!
Thank you all for helping out!

 

[mrcheesbrough]

OK - some update now. First the glow plugs were changed, with unfortunately no result. Then the relay underneath the battery - driving the glow plugs - was changed and... yes, problem solved!
Thank you all for helping out!

That’s great news. And just in time for the cold weather too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sidepod]

OK - some update now. First the glow plugs were changed, with unfortunately no result. Then the relay underneath the battery - driving the glow plugs - was changed and... yes, problem solved!
Thank you all for helping out!

 

[jts46]

OK - some update now. First the glow plugs were changed, with unfortunately no result. Then the relay underneath the battery - driving the glow plugs - was changed and... yes, problem solved!
Thank you all for helping out!

Glad it is cleared the problem, have you a photo of the relay and it's position?