Norwegians in need of a garage and some tech knowledge

[Egronnes]

My 1998 2.5 is getting really hard and harder to start in the morning and it blows some white smoke when it eventually ignites. I’m on holiday in New Forest now, and have to head back to Norway, through Belgium, Germany and Denmark on Saturday. The local garages, including Breeze in Pool and Southampton have the time to help us out. I’m afraid to be stranded in the UK with no way to get the car back. Have you guys any experience with this? A local Honda garage said it could be the head gasket, but it holds on to every drop of fluids. I suspect I could be the glow plugs, but I’m not in any way competent to diagnose these things.

Do you also know if a garage with VW magicians near New Forest that might be able to help us out? I’ve had the car garages three times in a week now, so I really need someone who knows their knots.

 

[Egronnes]

Sorry, the garages DON’T have the time to help us out.

 

[mrcheesbrough]

I suppose you could be in a worse place to have these issues. The New Forest is a lovely part of the UK. Anyway. The problem. It's sounds to me like you may have a timing issue. Did you have a cam belt replaced before setting out on your epic journey? Or it could be an injector related issue of some sort. How does the camper run once you get it started? There's also a VW dealer in Salisbury which is north of the New Forest and quite a pleasant city to spend some time in. You could give them a go. A search on Google for VwW Specialists gives a few other local results too. Fingers crossed it's not serious.

 

[Egronnes]

Thanks! The engine sounds sweet when it’s running and it pulls as it should. I changed the timing belt a week before leaving Norway and snapped the fan belt and some pulleys three days into our journey. I’ll give the Salisbury garage a ring tomorrow and and see if they’ve got an hour or two . Thanks again!

 

[zennorboy]

Hi Norwegians

These are the guys that look after my T4 California and they are brilliant! Assuming that you are somewhere near Lyndhurst (in the New Forest) they are only about 20/25 miles from you.

Independent VW Car & Van Servicing Ltd
Unit 9C,
Herald Industrial Estate
Hedge End (near Southampton)
Hampshire
SO30 2JW

Tele: 01489 798 383

Tell them Trevor Mouncey hoped they might be able to help you out.

Obviously, I can't say for sure that they can help in the short time time you have, but they are the best around here by far and good, straight people to do business with...they are utterly trustworthy.

Hope this helps.

I'm only about ten minutes from the garage, so if you need help from me, contact me through the garage...they have my number.

Trevor

 

[sidepod]

I'd check the glow plug fuse.
The light on the dash has no bearing on glow plug performance it simply shows the relay has been activated.

The weather is warm at th moment so you'd almost get away without glow plugs which might indicate why it's starting but only just.

If the glow plug fuse is ok then it could be a failed relay?

Keep us updated on results.

 

[owen_h]

There is a garage in Eastleigh (10 miles from New Forest) which does a lot of work on VAG vehicles. I used them to fit lowering springs:
http://www.independentgarageservices.co.uk/contact.php
Unit 5 Stanstead Road
Boyatt Wood Industrial Estate
Eastleigh
Southampton SO50 4RZ

Further away near Portsmouth there is place that gets good reviews ( I have not used them myself).
http://www.thperformance.co.uk/
Unit 10g Solent Trade Park, Solent Road, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 1JH

 

[Egronnes]

I tried Trevor’s mate in Hedge End, and what a pleasant visit that was! Malcolm, the manager took us in as friends of Trevor’s (thank you, Trev!) and booked us immediately for a full check tomorrow morning. The problem was a faulty temp sensor OR the timing, so we’ll just have everything checked and replaced.
Thanks for your help, guys! You saved our holiday.

 

[calikev]

Great outcome glad you have got it sorted

 

[Egronnes]

Sit rep: The starting issue was NOT fixed. We´ve replaced two temp sensors but still... Moving further north and into colder climates, the car is really hard to start in the morning and blows a lot of smoke, probably unburned diesel. We were planning on a trip across the Norwegian mountain to sleep on the moors, miles from people, but the truth is; we don't dare.
We're trying out the Defa warmer on an camping site tonight, to se if a warmer engine helps in the morning.

 

[sidepod]

Def glow plug power/fuse I think?

Have you checked the glow plug fuse?

 

[Egronnes]

The car started lik a dream today, after a night on the Deaf warmer. Is the glow plug fuse a quick fix or a garage thingy? If it can be done quickly, I can head over the mountains tonight. I read that the 1995 was the only car with a 'normal' fuse for the glow plugs.

 

[Egronnes]

Damn auto correct! DEFA warmer!

 

[sidepod]

Dead easy. Under the bonnet. Example photo. Should be easy to locate. They corrode over time and fracture.

 

[Egronnes]

Checked and they’re fine. Visited a VW specialist in Norway and they said i could be the fuel pump timing belt. So I’ll have that checked.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Good Luck Ergronnes.
Keep us informed.

 

[only t4s]

"The problem was a faulty temp sensor OR the timing,, So they checked fault codes and timing?Faulty temperature sensors are common,timing could be out shortly after cam/pump belt change .T4 tdi should start easily at over 0`C without glow plugs.If it still pulls as usual first check it's the pump timing.

 

[Egronnes]

Update: All my problems was caused by Halfords' in Shoreham adjusting the timing belt three teeth from correct. Had the car at a licensed VW garage today. Some tech didn't do his job properly.

 

[mrcheesbrough]

Update: All my problems was caused by Halfords' in Shoreham adjusting the timing belt three teeth from correct. Had the car at a licensed VW garage today. Some tech didn't do his job properly.

Halfords. Hmmmm. Sadly not the most trusted of garage services in the UK. Not a place most folks here would recommend for ‘deep’ technical problems like the one you experienced.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[motacyclist]

Commonly known as "Halfrauds".

 

[MattBW]

I hope you get your money back from Halfords for that!