UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

hi guys newbi here.
Having someproblems with my 1999 polo diesel, prob not somethin you all come across often as you all seem to have GTIs G40s etc, but worth a try.
When cold its a REAL pain in the arse to start, ive changed the glow plugs and made no difference, the car starts fine when warm. the problem has really come to light now we are getting really cold mornings, and can take upto 10-15 mins to get going!not good when your late for work!
Anyone got any ideas?
Merry christmas!!!!

Welcome to the site.

Trust me, there's loads of other diesel owners on here! You name a type of Polo, it's on here

I wonder if it's your fuel pump? Might not be putting enough diesel through. Just a thought, probably way off though!



Good luck with it anyway.

pants78 wrote: hi guys newbi here.
Having someproblems with my 1999 polo diesel, prob not somethin you all come across often as you all seem to have GTIs G40s etc, but worth a try.
When cold its a REAL pain in the arse to start, ive changed the glow plugs and made no difference, the car starts fine when warm. the problem has really come to light now we are getting really cold mornings, and can take upto 10-15 mins to get going!not good when your late for work!
Anyone got any ideas?
Merry christmas!!!!

Has it got hydraulic tappets or manual adjustment......

Basically if it manual the valve clearances tighten over time and as a result the valves are left slightly open when the engin is cold and they are a bugger to start!!!

thanks for the info, not sure bout the tappets, ill look into it and see what the score is.
Cheers again.

Hi pants if its taking a longtime too start it may be piston rings or should i say compression rings might have broke up and its building up compression to fire over a period of time,,or should i say not making good compression and this is why its taking its time too fire,,i hope im wrong but a quick compression test wouldnt go a miss.[/b]

If the rings had broken up would there not be smoke when starting or driving? There is nothing like that, in fact its pretty clean for a diesel, even under hard accleraition i cant see smoke coming out. Something else i can look into though.
Cheers

yeah, I have a 1.9D 1997 model and I'm having the same problem. When the engine is cold I have to give it like four tries before it starts, and we never go under 0 deg here. It like makes a loud hiss noise from under the hood and I turn it off again, but when it starts it runs smoothly. Still can't figure it out...

I solved my problem, I took it to a VW mechanic last thursday and he found, as I was thinking, 2 of the 4 heaters faulty. I've changed all 4 and now my 19D is starting on the first try.

Hey I've just become a 19d owner recentley and am glad to find another. I take it it was your glow plugs then, mine seems to be starting ok just now but I'm gonna keep an eye on it.

Does the glow plug light on yours come on before you start her everytime? Mine doesn't come on if the engine is warm, does that sound right. My only other experience with diesel is a 205 and the light comes on everytime

No, the heaters do glow everytime, but the polo starts heating it's heaters immediately after the driver's door is closed. So if you take more than normal to switch on your ignition, the heaters will be already heated.
Also, if the engine is still warm, it will take much less time to heat the heaters.

This is why your heaters don't seem to light up.

I cant see what the problem might be but mine used to do it till i put a huge battery on any now it starts straight away everytime

Cant fault it

J