golf gt tdi 2.0 - cranking fault

[dentmaster666]

hi has any body else had any problems, with there 2ltr tdi, over cranking, as my 54 reg golf turns over alot more than it should when starting, taken back to VW several time and they cannot cure it,  any ideas??  :

[Hurdy]

It may seem a bit of a daft question, but bare with me........

Do you turn the engine over straight after turning it to the ignition point?. The reason I am asking is that some people who haven't had a diesel before tend to try and start the car like a typical petrol engine and this can sometimes lead to the diesel "cranking over" more before starting the engine. Diesels do not have spark plugs like petrol engines, they have glow plugs which need to "prime" before turning the engine on. This doesn't take long, but it would be noticeable if you crank the engine straight from the off. I'm sure TT will give you more detail on this one!

[Teutonic_Tamer]

The glow plugs issue is quite important.  However, modern soot-slingers diesel cold start systems use "intelligent" glow plug circuits, and often don't even illuminate the glow plug warning light.  At this time of year, glow plugs are rarely needed, unless you live inside the arctic circle!

It is a good idea, though, to turn on the ignition, but do NOT crank the engine, for at least 10 seconds.  This allows the fuel pumps to prime, the electronic throttle to self calibrate, and a whole host of other electrical gubbins (including airbags/SRS, and ABS/ESP) to carry out their own self tests.  You should wait for any "ignition-on" warning lights to extinguish, and then crank the engine over.