golf mk3 tdi cold start problems

[samgti]

my 95 golf tdi cranks about 6 secounds to start on cold starts everytime.sometimes i crank it twice.
its parked in the garage overnight,everything feels normal and starts up quickly once its warmed up.
i dont think its to do with the cold temperatures in sydney,but i dont know where to start?
didnt have any late cold startings in the last 3 winters that i got the car.
did anyone had this problem?any suggestions?

[Transporter]

Check the glow plugs first, then glow plug's relay and also make sure that the battery has enough capacity.

[samgti]

thanks.the battery cranks powerfully and seems ok.
any best ways to test glow plugs?would it be to take them out one by one and get someone to turn ignition on and have a look or perhaps a better way of doing it?
i turned the ignition on twice this morning to give it a boost on glow plugs
it did fire up quicker.
havnt changed any glows at the last 80ks driving the car and not sure when was changed last
as its done 280ks,would it be beter to change them anyway?
i also changed the feul filter this morning as i had a spare one just incase.

[gldgti]

glow plugs can be tested if you take them out and hold the body in the clamp of a jumper lead, and the connect that end of the jumper lead to a terminal on the battery. then just press the threaded post onto the other battery terminal. the plug should glow red hot in about 3-5 seconds.

you may also check them by disconnecting the wiring from them, and then use a multimeter to test the resistence through the glow plug by testing between the threaded post on the plug and an earth on the engine (the head). resistence should be less than 4 ohms.

[samgti]

thanks.
i have taken out glow plugs and test them with the battery(very good idea).
they got hot within a second,so i tried with the original wire tuching the engine body
didnt respond at all,the two wires going to a rellay kind a thing at the end but dont know how i can test it?

[gldgti]

disconnect the glow plugs supply wire, and use a multimeter to test voltage between the supply lead and earth with when you get a friend to switch the ignition to on. you want to see at the very very least 12.5V there (without any of the glowplugs connected.)

[samgti]

thanks.
there is no voltage at the glow plug wiering.
but the beast still fired up with no glow leads connected.

[Transporter]

Glow plug timer relay should send power to the wire connecting to glow plugs for certain time when you turn the ignition "ON". The next step would be to check that relay. Make sure that timer relay gets power as well, before you replace it.

[samgti]

thanks.
where whould the relay be located?
I tried in the engine bay but couldent realy find it there.

[Transporter]

I don't recall exactly where is the relay located, but follow the wiring from the glow plugs. Just a silly question, did you check the fuses?

Also check the wiring from the glow plugs with the Ohm meter negative clamp on battery negative and positive on top of the glow plug, the meter should read 30-40 ohms (engine cold)

[samgti]

Thanks.
I just cheked the feus box,they all working ok.
noticed about 6 relays on there as well,with diferent numbers marking on them.
i wounder if one of them might be the glow plug relay?

[gldgti]

i am embarrassed to say i too cannot recall the location of the glow plug relay in the mk3 (mine has never failed me). In the old system, the glow plug relay was (i think) number 54. In any case, it is a larger relay and it will have about 3 very large blades and several smaller ones coming out of it (unlike wiper/washer and blinker and headlight relays - it carries much greater current).

[samgti]

Thanks.
without the advisses i couldnt get this far on my own.
now with the help of gldgti and transporter im nearly there.
the relay numbers are 94,36,21,53,99,18,109,72+another53+a 30 amp fuse
i will try to test them and look for the one gldgti sugested first.

[samgti]

ok,
the relay is right under number 91
Its a white plain hella brand,it was working ok.
the fault was from a sensor(switch) that is the only one conected to the top rediator hose.
it only activats glow plugs when engine is cold.
i couldnt track one quick,so i bypased it behind the relay and made up a switch
to manualy turn the glow plugs on,until i track one out.
this mornning i turned the switch on for two secounds then crank.
emidietly it started
thanks for peoples suport and everyones thoughts into it.

[gldgti]

great work mate, well done