[john-vfr]

I know there are a few lads on here who have had Golfs and the like,so this is a long shot . My brother in law has a Skoda Vrs diesel estate 07 reg and I think 2litre.Same engine as used in Passat/Golf etc i believe.He is having trouble with an intermittent starting problem in that it starts first thing every morning but then the first time he stops it and tries to restart it, say at the shops or whatever,the starter works but it won't fire.Leave it a couple of minutes and off it goes and may not reoccur again for a few days.The finger is being pointed at the immobiliser but the fuel pump has also been suggested.Any ideas lads before he starts throwing money at it cos it's driving him daft.Cheers in anticipation and apologies if this is in the wrong section:

[Robin330i]

I would have it scanned for fault codes first and see if there are any codes on the ecu pointing towards the fault.

[john-vfr]

Scanned at Skoda main agent in Preston and there is a fault code for the immobiliser but they said they could not erase it for some reason.Very strange if they can't do it....thanks for your quick response.He had it scanned when they replaced all the injectors on a recall so we know its not them.

[stevens]

could be a few things tbh, crank sensor for timing, coil etc

[wallsmk2]

isn't the fuel pump a very, very common thing to go on these? I'm not sure where I remember it from, but I recall vw having an issue in the passats so would extrapolate this to other models with the same 2.0 tdi engine

[afalton]

Dual mass flywheels can cause starting issues when they are worn as the crank pick up will not always be in the same position if there is excess play
Good luck with your fix

[Dan-danGT]

To confirm my electric fuel pump in my mk4 golf failed.

Also I thought the 07 vrs was a 1.9tdi with asz engine code? With you saying it has imobikiser faults in the system check all the plugs on the instrument cluster as that is the imobiliser on them

[john-vfr]

Cheers afa and dan, wall and steve ......dual mass sounds expensive ouch and the instrument cluster has been mentioned to us.I need to check which engine it is .I have to say I favour the crank sensor because it is so random when it happens.It may not do it for weeks and then it happens once a day for a couple of days!!!!??? Is there a relay for the fuel pump cos its go for the cheapest first I suppose.

[mowflow]

If I remember correctly from my A3 you can hear the fuel pump kick in on the first turn of the key. I could be wrong, I was told that was what the noise was.

[marcvaf]

had issues like this with my mk4 golf and it was the lamda sensor what ever that is!

[john-vfr]

Ok,will get him to listen for the pump running ...lamba sensor is in the exhaust so would not stop it from firing I think it would just run rough....Oh....the engine is 2 litre bmn Dan

[wallsmk2]

Actually I think on my old mkV golf GT..I think the 170 engine (I forget as it was so awful) the fuel pump would prime when you opened the door. Thinking about it, it was really loud on the mkiv golf I had.

[john-vfr]

Wall...he's under orders to listen for the pump on every start up nowcos i've just phoned him. He said he hears it in the mornings when its quiet but he will check every time now. Also he is very impressed by the response on this forum especially as it is BMW not Skoda related. Thanks again for the input fellas.

[Dan-danGT]

Yeah it's the later engine, also there is a relay I believe it's called a 108 relay? Not sure on that. I had this problem with a friends golf mk5 but it stopped while driving as the pump failed and when they next used the car it ran for 2 miles then cut out once the filter ran dry. I would expect other problems with the car other than an occasional none start.

Also as for dual mass I also am not inclinded to go for that either as the pick up lugs are fixed to the solid side of the flywheel, other wise if it was on the rubber coupling timing would be all over the place. Does the dual mass vibrate the cab/ doors when the engine is idling with a door open? My mk4 flywheel rattles on start up and shut down but it does not vibrate.

If it was me the clocks would be my first port of call, as you fault code is imobiliser related. Keep us informed.

Where about in the UK are you?

[john-vfr]

No vibrations off the flywheel or noises so we are going with the fuel pump first and the dash is second.The thinking is that the relay for the pump may be sticking sometimes stopping it from running.The dash looks easy to get off so thats next and upon close inspection it looks like it might have been off already for some reason!I am in Tameside mate but the car lives by the seaside in Blackpool lol.

[Dan-danGT]

Yeah I would be interested with dash first, only reason is my mk4 golf has not been self priming for about a year but it's always ran no problem until I changed the fuel filter and got air in the system which without the pump I could not get rid of! In the end I bought a pump and I could immediately hear it kick in with the ignition on.

For the price of a relay just change it any way its easy enough

[john-vfr]

Just a quick update on this saga.After almost trading the car in (brother in law actually went as far as putting a small deposit on a Golf but changed his mind at the last moment cos he couldn't live with 60HP less) I am pleased to say we have finally sorted it.Thanks a bundle to all who tried to help....it was the crank sensor in the end.Just needed a clean and adjusting after being disturbed when the garage did his timing belt change.