Strange Passat TDi parking behaviour.

[biggrim 0]

Not sure if I've posted this in the right place, so my apologies to the mods if it isn't.

 

I've got a 52 plate TDi Sport Estate and you may recall recently that it left me stranded at work one day. I've noticed a bit of a pattern and was wondering if it was normal behaviour for a diesel or indeed the Passat.

 

If I park my car facing down an incline and leave it overnight, it'll start no problem the next day or when I need it next. However if I park facing up the same slope, it won't start and I have to get it to face down the slope and wait of 5 mins then keep trying it till it starts!!!!

 

Could it be something to do with either the fuel pump in the tank or the oil pump or something?

 

Just a bit annoying because I forgot last night and put my car in the drive nose first (facing up the slope) and spent 15 mins trying to get it started and was late for work.

 

Any ideas?

 

Cheers,

 

Grim

[Toad 0]

The non return valve in the fuel line or pump has failed by the sounds of things, or there is a small leak in the fuel pipe toward the engine end.

[coolrado 0]

Had the same with my last TDI caddy van, it turned out to be a tiny leak in the main fuel line as it goes into the engine bay where it had rubbed on the return line hose clip, parked it nose up it would suck in air and drain the fuel line back to the tank, park it nose down and a small amount of fuel would leak out of the hole but it would start fine as it stopped air being sucked in.

check for air in the fuel line when the engine is running as if there are any holes in the fuel lines you should see a stream of bubbles (if it has any clear sections like the caddy)

[boost monkey 0]

definitely sounds like fuel moving away from the collector when you park nose-up a hill.

[Oldguy 0]

I have a 2000 Passat and it has exactly the same problem as yours. Park uphill (even on a slight gradient) for 2 days and it wont start. I have to keep cranking until fuel arrives or the battery goes dead.

Did you find a solution?

[Robz 0]

i had a freind who had that i think in a mk4 golf, and im sure vw said that it was a common fault and there was nothing they could do about it???

strange??

rob.

[Critical_Mass 10]

Nothing they could do about it. :lol: typical response. Surely its a design flaw.