got a ’96 T4 800 special 1.9 non turbo van.

I love it.

but recently it’s taking an age to start from cold – winding over for ages – I’m thinking it’s the glow plugs, as once it’s going, it’s as good as it ever was.

so two questions:

Am I right?

how hard to change glow plugs on one of these?

Jim

Sounds like glowplugs mate, go on the vwt4 forum loads of info

If it’s anything like my old 2.4 it’ll be a pig of a job with the injector pump needing to come off.

Check the fuse first. That’s what it was on my lad’s Combo van.

Jim,

Definitely sounds like the glow plugs. Mine did exactly the same last year, new glow plugs and it started very easily.

As regards changing them, they are a pig. Took me 8hrs, lots of swearing and skin off my knuckles but I did it. Secret weapon was a ratchet spanner, priceless. Seriously they are difficult to get at, but you do not need to remove the radiator etc as it says in some guides, but being double jointed helps. The one that is the worse is apparently the one behind the fuel pump, this was the easiest for me though for some reason.

One idea though, do you wait for the light to go out? If so wait longer, the light is only an initial sign. If you leave the ignition in the same place for around 20-25 seconds you will hear a relay click from the right hand side of the dash (near the fuse box) and this is the point where the plugs are fully heated. Try starting it then, it should help a little.

Regards,
Matt.

Battery? I had those symptoms and assumed it was glow plug but in the end it was a knackered battery.
Does it start after warming the glow plugs up a bit? Ignition on, without turning the engine, for ten seconds then off- repeat this 3 or 4 times the try to start it. Apparently if it then starts the problem is glow plugs.

cool. deffo not the battery. was hoping it would be easier with my tiny engine!

Oh well, scraped knuckles, here we go.

Seriously they are difficult to get at, but you do not need to remove the radiator etc as it says in some guides,

Can’t say for the 1.9 but on the 2.4 taking the radiator out makes things so much easier, well worth doing for the home mechanic, who might only change the plugs once.

You can test them in some way or other I believe. It oculd also be the glow plug relay, if it’s suddenly gone difficult to start.

8mmm ratchet spanner that’s quite long is helpful, if it’s an AAZ (or whatever the non turbo equivalent was).