Just had a call from my dad and he’s stuck by a remote beach in Corfu.
Its a 1999 2.5tdi VW T4 german coach built camper.

The van turns over but wont fire at all.
Mentioned that it has gotten worse at starting the last few days.

Could anyone suggest where to start (yes it has fuel in it).
My first thought was dodgy fuel..

If its petrol – check points/dizzy/rotor/coil

If it was me I’d………..

Not give a toss it can’t start, open a beer

Its a 2.5 tdi turbo diesel. Apart from removing pip from fuel filter to engine (to check there is fuel going to engine).. Anything else checkable?? He probably has tools and a multimeter. Houns.. thats what he’s probably done but at some point needs to make a few island hops to get a ferry from greece to Italy on the 11th october

Phone the breakdown service.

He does have breakdown cover presumably ?

glow plugs?

Will it bump start?

it will start without glowpplugs. I have the same van/engine.

Unfortunately I have no experience of it a breakdown as mine has been faultless for 120,000 miles. I know that doesnt really help him 🙂

Is there a fuel shut off solenoid sticking closed perhaps?

Or as above, fuel filter blocked/full of water. I wouldnt be surprised, some diesel on the continent can be absolute junk.

Perished fuel filter O ring, allowing air into the system? If there are clear hoses to the injector pump you will see bubbles.

Might still be the glow-plugs – just because you don’t need to wait for the light to go out doesn’t mean they’re not needed to assist the start.

When they fail you can get by with just one cylinder firing and dragging the rest of the engine into life. Check for continuity across the terminals.

Might also be a pump in the fuel tank, can he park it anywhere facing downhill?

A battery beginning to fail? I have had two vans with those symptoms and and a car and they were solved with new battery. It may turn over but you do need some oomph for a diesel. Sounds like sitting for a bit on holiday may have accelerated battery failure.. Try a jump start or pull start with another van.

ditto battery

also does it have electronic ignition with immobilser? any lights on the dash?

Thanks for the replies.. i have forwarded some suggestions.

Can he hear the fuel pump prime when he turn’s the ignition on? (before turning over)
Had intermittent starting issues with my VAG due to the tank pump.

Last qeek my 08 car just wouldnt do anything. No central locking, lights, no clicking noise indicative of a flat battery. 200miles driven the day before too. New battery = bingo!

If it turns over but not starts fuel system issue. Try fuse for fuel pump first. Then check fuel pump working by removing a fuel line. Will have to reprime system after that. If it’s none of those either leaking fuel pipe letting air into the system or knackered injector.

My money would be on fuel pump has died or blocked injector

Sat in the heat fuel cavitation caused by it sucking air into the filter hence its been getting worse. Get him to check the air bleed bolt on top of the fuel filter housing Is done up. Had it happen once with identical symptoms on a Tdi passat….I had forgotten to nip the bleed bolt tight after a service and it slowly sucked air in. Also second choice would be battery again caused by heat drying a cell out.

does he have a leisure battery he can try?

Having had a T4 crank over endlessly (until flat battery) I’d have suggested glow plugs too, but usually only manifests itself when cold??

Is there a fuel shut off solenoid sticking closed perhaps?

+1

The battery isnt flat. He tried about 8 times to start it then decided it was unlikely to start. Fuel was definitely (or supposed to be) diesel and was filled about 100 kms before the problems started. Ive given him a list of fuses to check and suggestions from here. Luckily they are ‘stuck’ at quite a nice part of Corfu called dassia.. with cold beers in the fridge, ample supply of food and several bikes on the rack. In fact im quite envious of such an awful predicament.

Pull the fuse box cover and find the glowplug relay and the ecu one. Put your finger on it to see if it clicks. If its the ecu one it’s probably a wire in the engine bay. You can jury rig it with a bit of wirr to switch on the relay. Happened to me at the airport. Aa man and a mate on the phone diagnosed it. You need to call the aa or equivalent

Don’t kn

Don’t know if it helps but our peugeot van did just that and it was the immobiliser fuse

Friends t4 got stuck once and that was the immobiliser. Took him ages to find it.

Apparently some water in the fuel filter. Hopefully its that and not some intermittent electrical problem. Thanks everyone, much appreciated.