850 TDI Starting problems.

[sideways dan]

Evening all. I've had my 1996 850 TDI for about 6 months now. About a month after i bought it it began to have issues when starting. The problem being that it will turn over for 20 to 30 seconds, catching occasionally but not starting, then eventually it will start. this happens whether it is hot, cold parked uphill and downhill. My brother is a ford mechanic and has had a look at it. He took a look at the fuel timing and discovered it was a tooth out, so he timed it up correctly according to the timing marks but then it wouldn't start at all! he put it back to one tooth out and low and behold it starts but again takes its time. Has anyone elde had this issue or have any ideas what the problem could be? Thanks in advance, Dan.

[TooLateForAName]

could be almost anything. Did he play with the pump belt or the timing belt? If you want to play with the pump side of things then follow the instructions properly, you need a gauge on the pump. Volvo do it by measuring the emissions.

I think the 850TDi can be interrogated with VAG-COM. It is the VW 5cylinder engine. The last years worth of the V70 (2000ish) has a different engine management system but the early ones are supposed to be OK with Vag-COM.