Check ZK for Leaks and Cracks

Hi,

"For a few weeks now, my A4 170 HP TDI (German market) hasn't always started immediately. The temperatures are quite cold for this time of year, ranging from -15 to +3 degrees Celsius. Sometimes, after the glow plugs have warmed up, it suddenly cranks for 4-5 revolutions before it finally starts. When it's warm, it starts immediately..."
The current mileage is 89,000 km. At 80,000 km, the PD elements were cleaned, and according to the mechanic, the timing chain cover was also inspected for cracks, as this can sometimes occur in this model. There were no cracks found at that time, according to the mechanic; everything was in perfect order.
The coolant level remains the same. There is no water in the engine oil. The defective glow plugs are also not displayed in the diagnostic system, and there are no other error messages.
I have a strange feeling, especially since the warranty expired this year. But normally, Audi will often cover the cost of a faulty thermostat on good will basis, even if the mileage is under 100,000 km.

There might be other methods to check the tightness or cracks in the ZK (presumably referring to a specific component or system).

Thank you for your suggestions...

Quote:

Perhaps there are other methods to check the ZK for tightness or cracks...

Disassemble and x-ray .
To be honest, I don't see any reason to look for cracks when it's highly unlikely that there are any.

And as for why it doesn't always start on the first turn, there are a thousand other possibilities. As long as it starts reasonably well, which it does, I don't see any reason to investigate this further.


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"Sorry, but I'm just worried because he usually starts right up on the first turn, which is typical for TDI engines. You usually don't read much good about the engine, although so far I haven't had any problems with it, except for the carbonized injectors."
I'm just a little skeptical because it no longer has a warranty. If there's an issue with the engine, Audi usually only offers goodwill coverage up to 100,000 km. Anything above that is usually denied.

Sure, here is the translation of the text from German to English:

"MFG" is an abbreviation for "mit freundlichen Grüßen," which means "best regards" or "sincerely." It is commonly used in German-language emails and letters.