Does anyone have any other suggestions for what I could watch
Disconnect the return hose from the fuel injection pump to the diesel filter and check if a visible stream of diesel fuel is coming out when the engine is cranked.
Have you checked with VAG Com to see if the WFS (Vehicle Speed Fluctuation System) is active? Do you have the original speedometer installed? Or is the immobilizer deactivated in the engine control unit?
..but because the exhaust manifold is not attached, it should start after a longer cranking period.
It smells strongly of diesel, but it doesn't actually do that.
Hello,
It could be because the particulate filter (DPF) isn't actually regenerating, and the diesel fuel is just being circulated within the system.
So, as Matthias already mentioned, let's check the wiring of the PDE (Power Distribution Element) (power supply, connection cables at the MSG swapped, causing the PDE to close the bypass at the wrong time?).