Intermittant td4 starting problems

Sorry if I'm repeating posts but I couldn't find info when searching my specific problem.
Which is: with my 2005 td4, just rcently the damn thing sometimes starts first time as usual and sometimes it just turns over, half fires up and then dies on me. If I give it gas it will then start up. (never had to give it gas to start in the past) No white smoke, the problem appears both when car is cold starting or hot starting and, for what it is worth, I changed the low pressure fuel pump about six months ago. Also, for what it is worth again, it does seem to be running ever so slightly irregularly ( though this could be me going paranoid)...
Any ideas? Is something big and expensive about to bang me on the head?
Thanks in advance!

i have a similar issue with some white smoke once it does start i cleaned the EGR valve and the car then started fine. The problem has started coming back but im blocking off the EGR this week anyway to see if that makes a difference

I'll give that a go, although I haven't got any white smoke issues. Injector problems methinks, but not really sure...

sadsack said:

I'll give that a go, although I haven't got any white smoke issues. Injector problems methinks, but not really sure...

Click to expand...

check if yer fuel filter has been changed, simple test fer ya. . . .your pump is at the rear ,so ignition on [don't start and get a helper to do this, ]put hand or listen for the pump. . . .with the ignition on, it should run [the pump] for about 10-30 secs then stop [this proves that it maintained the high pressure top limit] if not then check fuse [for fuel pump] if thats good , then filter or. . . . .suspect pump,[note ,it could be weak or intermittent] if it keeps running ,look for a leak, or high pressure sensor. . . . . .simples

Vacuum pipes?

Thanks for that, will check the fuel pump stuff today.

Checked the fuses and pump and all seem fine but seen something curious: in the engine compartment fusebox there is no fuse in the number three slot ( engine management). Is this normal? Apart from my dodgy starting problem the car seems to have always run fine without it, but it just is slightly desconcerting... (its a 2005 td4)... Any ideas?

isn't that the gap with a * by the picture? As in - *only where fitted?