I have a 2001 Bora pd 115bhp engine code ajm... I recently done the head gasket in it and since it has been done the car is hard start from cold. the engine turns over for 10 or 15 seconds before it will start followed by some white smoke, but once the car is started its starts perfect until left for a couple of hours. problem was not there last week before the head gasket was done.

Well then I don't know what to tell you. The white smoke is caused by something in the combustion chamber. Perhaps the new head gasket was defective. As well, I've seen heads that pressure checked OK leak when they warmed up. What was the reason for the head gasket replacement? Have a smell of the exhaust on startup; glycol steam has a quite distinctive odour. Did you straightedge the block as well prior to assembly? How did you clean the block? You didn't use one of those bloody awful Scotchbrite discs did you? Well then I don't know what to tell you. The white smoke is caused by something in the combustion chamber. Perhaps the new head gasket was defective. As well, I've seen heads that pressure checked OK leak when they warmed up. What was the reason for the head gasket replacement? Have a smell of the exhaust on startup; glycol steam has a quite distinctive odour. Did you straightedge the block as well prior to assembly? How did you clean the block? You didn't use one of those bloody awful Scotchbrite discs did you?

i have the exact same problem....it could be injector seals that seperate the high pressure from the low pressure side leaking into eachother ?also i think there is a check valve in the side of the head between the fuel pump and the head ...i took the pump off yesterday because it was leaking and sealed it with silicone to so have to wait and see does that fix it ...but it is nothing to do with the head or loass of compression ...my other guess is one of the injector has a leaking seat and is draining the fuel rail over e few hours ...or the glow plugs which is affected by cooland temp sensor and fuel temp sensor ..cud be faulty ?ill wait and see but thats a few things i came up with i have the exact same problem....it could be injector seals that seperate the high pressure from the low pressure side leaking into eachother ?also i think there is a check valve in the side of the head between the fuel pump and the head ...i took the pump off yesterday because it was leaking and sealed it with silicone to so have to wait and see does that fix it ...but it is nothing to do with the head or loass of compression ...my other guess is one of the injector has a leaking seat and is draining the fuel rail over e few hours ...or the glow plugs which is affected by cooland temp sensor and fuel temp sensor ..cud be faulty ?ill wait and see but thats a few things i came up with