GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: danj3000 on 11 September 2009, 09:41
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Morning all,
Need your expert opinion please. I'm having issues starting with my '88 8v GTI and have gone through a quick process of elimination but as i'm so busy with work, its proving hard to find the time!
Basically the symptoms are as follows:
/ Issues starting from cold, the starter motor turns over no problem, the engine just isn't catching.
/ When the engines up to temperature, then the engine starts no problem.
/ I have replaced the spark plugs with new but this hasn't helped - the old plugs were very black so the engine was obviously being over fueled.
/ The problem has only just arisen in the last week and quite suddenly!
/ I am now starting to think the engine may not be breathing properly - i've checked and cleaned the air filter.
/ When the car is running it feels slightly flat and not quite as responsive as before.
If anyone has any ideas then that would be fantastic. :smiley:
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I've had someone suggest it could be the coolent temperature sensor for the ecu, could this be the case?!
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yes it could well be, check the flange on the front of the head. depending on the age of the car its either a 2 pin white sensor threaded into an alloy housing, or a 2 pin blue sensor thats a push fit and secured with a clip.
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Thanks Runjonny, it is a 2 bin blue sensor that is a push fit and clipped on. Is this something I can grab from gsf or is it VW dealer jobby?!
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Try this !!!!!!!!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGMUGjlV5HU
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Thats cured thanks! :grin: Pretty much sums up what i've been thinking about the none starting though!!
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I'm going for the timing being out.
Get someone to crank it whilst you rotate the dizzy. (or take it to a garage and get a timing probe on it)
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I'm 99% sure its not the timing. I'm going to attempt to take apart the MAF tomorrow and use contact cleaner on it and see if that helps matters. I've read on here that some people have run their golf with the MAF unplugged, obviously this is not a good thing but when I disconnect the MAF the engine will not run at all - does this mean anything?!
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OK.
But just a word of advice. My 16v was running sweet as a nut one day. Went to it the next day, wouldn't start. Went through all the stuff you are probably going to, and eventually i went to the dizzy, twisted around whilst cranking. Started. Got it re-set at stealth. Was fine ever after.
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Thanks for the advice Slick, I think it may be a good bet for me to go through the steps laid out on this site - http://fuelie.tripod.com/tuneup.htm#The%20Basics
Hopefully that should get it sorted. I'll let you all know how I get on as it is rather frustrating to say the least!
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cant use that method on a digi, you'll fudge the timing right up. use the digifant faq once you have replaced the blue temp sensort, get it from VW :)
edit: and the mk2 digi wont run with the AFM unplugged, thats normal :)
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Right well an update on things . . . I had a spare set of HT leads and rotor cap and arm so thought may as well replaced them. Initially it helped a little but not completely, but now i'm finding my car is starting fine from cold start, most bizarre. I shall be picking up the blue temp sensor later today from VW and just to be on the safe side, will go through your digi tuning guide Rubjonny.
Hopefully this will be the last i'll see of the cold start problems but I have a sneaking suspicion it could rear its head again but I shall see!
Thanks for all of your help guys, as I'm sure you know its far more stressful trying to sort your own personal cars problems out compared to someone elses!
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Another update . . . Replaced the blue temp sensor and that quickly became apparent that it wasn't the issue! never mind.
Its been getting progressively worse and a slight ticking noise could be heard by the engine. This lead me to think that one or two of the valves were not opening or shutting as they should and making one of the cylinders lose compression.
After a bit of faffing around I deduced that cylinder 4 was intermittently working, hence why the car was having issues starting.
I have a feeling that I may need to replace the tappets (they were done 25,000 miles ago)
The fuel injector for cylinder 4 was clogged up (I have used a fuel additive to help flush the injectors, I shall see how that goes)
I have just changed the oil, using an engine flush and also adding a hydraulic tappet additive with the new oil. As yet it does not seem to have cured the slight ticking and also there now appears to be water vapour coming from the exhaust, even when the engine is warm. So now i'm thinking I have a possible headgasket which is intermittently causing a loss of compression!!
All in all, not especially brilliant but I shall see how things go over the next few hundred miles but i'm thinking the best approach from here on in is to just buy a reconditioned head and obviously replace all the gaskets.
Has anyone got any pearls of wisdom that could help?! any is much appreciated :smiley:
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water is a byproduct of combustion so i wouldnt be worrying yet, 1st step is a compression check!
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ok, well an update to things. Last night was the first time I drove the car any great distance and it purred away like a kitten, power had been restored and the tapping noise coming from the head had subsided. I thought happy days, and the new engine oil and additives etc had done the trick.
Now for the but! Car was playing silly buggers to start this morning and was running on cylinders 1-3 again for a few minutes, hence the trouble starting.
This is making me think that either the injector for the 4 cylinder is knackered or maybe the fuel injector rail could do with cleaning out. Or could it be that a couple of the tappets are knackered and making the valves stick open. The tappets were only replaced 25,000 miles ago, so I would be suprised if it were that.
Could it be something as straight forward as this?! Also I will take a proper compression test to see what that is telling me.
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when was the last time you changed the cap, arm, leads and plugs? could be damp buildup in one of the leads which clears after engine has warmed up. coil might not be in the best of health either, and may as well try another tci unit as they're easy to change and plentiful. its the 7 pin thing bolted on top of the ecu bracket.
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I changed the cap, arm, leads and plugs last week. I'll have a look into the tci unit and coil. I'd be suprised if it is as simple as a build up of damp but if it can be a cheap fix I will be more than happy!
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Right, found out what the issue is and not all that great. The inlet valve was stuck half open on the 4th cylinder and has completed buggered up the valve seat, meaning the head is a gonna! Anyone who has a spare pb head around the south west is my friend!!