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Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: patc on 25 July 2011, 12:26

Title: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 25 July 2011, 12:26
Had an ongoing problem of the car (gti 8v P reg) not firing up, progressively getting worse I think.

Turns but no firing.  But then, 30 mins later, it will.

So far have done new dizzy cap, new leads and new coil.  Sometimes it starts, sometimes it doesnt.

Any further ideas?  Crank sensor?

Cant get the car to a code reader til friday so thought I would try here too.

Thanks in advance.

PatC
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: EuroCarParts on 25 July 2011, 13:24
Hi Pat

Like always, a code read is best - but the good news is the Crank Sensor isnt a killer:

http://www.eurocarparts.com/search/494440200/p/home (http://www.eurocarparts.com/search/494440200/p/home)

£79.20 (before the GolfGti Members Discount) for a Delphi / VDO unit!

Hope that helps

Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 25 July 2011, 13:43
Thanks.  Does it sound like it could be the culprit?
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: EuroCarParts on 25 July 2011, 17:59
Yeah Crank Sensor could be the next logical change - but its here when things start getting expensive so get it error read, and go from there!

Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: bully79 on 25 July 2011, 19:50
Sounds just like whats happened to me :sad:.Car turns over but won't start,leave it a bit then it fires up...doing my head in!!
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 25 July 2011, 20:04
Well Bully, whoever solves it first can let the other know.
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: bully79 on 25 July 2011, 20:14
Will do pal.I work in a bodyshop and we have the vas 5052 (vag computer),so I will bang it on tomorrow night :wink:
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 25 July 2011, 21:04
Nice one!  Cant get mine on a reader til Friday.
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: VW BUSH on 25 July 2011, 22:04
Could also be key transponder chip/immob problem, common on Mk3's.
Buy youself a good code reader from Talktomycar £20 :wink:
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: WadGTI on 25 July 2011, 22:19
I have a spare crank sensor - yous for a fiver if you want it. Its been used but the guy I got it off took it of a working engine.

There is a local spares place near me that does them for £16+ VAT.
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 25 July 2011, 22:22
Could also be key transponder chip/immob problem, common on Mk3's.
Buy youself a good code reader from Talktomycar £20 :wink:

Sorry, if this is a stupid question, but would that mean if is used my spare key I may not get the problem?

And would it show on the code reader?
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 25 July 2011, 22:24
I have a spare crank sensor - yous for a fiver if you want it. Its been used but the guy I got it off took it of a working engine.

There is a local spares place near me that does them for £16+ VAT.


Thanks for the tip.  I think if it is that I'll get a new one.
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: bully79 on 26 July 2011, 18:43
I put the code reader (vas 5052) on mine today and it showed no faults also tried a different code reader and still no fault :sad:.So I spoke to a VW master technician (paper work warrior me thinks) and he said it was the fuel pump relay which according to him was a common fault on mk3's when they were newish cars.I've fitted one and hey presto it's still the same :angry:.....Any ideas?????
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: richyrooney on 26 July 2011, 19:24
have a p reg 16v and had the same misfire problem and got steadily worse changed the crank sensor bought it from GSF got trade discount so only cost me 40 odd quid.When i took the old one off the cable leading up to the sensor had perished and all three wires were touching not good, anyway replaced with new item and so far done about 70 miles and no problem. I had previously changed both the ecu and fuel pump relays but check the condition of the wires on your sensor around the area it clips to the bottom of the block(about 3 inches from the sensor) and i bet they will be shagged, the unit itself seldom breaks 9 times out of 10 its the wires. Hope this helps and its a bit of a sod of a job if your doing it yourself as you will need to move front engine mount brkt out of the way to get to it
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: Gti Gerbil on 26 July 2011, 19:52
best bet is to change the crank sensor, not too hard to do either
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: dan_apps on 26 July 2011, 20:20
crank sensor aint going to cost the earth i think i had mine from GSF and it was about 35 quid (sorry eurocarparts) to change isnt as bad as haynes make out either i took the front engine mount bracket off and there is enough room to get your ratchet and allen key bit in there to take the old one out! :smiley:
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 26 July 2011, 21:19
Thanks for these!

It needs an oil & filter change too so figured would get all done at the same time.

PatC
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: Khare on 27 July 2011, 00:48
I had paid £50 for a VDO unit last year, they've gone up in price a fair bit!

I wouldn't buy a cheap one though, you're only going to buy another one a few months down the line! Can't go wrong with VDO  :smiley:
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 30 July 2011, 15:13
Don't want to tempt fate, but mine seems has resolved itself!  Still gonna put it on the code reader next week just in case.
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: Seanl on 30 July 2011, 19:19
Bought one from GSF today 50.73 including VAT. Tried looking online on ECP to use the forum discount (and they have 25% this w.end anyway) but couldnt find it. You cant use the discount in store either so would need to be ordered online and picked up in store anyway
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: Ninja on 01 August 2011, 12:54
Sounds like a cranks sensor.

HOWEVER - mine had the EXACT same issue as yours and it was an ECU earth. I found this out after i'd replaced every other f**king thing, including the crank sensor.
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 04 August 2011, 19:36
New crank sensor done (£32 from unipart)!  Has it solved the problem?  Has it fook!  :angry:

Gonna go down the fuel pump & ECU relay route tomorrow.  Last chance before I test the car off a big fooking cliff!

Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: Ninja on 04 August 2011, 20:37
New crank sensor done (£32 from unipart)!  Has it solved the problem?  Has it fook!  :angry:

Gonna go down the fuel pump & ECU relay route tomorrow.  Last chance before I test the car off a big fooking cliff!



Mate, seriously. Before you do that get an auto sparky to look over the car. Basically, like I said - mine was the same issue and was an ECU earth. I believe it was something like low resistance from the ECU to the crank sensor.
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 04 August 2011, 20:46
I left it at the garage so will ask him tomorrow.

Cheers!
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: Ninja on 04 August 2011, 22:21
I left it at the garage so will ask him tomorrow.

Cheers!

No worries. Basically with mine, the reason it happend was because water had gotten under the battery tray and caused the wires to burn.
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 04 August 2011, 22:34
The state of the old sensor lead was a joke and would have needed replacing sometime soon anyway.

Is the ecu earth an easy check?
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 05 August 2011, 18:04
Right. All done. New relays. New every bloody thing!
It does 'sound' better and start up instantly which it never did before. Time will tell!

Thanks for all the help on here!  I shall make a donation to the forum charity come pay day 
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: bully79 on 05 August 2011, 18:52
Finally found out what was wrong with mine  :cool:.It was the ignition switch  :smiley:.So all's good,just need to get front speakers sorted for Harewood VW festival next week.
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 05 August 2011, 19:01
Ignition switch?!  Not another possibility!  How'd you find that out?
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: bully79 on 05 August 2011, 22:05
When me n me dad were mucking about with it (checking all sorts) he noticed that when the key was turned to No 2 position (dash lights) everthing was fine,but if the key was turned very slightly (not actually cranking the engine) the lights went out :angry:.So I pulled the multiplug off and poked some wires in (hotwired mis spent youth) and the car was fine :smiley:.I bought a steering column off ebay and job done.
Title: Re: Please help before I lose it! Crank sensor?
Post by: patc on 06 August 2011, 10:10
I'll have a look at mine.

Although, the car electric blokes I spoke to did reckon on the relays being the main cause as mine only had the problem when the car was warm, never cold. We will see.  :)