GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: The Mighty Elvi on 03 December 2008, 14:56
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UPDATED BELOW
Winter's here, so as you can imagine my battery decided to end it's life. Despite many CPR sessions it was pronounced dead this morning. Popped down to GSF for a new one and they told me that they are now selling batteries at trade prices. £36, thank you very much! Halfrauds wanted £60 for a new one.
I digress, this is the question. I've just put the new battery in, and all the electrical things work, but the engine turns over but wont start! Is it because of the cold? I did try to start it this morning as well with the old battery, is it flooded? I'll check the dizzy tomorrow.
As a side note, I took the car for a jet wash yesterday and 2 miles from the garage at about 50 mph I had a sudden loss of engine power for about a second, radio and lights stayed on but speedo needle just dropped to zero and then it cut in again.
Was this somehow water ingress in to the engine bay, or was it prelude to my fuel pump / filter going as well, and hence my engine not turning over with new battery installed??
UPDATE.
1. FEI connector and switch cleaned
2. Dizzie cleaned
3. Hall sender cleaned.
4. starter motor connections cleaned.
5. All earth straps and connections wire brushed.
6. Number 1 injector removed and NO FUEL comes out on engine turnover.
So..engine still turns strongly but will not start.
bearing in mind the sudden engine cut out above, has my fuelpump gone? is the filter blocked? or is it an electrical connection fault to the pump? other?
How do I tell which part has gone before going to the expense of buying new parts?
THANKS
Jonathan.
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if you turn the key 1 click, do you hear the fuel pump prime for a few seconds?
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Yes.. I do hear that electrical hum that lasts for a second on turning the key.
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ok the fei is getting power at least, and the fuel relay is working. It might be down to a clogged fuel filter, mine did this as well :)
edit: a good way to check if its fuel delivery, pop the inlet boot off and spray a ton of easy start or something into the inlet and put it back on again. Turn it over again and if it fires breifly you've pretty much confirmed its a fuel problem!
This is how the aa man diagnosed the issue on mine.
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:smiley: Cheers John. Read your post reply on the 'other forum' about this problem. I think I'll replace the fuel filter and take it from there.
I thought this might be the problem when I experienced the sudden loss of engine power a few days ago. Fingers crossed that's all it is :undecided:
Jonathan.
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did you notice if the oil and battery warning lights came on when the rev counter dropped to 0?
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No, no warning lights. Radio and lights stayed on, hence I thought it was a fuel problem, but then I had battery issues and it complicated the matter.
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I also have a slight oil leak from the distibutor. I think that it the o-ring at the base inside the head that's failed as I do get a slight film inside the dizzie cap and the internals of the distibutor - as you look haed on at the rotor arm - look oily.
This has been the case since I bought the car in March. I put on a new cap and arm after I had it diagnostic tested when bought, but it's never caused any starting issues. :undecided: Could it have failed completely?? and hence the car wont start??
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Hi mate ive got exactly the same problem engine lost power and rev counter went to zero the next day i had only done a mile since it lost power and it backfired and cut out and wouldnt start again. Engine is tryin to turn over but wont so looks like fuel problem. Towed it to my mechanic today (wednesday) and he is going to look at it tomorrow. Will let you know if he finds anything fingers crossed its something cheap and easy to fix like a blocked fuel line or filter
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:smiley: Great. Keep us posted as to what the mechanic says. I'll get a new filter tomorrow £6.00 +VAT from GMF. Fingers crossed for both of us that this is the problem.
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yeah to right mate fuel pumps aint cheap and theres an electric fuel pump and a transfer pump from what ive been reading. Let me know how you get on with fuel filter. You got any pics of your golf?
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I would be interested in the outcome of this too, my pump is buzzing but noisier than normal and it wont start, how easy is it to change the fuel filter??
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Hi mate my pump is buzzing really loudly to which isnt a good sign. Fuel filter is easy enough to replace ill let you know if my mechanic finds anything tomorrow
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hmm since there was no warning lights, that means you lost ignition power rather than the engine cut due to fuel starvation. If it had cut out due to no fuel or something mechanical, the warning lights would have come on. I know cos thats what mine did when I had a faulty overrun valve causing idle to drop too low and cutting engine when clutch dipped :grin:
Could be you have 2 seperate problems though, ign switch would be what I'd be looking at, see if you can get a mate to crank it over on the key, while you check for 12v at the black wire side of the coil :)
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Cheers John. I'll replace the fuel filter as a matter of course anyway. Then if that doesn't work I'll do what you suggested.
Here's the old girl. Phone camera pic hence 'the darkness' :grin:
(http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr182/the_flying_elvi/golf004.jpg)
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yeah deffo worth doing fuel filter. what you could do for a quick bodge test, run a wire from the live terminal on battery all the way to the spare spade terminal on the coil (disconnect battery -ve 1st) then try starting the car. if it fires up you know you have an ign live feed fault to the coil!
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Thanks again, will do.
Jonathan.
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Hi mate got my golf fixed today :smiley: it was the distributor mechanic said he wasn't getting a spark but was getting a live feed coming into the distributor but nothing coming out. The distributor was £79.50 +vat from GSF. Once we fitted it we got a strong spark. Took a while to start it as spark plugs and the bores were flooded with petrol from when i tried starting it a few times when it broke down. Now its back to normal so i suggest you check you have a spark mate.
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will do, thanks. Maybe the oil leak into the distributor is my problem?
Can I just replace the o-ring at the base into the head and clean up the distributor, or do I need to get a new one?
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theres 2 seals on the 16v dizzy, you got the nice easy big green un round the outside which is piece o wee to change, then you got the one inside the dizzy which involves strippin the whole thing down, which is a right pain in the arse. Oil leak on its own prob wont casue the problem, unless the inside of the dizzy is completly sopping with oil! Mine leaked pretty badly but it never caused these symptoms.
pop off the cap and give it a damn good clean, check the rotor arm and cap[ contacts for carbon build up, give em a bit of a clean up if its bad with some sandpaper.
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UPDATE:
Right I've just finished putting the new fuel filter on :angry:
Bloody clamp bolt was stuck solid so I to cut a little bit. :cry:
Anyhoo, it still turns over but will not start.
I've checked a few things with the voltmeter:
1. 12.8 v at battery
2. 11.8v at FEI Switch with ignition on
3. 11.8v going into Hall sender with ignition on
cant test what's goin out of the hall sender as I don't have necessary equipment.
:cry: So what else could be the problem??????????????
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have you tested the above while the engine is actually turning on the starter?
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NO
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NO
Short and sweet. I like it! :smiley:
How about... Pop a plug out and carefully earth it on the rocker cover. Get a mate to turn the engine over and see if its sparking. Don;t electrocute yourself!!
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ok well do that, becasue its not uncommon for the ign switch to fail in such a way ign live is fed to the coil with the key turned 1 clikc, but not when you're actually cranking the engine over :)
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out... Pop a plug out and carefully earth it on the rocker cover. Get a mate to turn the engine over and see if its sparking. Don;t electrocute yourself!!
Lol! I did this to myself, I didn't have a friend handy and in my infinite wisdom I held an HT lead with one hand and reached into the car window to crank it, so I could see if it was sparking, the electric shock was better than a mains electricity shock!
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out... Pop a plug out and carefully earth it on the rocker cover. Get a mate to turn the engine over and see if its sparking. Don;t electrocute yourself!!
Lol! I did this to myself, I didn't have a friend handy and in my infinite wisdom I held an HT lead with one hand and reached into the car window to crank it, so I could see if it was sparking, the electric shock was better than a mains electricity shock!
LOL.
My first cars (a nova) leads must have been seriously arcing as I touched the engine once and it made me squeal like a piggy!
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IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH!! :smiley:
After 10 days standing idle, the old girl sprang to life this afternoon. :smiley: Thanks to everyone for the advice. I now have a very definate 'click' when it turn the key to start, and it starts on the button.
TIP: After 10 minutes trying to work out how to remove the screw holding the switch in, I found out that if you unlock the barrel you can turn the shaft so that column is angled so you can access the screw, without resorting to bending you prised drivers.
Thanks to Rubjonny for the tip on priming the pump 10 times before starting, as I had replaced the fuel filter beforehand, and was crestfallen when it initially would not start. PHEW!! :evil:
Here's a picture of the offending article.
(http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr182/the_flying_elvi/switch.jpg)
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cool glad you got it sorted, good tip on spinnin the outer barrel I'll have to remember that one :cool: