Author Topic: golf electircal fault????? please help  (Read 1261 times)

Offline ian1987

  • Just got here
  • *
  • Posts: 7
golf electircal fault????? please help
« on: 29 June 2006, 16:19 »
I am new to this forum so sorry if this is the wrong place to post this.
(mk3 golf 1992 1.4)
my brothers mk3 golf had a weird problem soon after he bought it. it wouldnt start. it turned over but didnt start.
i check to see if it had a spark, it didnt. i check to see if it had a spark straight from the coil incase it was the distributer or rotor arm. it had nothing.

i didnt think of checking the voltage going to the coil and we just changed it.
still the 1.4 beast didnt rumble into life.

then my sisters boyfriend got his hands on it when i was out once and decided to wack 12 volts from the battery straight onto one of the wires going to the coil pack.
apparently it kinda started once but it didnt but it didnt fix it.

i was a bit confused. my dad then came round one weekend. he knows a thing or 2 about cars (he should as he built 2 of them).
he checked the voltage at the coil, found 12 volts and tried to start it.
it started. and it started every time since then untill last week.
the only other thing that was done on the car was the thermostat housing was changed which is under the distributer.
so something could of been knocked while changing it that somehow fixed the problem.

so last week. my brother got pissed off with the crappy battery terminals that was on his battery as they just wernt secure. so he bought some new ones and changed them.
now the car wont start again.
It still turns over fine, but wont fire. its getting petrol as u can smell it after cranking.

But he has also lost the lights on the dash.
things in the car still work like the blowers and the lights. it hasnt lost the ignition live as with out turning the key u only get side lights, but when u turn the key the dipped head lights come on.

i thought it sounded like a relay, but didnt want to go buying new ones untill someone else thought the same thing.


there are 3 wires going to the coil. i think its a black, green and brown.
does anyone know what the wires are? i though black was live, and brown earth.
is the earth to a coil switched? and this is was callaspes the field to produce the high voltage that goes to the distributor?

any thoughts would be appreciated. and if you can tell me things to test i'll do it asap and post up the results.

i really want to get it running for him so he can get out and have some fun in his first car. but he is just getting depressed about having a car that he has paid for but cant drive.

cheers in advance guys. maybe u can help me cheer my lil bro up!

Offline animaniac

  • GTI forum regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 156
Re: golf electircal fault????? please help
« Reply #1 on: 30 June 2006, 03:16 »
you need to check all of the wiring to make sure you dont have a loose connection. earth connections on the engine..

check all of your relays are insecure...

relay number 3 which is above number 9 which is above the number 10 fuse..

the relay number 3 should have 109 on it and it controls the ignition and injection.... its a black relay which are prone to failure, replace it with the newer grey relay for £10 this may or may not cure the problem but its worth a try if you've replaced the coil and are still having starting problems.

Offline ian1987

  • Just got here
  • *
  • Posts: 7
Re: golf electircal fault????? please help
« Reply #2 on: 03 July 2006, 14:50 »
cheers for your reply, i have looked for the relay but was not able to find it, how ever i found a place in the fuse board with a number 3 printed on it but there is no relay there. I havent touched that relay so it was able to start without it (seems strange).
I have also checked the braded earth connected to the engine, which was correct.

I tried cutting the black cable to the coil pack and connected it to the battery, then trying to start it, it was neally starting, so it has to be something to do with the feed to the coil.
Any other ideas ?
Thanks alot for ya help

Offline animaniac

  • GTI forum regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 156
Re: golf electircal fault????? please help
« Reply #3 on: 07 July 2006, 02:58 »
the crankshaft sender can cause non starting, i completely forgot about this sender.

my mates golf gti had running problems and then it wouldnt start turned out to be the crankshaft sender, after it had the fault codes read.

you can test the resistance of the crank sender or sensor.

using a multi meter unclip the crank sender wire connector, the connector will look rather the same as a knock sender one on a gti.. and theres either 2 or 3 pins connect the multi meter in ohms to theses pins by either the 2 outer pins and the center pin and 1 of the outer pins..

i'm not sure which pins are correct but i think its thr 2 outer pins... any way i've check on vw vortex and theres loads of posts regarding crank position sensors....

i found this on there.............

the CPS resistance should be between 500-700 ohms...mine was around 1200-2000 cold and when the car would not start, it was infinity (open circuit).
Note: When I replaced the CPS, the new one measured about 1100 ohms, but I haven't had any problems. (2 years now)

this is on a vr6 but i would have thought that all the senders will give the same resistance...

heres the website so you may find more help on starting problems on here, some of those guys are engine fanatics and have even replaced there vr6 timing chains!!

www.vwvortex.com


Offline ian1987

  • Just got here
  • *
  • Posts: 7
Re: golf electircal fault????? please help
« Reply #4 on: 08 July 2006, 01:14 »
ok cool, i will give that a check tomorrow, my dads coming down tomorrow and he knows alot about cars so with a bit of luck i will be able to get some where, thanks alot for ya time and help

Offline ian1987

  • Just got here
  • *
  • Posts: 7
Re: golf electircal fault????? please help
« Reply #5 on: 08 July 2006, 22:06 »
i fixed it now, turns out it wasnt any thing major, it was the ignition switch, few of the connections were a bit dodgy, so i brought a brand new one and sorted it out a treat :)
Thanks alot for all your suggestions, nice to know people are there to help you out when your stuck