golf gti mk3 16v wont idle

[dannysgti]

can anyone help us ive got a mk3 16v golf and it wont idle, maybe its because it hasnt been used for a couple of weeks but has anyone got any ideas thanks

[EvilScotsman]

search for posts on how to clean the throttle body inside. I did mine today, it wouldnt idle either, I thought the throttle cable had gone slack but it was a small amout of crap built up at the edges of the butterfly valve and causing it to stall. The idle air gap is only about 0.5mm so blocks easy with sooty fumes from the breather pipes over the years.

You have to take the TB right off not just clean it from one side, and make sure the inner walls are spotless as well as the edges of the butterfly disc. Use petrol, WD40 or Wynns carb cleaner. Believe me it will work.

If it starts with the throttle open slightly and revs but wont idle then it has to be the TB butterfly or the ISV (idle stabilisation valve) if fitted.

[dannysgti]

cleaned the throttle body but theres no difference still cut out when starting up

[EvilScotsman]

are the edges of the butterfly disc and the area it stops on when closed spotless silver?

I did mine before but didnt take it off just cleaned the visible side and it didnt work so i took it off and scrubbed it - really scrubbed it.

The idle air gap is absolutely TINY - like 0.25mm or something. When properly cleaned i can see daylight under the butterfly when closed. Until i did that - it still didnt idle.

You may have an idle stabilisation valve under the throttle cable mount - it might be that mate. 8v ADY motors dont have one but yours probably does. That might need cleaned too - or you can have an air leak from the TB to the carbon canister, the fuel pressure reg or the breather hoses. If the hoses rot its usually on the underside and look ok from above.

I also found my base ignition timing was out - i took the plugs out and put the engine to tdc on no1 then moved the dizzy till the wee mark was aligned wi the centre of the rotor arm and hey presto, perfect running.