Car wont start and need to get home...HELP Please!

[Gloves88]

I've just tried to start my car and it wont start...

Fuel pump primes and it turns over but no spark.

Its really wet just now...could the plugs have moisture on them? If so can i try spraying them with wd40?

Please HELP...am 160miles from home and need to get back today 

Cheers

[rubjonny]

calm down dear, lets work through this. Step 1, what engine is it?

[Gloves88]

  1.8 8v 90 spec gti

Thanks

[rubjonny]

reet, if the pump is priming then the ecu is ok at least, do you have a multimeter?  check you get 12v to the black wires at the coil with the ignition on, and pop the ecu & tci-h plugs off give em a clean if they look a bit nasty.

check the earth wires to the side of the head/rocker cover, and make sure the wires to the fuel rail plug are ok as well.  A dodgy ecu temp sender can cause non starting, try giving it a bootfull of throttle see if that gets it going!

Pop off the dizzy cap check for damp/corrosion, and check the terminals on the king lead/coil/middle cap pin.  IOf one o ya leads was dodgy it would still fire but run on 3, so that suggests if there is a spark issue it'll be at the king lead or inside the cap

[Gloves88]

reet, if the pump is priming then the ecu is ok at least, do you have a multimeter?  check you get 12v to the black wires at the coil with the ignition on, and pop the ecu & tci-h plugs off give em a clean if they look a bit nasty.

check the earth wires to the side of the head/rocker cover, and make sure the wires to the fuel rail plug are ok as well.  A dodgy ecu temp sender can cause non starting, try giving it a bootfull of throttle see if that gets it going!

Pop off the dizzy cap check for damp/corrosion, and check the terminals on the king lead/coil/middle cap pin.  IOf one o ya leads was dodgy it would still fire but run on 3, so that suggests if there is a spark issue it'll be at the king lead or inside the cap

Dont have a multimeter...is at home 

I'll check the plugs and earth....ECU temp sender....i have a funny feeling it could be this (is this the digital temp read out? It has been playing up lately)

Have checked the dizzy cap, it looks fine...pretty new and dry. Leads look fine/should be fine as area also pretty new.

I'll check the other things....thanks very much

[rubjonny]

a 12v bulb of some kind will do, when my 16v broke down i took out one o my spotlight bulbs and used that

ecu sender dont do the outside temp gauge no, thats in the inner wing and wont have any effect on the car if its bust.  however if its playing up it may be down to earhting issues to the side of the head, possibly.

[Gloves88]

Right just been out all this time trying to get it started....

Headgasket is on its way out but is ok once I've got it running and warmed up.

Issue is it wont stay warm as the MAF keeps sticking and so the engine cuts out again...

Anyone in Glasgow got a spare MAF for me so i can get home? (its a long shot i know)

[rubjonny]

drown it in penatrating oil while you wiggle de flap, that should free it up nice!

[sidecarphil]

did you get home then fella ??

i got a spare MAF ere but i'm in holland

i bought one as i thought mine was fubar'd but it wasn't

if you want it PM me

[The Mighty Elvi]

After my recent experiences...could it be the ignition switch?