Problems starting - coughing and dying when running...

[shaolindan]

Right. So after a couple of weeks of 'fun' with ECP I had to give up on them. They swear blind that the parts they are sending me are correct. I sent them a photograph of the original part (original bosch ignition coil is about 6 inches long) and they still said they had sent me the correct part (2 inches long with different terminals). Even after several phone calls and them saying they had found the part I had described... they sent out the wrong part again.  Same story with the voltage regulator.

I went to see my garage to see if I was being thick - but the garage agreed that it was not the right part. (Apparently the garage spends a fair amount of time on the phone to ECP with similar problems.) The garage made a phone call to VW and were told that they had ONE Bosch VW ignition coil left on the shelf at the factory - looks like they are discontinuing!

That arrived on Tuesday, fitted on Thursday. It's like a new car, idle no longer blips occasionally, doesn't feel like it is hunting occasionally. Throttle response is far quicker as is the performance of the car. I drove from London to Wells and then Brecon before I fixed this, and had it die on me in Bristol once and felt underpowered quite often.

The proof is in the pudding this weekend, going for a drive to Southend on Sea. I'll open her up and see how she goes.

(Oh and sorry for buying the last ignition coil, but it has gone to a good home. The old one once I had it out was a sorry state - white fur on the terminals etc...)

Thanks for everyones help with this. If the problem doesn't reoccur, I don't think I will bother changing the voltage regulator.

[clipperjay]

Simple as a ignition coil must have been earthing out to drain the battery that quick!
Glad it got sorted out ECP arent so bad in my area in Surrey.
I've allways go to the counter show them what I need then once it comes compare like you say aftermarket ones can be dodgy at times!

By the way when the ignition is on make sure the key turns arent left in the second position as it will burn out coils!
The key should be off and not in prime position when engine is off 
 

[shaolindan]

Simple as a ignition coil must have been earthing out to drain the battery that quick!
Glad it got sorted out ECP arent so bad in my area in Surrey.
I've allways go to the counter show them what I need then once it comes compare like you say aftermarket ones can be dodgy at times!

By the way when the ignition is on make sure the key turns arent left in the second position as it will burn out coils!
The key should be off and not in prime position when engine is off 
 

That's the thing. I don't think it was earthing or draining the battery. But because the coil was on it's last legs anything less than 100% from the battery could cause problems.

[shaolindan]

OK. So although the coil and battery are now perfect and the car has more get up and go - the underlying problem is still happening. Drove up to Manchester the other weekend to see the Stone Roses (perfect car for that, same era, I thought) and after taking a break at the services past Birmingham power started to fade when I was in the outside lane. Didn't just cut out but 'faded' which gave me enough time to get to the hard shoulder. Switched off, hazards on. 5 minutes later all was well again and I got up to Manchester without a hitch. On the way back (leaving at midnight after a great gig), it died like that 3 or 4 times on the motorway and 3 or 4 times going across London.

So with the new ignition coil and stronger battery it doesn't really stall. But sometimes it won't start for 4 or 5 minutes - just splutters and conks out.
So by process of elimination I think this pretty much has to be the fuel pump dying on me.

Do folks agree?
If so were should I get one from?