HELP!! ENGINE NOT SOUNDING RIGHT

[tombsafc]

right, last night I washed the engine bay of my 1995 gti 2.0 8v with gunk spray, then watered it down, then went to start it up and it struggles to start and just idles really bad! I have sprayed wd40 over everything wiped all the ignition leads down and the coil. and still no change! help please!

[DCmk3]

Are you sure you don't have water in/under the distributor cap or on the rotor? In the hall sensor plug on the distributor?

[tombsafc]

al have a look thanks! wheres the hall sensor plug?

[tombsafc]

nope that didn't work after cleaning that it started straight away but still sounds as if its running out of fuel and chuggering away at abut 900 rpm

[GOLF-MK3-GTI]

You should always cover up the electrical components, before hosing them down.

The hall sensor is the clip that's right next to the distributor. I think it's the ignition coil.

[Screech16v]

Wait till dark and then run engine you may see the spark tracking out,inspect the coil area also.

[tombsafc]

i have dried out the distributor cap and the parts around that, we turned off all the lights, started it up and the lead from the coil to the dizzy cap was sparking when i held it? also i took it for a drive and my mate who was travelling behind me said pull over, looked under my car and the cat was red hot so was glowing yellow... here a picture... my mate said the spark plugs arent getting enough power to give an effective spark hence fuel being partially combusted and pumped out of the cylinder during exhaust phase, it collects in the cat and due to heat it ignites hence red hot cat cassing... been told to check the spark plugs and leads and if needed change the ignition coil? any ideas on what o buy first so im not wasting money?

[tombsafc]

this was my cat after driving for 5 minutes! so hot it was orangey white!

[Gti_Jamo]

You should spray wd40 before washing as afterwards will only just trap moisture. As for the red hot cat, that could be timing related. Failing hall sensor possibly. Does it rev past 5000rpm? Getting it scanned for codes would be the best start.

[tombsafc]

it seems to have sorted itself out now, runs fine and starts first time (touch wood) but now my exhaust rattles! think a bracket has snapped off! al post a picture of what the link from the cat to the muffler