Please help me stranded at mother in law's

[gti south]

hi all,
own a 1987 8v gti
just gone to start up and go home doesn't want to start.
after a while of waiting just about started but not constant. sounds a lil bit broom-pause-broom in little judders, when attemping to press acclerator the car cuts out. the oil pressure light shows then so does the battery light. before the car just about started the engine bay smelt of fuel. might of flooded it. any help would be greatly recieved

Reece

[Jay]

Check your spark plugs/HT leads. Yesterday when I checked my spark plugs, just by pulling off the HT leads and putting them back on, the car done what you said your's was doing but I gave it 5 minutes then tried again and was back to normal... Defo check the sparkies/HT leads, hoses for breaks etc.

Not sure what else to suggest really... 

[jammac]

r u still there?

[jase555]

deffo ignition mate. check rotor arm and dizzy cap and give them a rub with glass paper or something abrasive.

will sort it trust me.

[BaxGTI]

Mine did the same not so long back. Take all your HT leads out, give them a wipe down and spray everything with WD 40 at both ends (plugs and dist. cap).

When you lift your leads up they should flop nicely, if they are quite stiff and won't bend then it's a good sign that the plastic insulation is a bit rough. If HT leads don't fix it, try a new distributor cap.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SMOKED-DISTRIBUTOR-CAP-VW-GOLF-MK1-MK2-JETTA-gti-etc_W0QQitemZ320190524310QQihZ011QQcategoryZ9889QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

[BIG D]

last time we put wd40 in a dizzy cap at work it went bang i wasnt there but i just seen all the orange bits

[BaxGTI]

Hmm, odd, I've sprayed mine quite often.. Maybe you created a short between contact points or something?

Sounds good for sh!ts and giggles anyway. 

[gti south]

i gave in and joined the aa they came out the same night. he sprayed the leads with wd40 and dizzy cap. there was arching slightly he recommened getting new vw leads. could see sparks a lil bit.

thanks for the help thou