car standing for 2 days...now starts but still with issues!!

[Andy Jeffries]

okies...2nd time I go to start my Mk2 and it turns over...can smell the petrol coming through...but no spark? it refuses to fire up!

its on a bit of a downward slope at the moment...will that of effected it?

any help would be cool coz its annoying me to say the least!

Cheers

[mattkh]

Hi
Has it been raining for the last two days where you are?
If yes, then look for any water ingress in the engine firewall area or the fusebox.

[Conker]

Pull your distributor cap off and give it a good clean with WD40.

If it still doesn't start, you could take out each of the plugs, reconnect to the leads, and then get someone to turn the engine over so you will be able to see if its spark related.

[Andy Jeffries]

I think its spark related, looked at the ht leads and the one that goes from the dizzy cap th the thing on the bulkhead is breaking up as it were on around the connecter - could this be the issue?

[Conker]

Thats the king lead from the dizzy to the coil - very important.

I've got a spare one if you want it (its old though!), but you might be better just buying a new set of leads. These are good (bottom of page): http://www.vwspares.co.uk/g2electrical.php

In the meantime try spraying it with WD40 to dry it out. Be careful as you can get a nasty shock off that lead.

[Andy Jeffries]

I brought a universal lead from halfords but still no joy - but it did look a bit different to the one that I took off...may just give up and pay a garage to look at it

[Conker]

Have you tried either a jump or bump start?

Mine once wouldn't start (after I had been working on the engine), a jump start seemed to help but it still wouldn't start, but a bump start got it going and its been absolutely fine since.

[Andy Jeffries]

I have only tried a jump start - going to change the HT leads and try again, still got a hunch that the fact the car is facing upwards is not helping? like the petrol pump cant get the petrol all the way to the engine? like the old Jenson interceptors! tried pumping the throttle but no Joy, may just try and pull the car onto the driveway that faces downwards!?

[Andy Jeffries]

Thats the king lead from the dizzy to the coil - very important.

I've got a spare one if you want it (its old though!), but you might be better just buying a new set of leads. These are good (bottom of page): http://www.vwspares.co.uk/g2electrical.php

In the meantime try spraying it with WD40 to dry it out. Be careful as you can get a nasty shock off that lead.

I have just orderd new leads, plugs, dizzy cap and rotor arm - thought I may as well renew them anyways?

EDIT: Random thought - is the fuel pickup to the front of the petrol tank? if so it the level is low and the tank faceing uowards could this be another factor?

[Conker]

The fuel pickup is on top of the tank, pointing straight down IIRC. There was a guy on here who couldn't get it to start and it turned out it didn't have enough petrol in it.

Defo try a bump start, and defo repeatedly prime the fuel pump as mentioned above - i.e. turn the ignition on and off (but only turn it so the dash lights come on) as this pressurises the system and makes sure the accumulator is full (the accumulator stores a "buffer" of petrol to prevent starvation).

Have you taken a plug out to check its sparking (or haven't you got the tools to do that?)