engine problem

[blaconbomber]

Got a slight problem with my mk2 1990 1.6 driver.
been running fine for the last 6 months since i bought it and ive just changed the air filter, oil filter, plugs got oil filter and oil to change at the weekend along with new timing belt because i dont know when it was last done. problem is the last few days she starts up great as normal but after about 15 miles down the m1 she starts to judder and loses power i pull over to hard shoulder and she cuts out she restarts fine straight away but she sounds very ragged if i sit there for a minute she goes fine again but every time i dip the clutch when slowing down she cuts out restarts fine straight away and seems to run as normal, my first thought was the head gasket but upon inspection it all seems intact im not losing any coolant or oil and theres no sign of water in the oil. any one got any ideas what this might be before i put new oil and timing belt on so i can try and sort all at the same time?

[Oddball]

Sounds a wee bit like a problem I had. It sounds like a loose vacuum hose, but i'm not 100% sure.

You say the engine sounds ragged, is this all the time or only when the engine cuts out? Also, if you depress the clutch, but keep the revs up (say around 1500), does she still cut out?
Next time your sitting, try revving the engine up to about 2000-3000 RPM then immediately let off the gas. If it is a vacuum hose you'll probably get a backfire through the carb when you do this (result of too much cold air).

Any other symptoms?

[mr brightside]

are you running a weber replacement carb? the jets can freeze up on some models when you're on the motorway. also check the fuel filter for rust particles,a rusty filler neck can cause some right agro! good luck

[blaconbomber]

only ragged when the engine cuts out she doesnt cut out if i keep the revs up ive checked the fuel filter as suggested but its clear as a bell. its strange because yesterday i did the same journey i do every day and she was fine but today cut out 3 times in 15 minutes. ill be honest i have no idea where vacum hoses are located lol ill have to break out the haynes manual ill try the backfire thing in the morning and see what happens

[blaconbomber]

and its a standard pierburg 2e carb cant afford a webber just yet

[Oddball]

Sounds quite strange.

I should have mentioned. The vacuum hose is quite easy to check. From the distributor, there should be a small rubber tube (about 5mm diameter) going back towards the firewall. It will then hit a 3 way splitter, one end goes to the inlet manifold, the other to the brake servo, this is your vacuum hose in its full glory. Also on the vacuum note, if it is a leak, you may be experiencing some dodgy brakes. My pedal went rock solid on mine, but I think it depends on how big the leak is.

The good old haynes manual also lists faulty fuel pump, restricted fuel lines and incorrectly gapped spark plugs.

Any erratic idling or misfiring?

[autobahnfahrer]

I have never had the problem myself, but it sounds like the symptoms you get when the Hall sender in the distributor is faulty. Especially that it starts again fine. This would make me suspicious. You want the run the checks for the Hall sender. It's probably described in your manual, I would think.

[blaconbomber]

now you mention it i am getting a bit of an erratic idle and ive noticed tonight coming home now its dark that my lights flicker when idling starting to think my electrics are screwed up somewhere as the other day i went over a bump and the fuse blew for my rear number plate light but that aso stopped my demister switch working and the lights on my clocks surely these things shouldnt be wired in to the same fuse???? bloody hell i sound like a right amateur but this is my first golf lol.

[blaconbomber]

tried the check for carb back fire but nothing and my brakes are sound spark plugs are gapped to spec in manual but ill be checking the other things youve mentioned next day off cars still ok gets me from leeds to sheffield and back everyday its just a bit annoying and i obviousy dont want it to develop in to anything more serious.

[Oddball]

I know, my first golf too and she's always finding new ways to amaze, confuse or downright terrify me!

Have to admit, it doesn't look like you're vacuum after all. As for the electrics. I can't comment on the condition of your car, cause i've never seen it obviously. But it's the same age as mine, so I'm guessing it'll be around the same as mine. And the wiring loom on mine is, well, abominable. I don't believe the demister is on the same circuit as the number plate lights, or the istrument panel lights. It is my theory (only guessing mind) that maybe the bump you went over mashed some wires together, and short circuited a couple of fuses. Your best bet is to take it to an auto electrician on your next day off. Headlights flickering with the erratic idle could also be down to dodgy electrics.

Anyhoo, LSUK is a good electrical place to go to. I always go round the back first, cause usually there'll be an electrician somewhere who'll be willing either to diagnose the fault, or repair it for a little cash in hand.

Good luck with it mate, your problem's got me quite stumped, but dodgy electrics can cause all sorts of hiccups.

[Oddball]

Just remembered, autobahn mentioned the hall sender on your dissie. Electrics also.

[Crasher]

That is classic carb icing. Are you running the original air filter system?

[blaconbomber]

i am using the orignal air filter system carb icing has been mentioned a few times now can you explain it to me and how i might cure it only thing is its only just started doing it after about 6 months of owning the car and i havent really changed anything i would think could affect the carb

[blaconbomber]

sorry fellas me again lol ive just read this (http://www.misterfixit.com/carbice.htm) and it explains the problem better than my attempt i think that it probably is carb icing now ive read this but i probably have got a vacum leak aswell like the case at the bottom of the article describes is exactly what happens to mine, saying that there is still the electrics to investigate now lol. never mentioned the smel of petrol before because it never really occured to me just thought it was part and parcel of an oldish car but it is very noticable when the power loss kicks in. i just thank god it aint the head or owt else serious cos i love this motor and its great fun. keep yas posted

[blaconbomber]

no probs now fitted a hose that seems to have falen off from the manifold to the air feed hose and its working great now but checked out my wiring over the weekend and seriously theres bits bridged together with speaker wire and what looks like standard wire from a houshold plug!!! thanks for all the help with the carb i really appreciate it im gonna try get a new wiring loom set over the next week or so then have a crack at that ill keep posting lets see what happens!

[Oddball]

Nice electrics dude.
The hose was on the passenger side of the manifold? Vacuum hose, exactly what happened to mine.

Glad you got it sorted man. :beerchug:

[blaconbomber]

Ha it never ends this motor and if i didnt love it shed be at the scrappy now lol ive now sprung a leak in a water pipe its the metal one that seems to be the main pipe that supplies water to radiator, heater etc wouldnt be so bad but i cant find one anywhere its currently sorted with radweld and a strip of rubber sealed in place lol my god i feel like a cowboy.
any body got any idea where i might get one of these pipes from as i wnet my local breakers and he told me mk2's are a thing of the past but hey what does he know.

[Oddball]

You might be in luck mate.

www.car-partsonline.com (http://www.car-partsonline.com)

They have the biggest list of Mk2 parts i've ever seen, just select your model using the drop down menu's, and the list of hoses will be in the cooling section.

[Crasher]

That's the water transfer pipe 027 121 065 C (for a 91 with an EZ engine), available from any VW dealer or less from places such as GSF. Why do you chaps look upon the dealer network as if they don't exist? I have seen numerous instances of people buying parts for a Golf 2 other than from the dealer and paying more for pattern than if they bought genuine. I have even seen people pay more for used parts than new genuine, just because they didn’t check. A classic example is of a tool called the 3104, used for setting the gear linkage. I have seen these on fleaBay for £10 plus carriage, which sounds good until you find out they are £5.50 from a VW dealer. You should see how cheap genuine Golf 2 exhaust systems are.

[Oddball]

Being completely honest crasher, I had no idea you could still get Mk2 parts from the dealer. I phoned around scrappies just like blacon, only to be told almost exactly the same thing. I just made the assumption that if a srap yard didn't have parts, then the dealer wouldn't either.

I shall have to have a looky and see how much they'll charge for a new alternator.

[Crasher]

Not a good example, depending on the make and part number of your original, about £160 BUT that does come with a two year labour inclusive guarantee. You would be surprised how much old stuff VAG still do, even parts for 70's Mk1's-well a few bits anyway!

[Oddball]

Jumping off tompic for a sec, my alt bearing went completely the other week. Where would I find it's part/serial number and rating? I think it's a 65amp, but there's no sticker that I can see on it anywhere.

[Crasher]

If there is no sticker you are best to just swap it for an exchange unit from somewhere like GSF.

[blaconbomber]

ive got to give the same answer as odd i thought there was an icicle in hells chance of getting parts from a dealer with respect to the age of the car but ill certainly try pricing it up and see how it compares

[Crasher]

I bought a new lower grill strip for a customers Golf 2 16v from the dealer today, £22 and only ordered the previous day.