BlazeMaguire
30-03-2008, 10:19 PM
Hi everyone, this is my first post here, and it is on behalf of a friend.
He has an 1985 1.8 GTX Injection Scirroco, but its recently started having problems starting when the engine is cold (and also problems starting when the engine is warm and been left for say 10 minutes).
When you try to start her, the engine catches and fires, but almost immediatly cuts out, if you try and keep it going by pressing on the gas, it splutters and shakes like crazy - almost as though its only firing on 3 cylinders - however I have checked spark at all cylinders and this is fine.
Obviously the engine dies, but if you keep repeating the 'start - splutter - die' process (I assume its the engine slowly warming up ) it will eventually get to a stage where it will keep running, albeit roughly untill its up to normal operating temperature - when its at normal temperature, it will run, and idle on its own fine.
If you then leave the car when its warm, for more than 10-15 minutes, the same problems occur again.
My money is on the automatic choke, but i'm not sure how to prove this (i'm afaid my knowledge on engines is limited to the carburretor A-series engine, and classic mini's!) hence I dont want to comdemn this without some other peoples opinions first.
Also, the haynes manual doesnt make mention of an automatic choke, but it does explain about a cold start valve, a warm up valve and various other things that all sound like they could be an auto choke.
One thing that does concern me, is we pulled the injectors out, and fired the engine with the injectors in a jam jar - we diddnt get the 'even conical spray cone' that the haynes manual explains, just more of an uneven, weak mist that wasnt visible untill you put the injector right against the side of the glass.
- Now, the trouble is, I dont know enough about VW engines to know if this is the injectors playing up, or just the fact that the injectors are not getting enough fuel on startup due to a dodgy automatic choke!
Anyone else had a similar problem? - I gather its the same engine in the golf GTI's of the time.... - Or is there anyone on here who is a bit more knowledgable about VW's than I am and can suggest some ideas?
Many thanks for reading this essay!
Cheers
Rob
He has an 1985 1.8 GTX Injection Scirroco, but its recently started having problems starting when the engine is cold (and also problems starting when the engine is warm and been left for say 10 minutes).
When you try to start her, the engine catches and fires, but almost immediatly cuts out, if you try and keep it going by pressing on the gas, it splutters and shakes like crazy - almost as though its only firing on 3 cylinders - however I have checked spark at all cylinders and this is fine.
Obviously the engine dies, but if you keep repeating the 'start - splutter - die' process (I assume its the engine slowly warming up ) it will eventually get to a stage where it will keep running, albeit roughly untill its up to normal operating temperature - when its at normal temperature, it will run, and idle on its own fine.
If you then leave the car when its warm, for more than 10-15 minutes, the same problems occur again.
My money is on the automatic choke, but i'm not sure how to prove this (i'm afaid my knowledge on engines is limited to the carburretor A-series engine, and classic mini's!) hence I dont want to comdemn this without some other peoples opinions first.
Also, the haynes manual doesnt make mention of an automatic choke, but it does explain about a cold start valve, a warm up valve and various other things that all sound like they could be an auto choke.
One thing that does concern me, is we pulled the injectors out, and fired the engine with the injectors in a jam jar - we diddnt get the 'even conical spray cone' that the haynes manual explains, just more of an uneven, weak mist that wasnt visible untill you put the injector right against the side of the glass.
- Now, the trouble is, I dont know enough about VW engines to know if this is the injectors playing up, or just the fact that the injectors are not getting enough fuel on startup due to a dodgy automatic choke!
Anyone else had a similar problem? - I gather its the same engine in the golf GTI's of the time.... - Or is there anyone on here who is a bit more knowledgable about VW's than I am and can suggest some ideas?
Many thanks for reading this essay!
Cheers
Rob