Intermittant start problem Mk2 GTI 8V

[bluejuice]

Hi

I have an F reg 1988 8v Golf GTI - with 192K on the clock.

In the last year it started having an occasional starting problem where it would turn but not fire. RAC man said there was no spark, but when i looked there was.. put the HT lead back on .. and.. hey.. it started!

It's done it only a couple of times since - usually when it's been stood for a couple of days - but in the last week it's done it more often than not.

2 & half years ago I had a non start issue and the recovery guy said the coil had gone - so changed that - once it started it drove like a pig - so i went straight to the parts place and changed the HT leads, Rotor arm and cap on the forecourt and it's been good as gold since then - apart from this occasional taking a couple of turns of the key with my foot flat to the floor to start it.

I did have to put one of the old HT leads back on it a bit later as lead one had got water in it (don't ask... thought i would clean the oil off the block to see where the rocker leak came from - but thats all sorted now) - and i ended up putting an old lead back on plug1 - so it has 3 new-ish leads and one old one.

Yesterday morning (after being stood for 2 days) it took about 6 turns before it would fire - and I thought it was only when the engine was cold - but last night i went to GSF for a bit of friendly advice and again it took about 6 turns before it fired up.. and it was warm... so at least I can rule out cold start problem!

This morning started first time! (although I did pump the accelerator twice - out of pre-injection car habit!).

I took it to my local garage this morning - and again once warm it wouldn't start... and he said it was like there was no spark. Took off lead 2 and checked for spark... and being a true VW it then started everytime all day... until just before i was coming to pick it up (it has the Herbie gene!).. and then it would turn and not fire again.

When I tried to start it to bring it home... it was a s*d and really stuggled to turn over.. and the garage man took a bit of delight saying it might be compression... they hate the fact that my car still goes well 20 years on!!
To me the sluggish start this time was due to the drain the the battery - but it did eventully come into life - and was it's normal smooth ride home... no coughing, no lumpy ride... no backfire... just as it should be!
The guys at GSF think it's the Hall Sender unit... the guy at the garage said it could be the ignition amplifier.. all things that I've seen written on other posts on VW with intermittant starting problems - the other thing I've seen mentioned is the Fuel accumulator... and that maybe it's not holding pressure....

so guys and gals... anyone come across this before... and please say yeah... thats just a typical VW thing and it confuses everyone... but it only 'x' that needs changing!!

In the morning I'm going to see if it starts or not.. if it's a non-starter I will pull out the plug to see if it's wet (=electrical problem) or dry (=fuel problem)... but then who knows if it's an intermittant spark.. .or is it??????

Update: Started lovely today (24/9) and have done a compression test when cold... no. 1 & 2 ok - no. =109, no. 4 = 70

can't see how there is a compression problem though (evern though test says there is) and the car runs really well - it's not rough - there is no loss of power at any time etc... they problem only seems to be when trying to start it... once it's running its fine...

any ideas??