Wont start!! AGAIN!!!!

Jun 14, 2005
920
2
Northants.
Hi all,

Well I've done it again!!! - Succeeded in transforming my perfectly working car into one that wont start by getting something wet after giving the car a serious hosing to remove any beach sand collected whilst on holiday.

What is susceptible to water on a Mk2 (AGG)?? - It just will not spark even though the Coil, Dizzy, Leads have all been kept dry. Could it be the ECU in the scuttle area getting wet!!

Any pointers!!???

Cheers

DC
 
Jun 14, 2005
920
2
Northants.
As everything still appears dry (Inc. the ECU) I was thinking of doing the following:

1. Diagnosis of ECU.
2. Replace Dizzy Cap/Rotar Arm
3. Replace HT Leads
4. Replace Coil

Anything else to check/replace?

I tried starting it at the weekend - it fired just and then went Paahhh!!! - lumpy!

How much on average should I expect to pay for someone to come and diagnose the problem?
 
Last edited:
Jun 14, 2005
920
2
Northants.
Went out and tried starting it tonight and it started first time and settled down to a normal idle!. I let it warm up then took it for a drive up the street and back which was fine through first but when in second it became very stuttery and hesitant. When stationary if you applied the revs smoothly it was fine but blipping the throttle cuased it to stutter, cough and judder and at one point die. I was able to start it again but only by playing with the throttle which again was very lumpy with some unreasuring noises.

I dont feel right starting again so I've left it and also disconected the battery!

I'am getteing really fed up with it now!

I'd be very gratefull for your opinions!

DC
 

m0rk

sarcasm comes free
Staff member
May 19, 2001
27,787
33
Clanfield, UK
As everything still appears dry (Inc. the ECU) I was thinking of doing the following:

1. Diagnosis of ECU.
2. Replace Dizzy/Rotar Arm
3. Replace HT Leads
4. Replace Coil

Anything else to check/replace?

I tried starting it at the weekend - it fired just and then went Paahhh!!! - lumpy!

How much on average should I expect to pay for someone to come and diagnose the problem?

Have you done this? Changed the parts?

You shouldn't need to change the dizzy - jus the cap
 
Jun 14, 2005
920
2
Northants.
Have you done this? Changed the parts?

You shouldn't need to change the dizzy - jus the cap

1. Diagnosis of ECU. - NO
2. Replace Dizzy Cap/Rotar Arm - About 4 months ago
3. Replace HT Leads - NO
4. Replace Coil - Tommorow

From cold the car started last night - though not easilly and quite lumpy! It settled down to an Idle at about 8-900rpm and I let it warm to 75oC. I got back in and started to push the accelerator and it just died. After a couple of minutes I started again with less trouble than the first time and again settled to an idle. At idle if you blipped the throttle there seamed to be stuttering/missing until past 1000rpm. I then turned it of and started it again acouple of times whilst warm and again this morning it also started from cold!.

The day before I took it on a short drive of about 10 mins averaging about 40 mph but if you put it under load there always seamed to be a stutter judder present. After about 10mins I found it difficult to stop it from stalling at low revs which got worse until it died at which point I could'nt start it and had to tow it home!!


Cheers

DC
 
Last edited:

__B3NNY__

OEM with a 'Twist'
May 5, 2005
3,449
1
Oxford
They symptoms you have described shound the same as when my temp sensor went on my old mk2 16v mine happend when i detailed my engine so something got wet, Does it stall when slowing down? and give quite a bad judder when applying power? Get it on the diognostics, not all that expensive for a sensor either if IIRC.
 
Jun 14, 2005
920
2
Northants.
Hi all,

Before I took it to get a diagnostics of the ECU I thought I'd try a few things:

Went round the whole engine bay removing/replacing multi-plugs, replaced the air flow meter unit with a new spare I had and cleaned the throttle body with a spray. I also removed the airbox, exmined all the pipes around this area and the filter.

Started it up and all seemed fine so I let it idle and warm up with no repeat of the previous symptoms! The next day the 15min journey to the Garage to interigate the ECU was uneventful - though I was making shure not to put it under to much load!.

The ECU diagnosis threw up 4 fault codes from the error memory:

020B Intake-air temperature sensor - open circuit/short
error sporadic

0208 Air-flow sensor - open circuit/short
error sporadic

0498 Key - At present no test possible
error sporadic

0499 Engine Control Unit - At present no tests possible
error sporadic

After this I drove the car around visiting parts suppliers and again no trouble! On a stretch of dual carrigway I opened it up through all gears and no obvious problems!
I was thinking I might change the air temperature sensor an see how it goes for a while - what do you think?

Cheers for your replies!

DC
 

shanegticupra

Guest
Hi Mate, Ive got a 2.0 8v gti cupra and Ive had a similar problem for ages. All started when my car cut out in the wet one day! next day it was fine. If it ever buckets down then i cant drive coz just as i get onto the most awkward juntion or roundabout and it will die, and not start again!!

Its now started to do what your car does, idle is always very lumpy and just seems like its going to cut out, and often when slowing down to a stop, revs will drop to about 200 and sometimes just stalls.

Ive been real tight on money lately so had no chance to get it looked at but its getting worse and worse. After the first time it cut out in the wet i changed the igniton coil, no help!

so if you find out whats wrong with yours then id appreciate a shout. Im thinking of taking it up for a diagnostics today or in the week, if anythin definate comes up i'll let you know.
 
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