Weird ignition behaviour
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(In Topic #131577)
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Weird ignition behaviour
The main symptoms are:
- Difficult to start - kicks back most of the time, and will occasionally reluctantly start and idle
- When idling, it misfires on all four cylinders, but does respond to the accelerator - if the pedal's pressed too hard though, it bogs down and dies
- When the ignition is turned on, but the engine is not started (position 2 on the key?), I can hear the lift pump and main pump prime, and simultaneously hear a 'tick-tick-tick' noise from the engine bay that carries on until the pumps stop priming. Having followed this, it turns out that if the coil-to-distributor lead is disconnected from the distributor and held near the block, the coil is sending a spark down the HT lead when the ignition is turned on. It stops when the pumps stop priming.
I can only think that this is an ignition fault, based on the last symptom - note that very occasionally, it starts and runs normally, and on these occasions, I don't hear either pump prime when the ignition is turned on, and there's no ticking (the fuel pumps priming is a new thing - it never used to be audible).
Any ideas? Really hurting for help here!
'89 Alpine White Scirocco Scala 1.8i
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'89 Alpine White Scirocco Scala 1.8i
Posted
MOTY 2013
Hello my name is John and I'm a dub addict.
My wiring diagrams and other documents have moved here:
VAG Documents & Downloads
You'll need to sign into google/gmail for the link to work! (its free!)
My wiring diagrams and other documents have moved here:
VAG Documents & Downloads
You'll need to sign into google/gmail for the link to work! (its free!)
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Excuse my ignorance, but what is a TCI unit? Is that the same as an ignition amplifier?
'89 Alpine White Scirocco Scala 1.8i
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- Disconnected the hall sensor on the dizzy - no change, spark still ticks.
- Disconnected the ignition amplifier - suddenly the fuel pumps aren't priming (which is seemingly normal for my car, since it never did it in the past), and the spark has stopped.
Now I know that the amplifier needs to be connected in order to provide a spark to the coil, but the fuel pumps sounding normal seems to be a fairly hefty pointer towards the amplifier being faulty. Anyone concur? Or is this a red herring?
'89 Alpine White Scirocco Scala 1.8i
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Posted
MOTY 2013
i would get another one as your test does seem to point to it being bust. MK2 Golf ones work
it could be a wiring issue also, worth having a good look at it. there is bugger all to the ign wiring so its dead simple to check over, 3 wires from tci to dizzy, 2 wires to coil and an earth to the battery, simples.
Hello my name is John and I'm a dub addict.
My wiring diagrams and other documents have moved here:
VAG Documents & Downloads
You'll need to sign into google/gmail for the link to work! (its free!)
My wiring diagrams and other documents have moved here:
VAG Documents & Downloads
You'll need to sign into google/gmail for the link to work! (its free!)
Posted
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Good to know the ignition system is simple enough - I did have a look at the book of lies last night and I think the amplifier is a good candidate. Failing that I do have the option of sourcing a dizzy and a coil for cheap moneys.
racer - One of the first things I did actually! Oddly my filler neck is still pretty solid despite it still being the original - one job this summer is to disconnect it and give it a damn good clean and about eighteen coats of hammerite to keep it that way! If this problem persists after the ignition system's been checked, I'll go into the tank and check for crap in the filter I think.
'89 Alpine White Scirocco Scala 1.8i
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'89 Alpine White Scirocco Scala 1.8i
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Mk1 1457cc 5door GX '83
Mk1 1457cc 5door GX '83
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'89 Alpine White Scirocco Scala 1.8i
Posted
MOTY 2013
Hello my name is John and I'm a dub addict.
My wiring diagrams and other documents have moved here:
VAG Documents & Downloads
You'll need to sign into google/gmail for the link to work! (its free!)
My wiring diagrams and other documents have moved here:
VAG Documents & Downloads
You'll need to sign into google/gmail for the link to work! (its free!)
Posted
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Thanks for your help, everyone - who knew that such a small thing could result in such a big problem? Oh that's right - VW owners
'89 Alpine White Scirocco Scala 1.8i
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