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Problems with power

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Hello !

I am having problems with mk1 cabriolet golf -91 1.8 engine 2h. It loses power sometimes so much that going uphill is really stressing thing.

I am also a beginner so i dont really know much about these things. Is there a fuel filter located in this model where ? I was thinking that it might have some blockage.

Spar plugs look  great and it sometimes runs okay also. And it doesnt matter is the engine cold or warm.

Thank you !
 

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Not really up on later cars with the 2H engine, is that carb or fuel injection?

There should be a fuel filter somewhere as they are meant to be changed every 20,000 miles.

1988 Mk1 Golf GTi Cabriolet 1.8cc DX, K-jet. Daily drive. 317,000 miles and counting
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.

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Found it yesterday. Its injection motor, i found it at the right side, front of the rear axle. Very strange place for fuel filter. Lets see what it does. :) Any other ideas for power loss ?

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It could be MAF sensor issues on the air intake if this engine has them (again not that familiar with you engine).  I was convinced that I had fuel filter blockage on my 2.0 8v Mk1 replaced it and it made no difference.  Played around with the maf sensor cleaned the electric contacts and it running fine again

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Power issues to me on a 2h Digi-fant can be but not limited to….

Plugged Muffler, Digi or Carbed, see it Vex me once on a carbed car I owned.
Vacuum Leaks
Timing is set wrong
Maf Sensor needs to be cleaned.
Restricted Air flow.
Weak Fuel pumps (is yours whining at the right wheel arch you can hear it over the Radio).
Bad Fuel Pressure Regulator (digifant).
Bad o2 sensor on digifant if equipped.
Bad CTS sensor on Digi.
Holed Air Intake Tube between the Maf and Throttlebody (digifant)

Is your Fuel tank partially full as in less than half, or is it topped off.

Just the short list off the top of my head this morning.

What do Divorces, Great Coffee, and Car Electrics all have in common?

They all start with GOOD Grounds.

Where are my DIY Links?

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hello, i have cleaned maf, fuel pump sounds normal, im not hearing loud noise from it. And it doesnt matter is fuel tank full or half or how much does it have. Tonight when i was driving it in the morning it feeled like it had all the power when i started it.

Then later today it feeled like it doesnt have the power and after turing right for another round the power suddenly came back ? It also drops rpm sometimes very low when i stop, but only for that moment. And also when cold starting sometimes the engine revs much more than usually.

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Check your grounds, and power on the battery.
If your grounds aren't brite and shiney you may want to use 2 off the shelf cables to replace them with.


What do Divorces, Great Coffee, and Car Electrics all have in common?

They all start with GOOD Grounds.

Where are my DIY Links?

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Glad Briano1234 found this thread, he's the man when it comes to later 2H engine and there Digi fuel injection systems.  :thumbs:

1988 Mk1 Golf GTi Cabriolet 1.8cc DX, K-jet. Daily drive. 317,000 miles and counting
1978 Mk1 Scirocco GLS 1.6cc FR, Webber carb. Weekend toy.

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Hello my name is John and I'm a dub addict.



My wiring diagrams and other documents have moved here:

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On digi, there is a better way, and all you need is a DVOM.  No timing light, no getting the engine up to temp, no nicked knuckles from the radiator fan.

You use the DVOM to check the hall sender going high to low.

Here is the link, it is the only way I use now.
Static Ignition Timing on VW A1 and A2 DigiFant Engines.

Used to use similar way on a old Beetle that my dad had, even my old 1148 MG and 948 Bug-eye we set with a lamp.


What do Divorces, Great Coffee, and Car Electrics all have in common?

They all start with GOOD Grounds.

Where are my DIY Links?

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I'm not sure its the timing though if its only doing it intermittently, I linked to my guide because of all the checking procedures inside :)

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!)

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Lets see what happens, i am going to do some testing during weekend :)Could distributor cap and the rotator thing do something to this ? I cleaned them a little while a go because they were getting white, engine started running better but power loses still appeared. Strangest thing is that sometimes it has the power and sometimes it dont. Like just yesterday, i turned from highway to smaller road and powers came back. Timing and else should be Ok ? Because there was headgasket and some other thing to valves and stuff did to car just few weeks ago. Power loss was before that also

Last edit: by Petrif91

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Could somebody tell me which is really the one that sends the temperature information for the injection system IMG_0352.JPG

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its the blue one :)

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!)

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Going back to an earlier comment from Brian,
It's very rare to find a Digifant fuel injection system (I or II) in the U.K. Unless it's an import.
They are out there but not many as I understand.

They were sold in mainland Europe and the U.S, the D1 was only sold in California. My 1990 Cabby has the D2 and I'm in Austria.

So can you confirm which fuel injection system you have as to avoid any confusion please? :thumbs:
Because the problem feels like fuel and or air supply but I stand to be corrected on that.  ;)

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he mentions code '2H' which is the euro digi 2 engine, plus the picture above showing the digi 2 blue ECT sensor confirms it ;)

Hello my name is John and I'm a dub addict.



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You'll need to sign into google/gmail for the link to work! (its free!)

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rubjonny said

he mentions code '2H' which is the euro digi 2 engine, plus the picture above showing the digi 2 blue ECT sensor confirms it ;)

Fair enough John.  :thumbs:

Hadn't realized the blue ECT sensor was only on the H2 wich denotes Digifant II.  :lol:

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I like ECT better than CTS, I mean they have two sensors, and in the Bentley they are called the same thing….Jeeeesh.

I have found that the plastic flange that they are sitting in is prone to cracking at the mounting ears, caused by the radiator hose vibrating the heck out of the plastic bits due to engine vibration.

You can find a flange (metal) off of a earlier Cabriolet/Golf sans the extra hose connection on the bottom for the oil cooler, you will be happier.  Just use a CTS sensor for a 16V, and a black oil temp sender (on earlier Cabbies over here they used the same sensor for 2 different things.  Once you change it over it is one less plastic piece that will fail on you at the most inappropriate time IE: when your Baby daughter goes to a concert and is driving back home at 1:30am…and you get the call…….

Don't discount the comment I made about grounds needing to be replaced, and you didn't say that when it is having loss of power, you car hear a loud whine from the right rear wheel arch.

Also check for Vacuum leaks, I usually tell folks to replace all the cloth covered hoses on the thing.


What do Divorces, Great Coffee, and Car Electrics all have in common?

They all start with GOOD Grounds.

Where are my DIY Links?

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the 16v pl/9a ecu sensor wont fit the 8v metal flange, its the wrong thread. you need the early digifant one part number in my guide above :)and the black sensor is coolant temp not oil, 3 of them are used on the 16v KR, or 1 on the pl/9a/abf, or pretty much all pre-87ish mk1/2 golf 8v

oil sensors for VW are usually white, and different rating to the black coolant one

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!)

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Hi thanks for information, grounds will be checked also and are made again but looking good in this point. This golf has been imported from germany to finland around 2003 i think. If i have understood right that blue sensor is one that fails really often, so just testing and seeing what happens part costs in here like under 10 euros.  ;) i will keep this updated until i have found what is causing this :)
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