will it start first time?

Got the engine together and complete enough to start the ol' girl up this evening after a quick oil change and some coolant…

hasn't been started properly in 5 years, think she'll start first time?

I have every confidence in her  :wink:.. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow morning!  :pray:

Nope  

Remember to crank it with no fuel (pull the relay) to get some oil round it first.

Then she'll go….

I'd also remove the spark plugs as well as the fuel pump relay, and turn the engine over without any compression, to allow the oil to circulate with no load on the bearings.

Also, before turning it over, add about a teaspoon of engine oil to the cylinders, to lubricate the (very dry) cylinder walls/piston interfaces.

I'd also change the timing belt, as they perish with age, and yours may not like all this new activity!

well your right.. didn't idle!  :cry:

I haven't changed the timing belt but have a new one so I'll do that tomorrow before I have another go (Battery is dead now too… my fault that one  ops: )

She fired and and the revs went up to where ever I had the throttle, then she died instantly so I'm thinking there might be an air leak where I had the inlet manifold off  :dontknow:

any ideas? I'll try what Crazy and Type17 have suggested to (thanks guys.. oh yeah, and thanks for the vote of confidence )

Right I had a look at it during lunch.. and my findings are :-

No fuel pressure and I can't hear the fuel pump making a noise  :?

anybody got some suggestions were to start to get the fuel pump working again?

I'll do a search here as well

check fuse on top of the fuel pump relay, and check the relay mine burnt out after a couple of weeks after the fuse was replaced

you mean that red fuse just left and above where the fuel pump relay (where the arrows are) should be?

no there should be a fuse on top of the relay

Oops pic is a bit big

it might be different i have an 82' Gti dont know wether they changed the fuse box around in the campaigns.

Should have the same then as mines an '82 as well.. (borrowed the pic from somewhere)

I'll have a good look at it tomorrow and see if I can figure out why it's not working.

start with the fuse (cheapest first) I think  

You can do a simple test at the pump end too to see if you are gettin power to the pump.

Use a mulitmeter, or, if you don't have one - improvise!
I used a spare headlight bulb and connected two wires to it with a couple of spade connectors.
Touch one end to your positive terminal on the pump and earth the other end on the shell somewhere. Turn on the ignition and the light should come on for a second and go out again as if the pump was priming the system!
If the light comes on, then you can assume that your pump wiring and relay are OK.

Good idea AL   :y:

I think I've got one of those stupid look-a-like screwdrivers with a bulb in and wire coming out the top.. that'll do the trick!

think I was being optimistic to think there wouldn't be any problems, oh ok, I was being completely stupid!

PhillTMK1GTI said

think I was being optimistic to think there wouldn't be any problems, oh ok, I was being completely stupid!

No - these things can surprise you! Mine sat outside at the top of my mums drive for about 2 years before I bought my house with garage. I went out and started it every couple of months and it always went first time!

I know that's not quite 5 years, but stay positive!  

well rub it in why don't you!  

I think it didn't help when I had the windscreen off in the bad weather and the cover I had leaked!

well I found that the fuel pump is fine,

I'm getting fuel pressure up to and past the Filter (tastes great when it sprays in your mouth   )

there's absolutely no pressure from the top of the fuel distribution unit to the injectors (although 5th injector has pressure, it got me in the eye!)

so after getting a close look at petrol and a good taste, it's the fuel distribution unit.. I've tried cleaning it out with no luck!

Anyone know where I can get one? tried looking on GSF but can't find it  :dontknow: and expect if VW still do it, then it won't be cheap!

Phil,

Try tapping the top of the distrubution unit with a hammer.  They can gum up.  Failing that take the air filter out and make sure you are getting free movement on the dist head plunger.  Lift the air plate up carefully to check.  

Are you getting fuel returning to the tank?

Tried the 'whack' technique    No joy.

as far as I can tell I'm getting fuel everywhere apart from to the injectors!

the pin at the bottom of the unit wasn't moving smoothly so I took that out and gave it a clean, there's also the fuel pressure valve on the side which I took out and cleaned (had to free it with a bit of compressed air)

from what I can tell in the haynes bible there's nothing else to try  :cry:


don't suppose you have a spare Rich?  :wink:

I do  

Not sure of condition but i'd loan it to you for you to try if you want.

I'll let you know Rich, my mate 'says' he's got one laying in his garage but getting him to actually get it is harder than pulling teeth from a very poo'd off tiger!

I'm still having probs with mine and have swapped the metering head on and off about 8 times now.

I think I can do it in record time! :roll: