HELP!! 1.8 mk1 wont run.

Hi,
I have just bought a mk1 gti, it has been sitting for just under a year. I gave it a full service when i got it. I drove it on sat for about a hour then it started running strange. I ended up having to put my foot all the way down for it to go anywhere. Had a friend do all the timing for me checked all of the leads coil, just changed plugs. I also put another new fuel filter in last night thinking it may be clogged. Now the car will start rev up then will die striaght away. If i get it going it just back fires and is really hard to keep going. Any ideas? any help would be great.

Thanks alot. That hour was so much fun!

Possibly, the distributor is loose and the timing has slipped.

plug leads round the wrong way????

My mate had the distributor out and put back in all good and leads are all in the right place. The car was running bad before the timing was done.

Cheers

on the right side of the rain tray is the amp may be worth trying that

also may be worth looking in the fuel tank to see if thees any rust could be blocking the pump up just giving you enough fuel to start

Sorry what amp is that? How easy is it to look into the fuel tank? i.e. that area?

the elctronic ignition amp give the dizzy its spark

The dizy is definately sparking. I think it is something to do with the fuel as when it was running i had to put my foot to the floor to get it going. But now when i start it, it revs up but then just drops.

check the filler neck for rust change fuel filter also dangle a magnet in the fuel tank see if you can catch some rust

if all that is ok try the accumilator

cool ill try them. Does it sound to you like it may well be the amp as just spoke to a friend and thats the first thing he said he would try? Do you know the best place to buy one from? Thanks

i would look in the tank first as it doesnt cost to look

the amp controls the spark although it may seem good doesnt mean it is if you get my drift these can be got from gsf but not cheap iirc

go fishing first report back :wink:

Okay just put  a two foot long pole with magnet on the end and no rust. First time i changed the fuel filter loads of ruster crap came out of it but when i changed it last night the fuel was clean both ends. There is also no rust on the filler neck. Does that help?

Ta

P.S When it was running crap it was also misfiring.

when you changed the fuel filter was there any pressure in the system ie did it spray fuel at you

Have you checked the microfilters? There's at least one, on the input to the fuel pump. There is also one on the metering head somewhere and one on the input to the WUR.

In fact, do a fuel pressure test, this will tell you straight away if there is a blockage issue!

Yeah it sprayed fuel at me both times right in the eye too. I havent checked the microfitlers. Need some day light!!

Do i need any special tool for that?

subwestyjon said

Do i need any special tool for that?

Yes you will, but its the "gold standard" for checking fuel delivery.

what you could try is getting the timing to tdc then check the following

all pulleys hit there marks
the rota arm point to plug number1
the leads are on the right way 1432 iirc

if the leads are on wrong it will run but wont rev and will backfire i had this problem with a car i got once  :wink:

Okay cool ill try that, how much is that tool and where is it best to buy from? Is no 1 on the top left if looking at the dizy?

Only other thing is my car is an 81 but has had the 1.8 put in, are the ignition modules different?