1.9 gti not starting possible temp related

[Callum 13 1 Cars]

Typical just as someone is keen to buy my car it has decided to play up. The battery had gone flat from not being used so i charged it up but when i went to start the car it wasn't firing up just cranking, i could hear the fuel pump priming. The battery was showing 13v on the charger but very low amps even after being charged so i bought a new one. 

 

I looked inside the dizzy cap and there was condensation in there so i dried it out and cleaned out the breathers pipes off the oil filler as these were gunked up and the car started, it ran rough for a 30 secs but once warmed up ran perfect and drove perfect too also i could turn it off and start up again no issues.

 

Next morning i was going to drive the car to work but it wouldnt start again. I fitted a new dizzy cap and rotor arm and cts also i wd40 all spark plugs and leads the new cap and rotor arm the cts plug and the distributor plugs and the car fired up instantly so i thought i had definitely sorted it. 

 

This morning i was going to drive the car into work but it wouldn't start again! This made me think its temperature related. Tonight i checked for spark again and had 4 strong sparks and could smell fuel from each bore but i have not tested for fuel at the rail or injectors as not 100% sure how to do it also the plugs weren't wet but i could hear the pump priming the fuel gauge is showing low but the light isn't on. 

 

I've removed the sad what a tricky bugger that was and checked the pipes are clear and also checked the vacuum on the dizzy to throttle body and they are fine i wd40 the plugs for the sad could someone tell me is this fully open as not sure if it possibly stuck restricting the air stopping it from starting when cold. 

 

Any input would be great as like i say someone wants to buy the car so i need to get to the bottom of this asap. The car has a scorpion sa30 immobiliser and alarm fitted which seems to be working as it should thought it was worth mentioning. 

[Telf 222 2 Cars]

Thats suitably open. 

[Callum 13 1 Cars]

Balls will have to keep investigating then, how do i check for fuel at the the rail will i need a sealing washer or anything like that if i take the pipe off? 

Edited February 5, 2021 by Callum

[Callum 13 1 Cars]

Anyone? Will need to try and get any bits i'll need before going home 

[bacardincoke 42 1 Cars]

Check this French site, translates pretty well if viewed in Chrome...

 

From what I can see these are specific links to FPR testing, but there's plenty of other related pages covering most other things if you search -

 

http://www.dethomaso.fr/article-reglages-et-verifications-verifications-diverses-65780476.html#D - Vérification du régulateur de pression

 

http://www.dethomaso.fr/article-fiche-pratique-injection-regulateur-de-pression-essence-67364121.html

 

 

 

[Callum 13 1 Cars]

Thank you what i really need to know is there a seal/ o ring where the fuel pipe is joined to the fuel rail 

[opticaltrigger 52]

Hi Callum,

It's more like a hydraulic fitting. If you crack the nut off some fuel will / should squirt out. Try and wrap a cloth round it first so it doesn't spray around to much.

 

O.T.

 

[Callum 13 1 Cars]

Thanks for the reply so in theory i can crack it off a bit then re tighten without worry about it no sealing 

[DamirGTI 327]

Try this with an can of "easy start" spray :

 

- if it starts and runs on spray then there's spark but no fuel

- if it doesn't run on spray (not even a cough) , usually no spark/weak spark , or can be both no spark and no fuel (to divide that further : take the plugs out and see if they're wet .. if so then there's fuel , so lacks just the spark)

 

D

[Callum 13 1 Cars]

There is definitely spark i tried some easy start in the elbow before the afm and that didnt make a difference also tried some in the air box after and the same. I cranked it for about 5 secs then off then 5 seconds again then off then 5 secs and it coughed then but didnt fire didnt get to checking for fuel at the rail tonight but the plugs were dry when i checked for spark 2 nights ago but i could smell fuel

Edited February 5, 2021 by Callum

[DamirGTI 327]

Spark is weak then , unable to ignite the mixture ... or there is good spark , but it's intermittent appears and disappears .

 

Checking for spark outside of the cylinder tricked me (badly !) a few times ..

 

D

[Callum 13 1 Cars]

What would you suggest i do next? I haven't looked into the amplifier 

[DamirGTI 327]

Dizzy signal cable , ignition amp. , coil ...

 

Try to wiggle the signal cable a bit while cranking  , if you have spare ignition amp try it (with an layer of fresh heat sink paste) .

 

Take a good look at the plugs/leads/dizzy cap and arm too .

 

D

Edited February 5, 2021 by DamirGTI

[DamirGTI 327]

Also , seeing you have late style square coil on the inlet manifold , they're pretty unreliable coils .. changed a few of them from time to time , and not a single old style cylindrical wing mounted coil they're so much better/reliable .

 

 

D

Edited February 5, 2021 by DamirGTI

[Callum 13 1 Cars]

Swapped the coils back and it started straight up 

[DamirGTI 327]

Nice one !

 

D

[Callum 13 1 Cars]

Thanks for your help the car has been sold now the new owner loves it