Hi guys, Allow myself to introduce...myself..... I'm Pete and I'm new here!! I've got a MKII GTi 8v (1987-88) running Digi (well it would be if it would start!!). I've had the car for about 5 years now and it has alway performed without fault, and been hugely fun to drive, very quick and goes round corners like its on rails...All things a GTi should be! The problem that I need your help with is that right now the car is sat on my drive not going anywhere.[:^(] The story starts about a month ago when I was driving to work and the car hesitated really badly as I pulled onto the Motorway, but cleared and carried on as if nothing had happened. A week or so later I was going out with the Wife, when the car stalled at a junction about a mile away from home, it took ages to re-start, but did in the end and we returned home to change to the Wife's car! A day or so later I got in the car to go to work, it started fine, but then stalled on the drive and wouldn't restart, and that is where is has sat ever since. I've looked at the car several time since to try to get it going but with no luck yet. I have checked all the usual suspects, like spark (new coil and plugs fitted) so getting a really good spark! I've not moved any of the timing as it was running fine before. I'm getting a good mist of fuel if I have the plugs out and spin it over, but I have noticed that when I try to start it, it really stinks of fuel, might this be something that is stopping it from starting? I bled off some of the fuel and it look bad, so I drained the tank and have put in fresh, but still no luck. I've changed the air filter, so that shouldn't be causing any issues....I'm just completely stumped now.... I've read on here stuff about temperature sensors packing up and causing issues with start-up, might it be something like this? Any advise on where to go now is greatly appreciated! Sorry for the long post. Cheers
freaky... my digi has just done the exact same thing... although i'm leaning towards the coil packing up on mine (spark is big and fat from the king lead, but very yellow) will hopefully know more on mine tomorrow...
Check the gearbox earth is tight, clean and hasnt snapped as this will fry the ecu causing it to constantly inject fuel
Thanks guys, I've had a look at the car, the earth is good to the gearbox! The one to the cylinder head is not there anymore. I removed the tattered remains of one end of it from the bulkhead when I fitted the new coil. Just tried to get the injectors out, but can't budge the fuel rail. Any ways to check if the injectors are permanently on, other than pulling them from the engine? Are there any other signs that the ECU has failed? Where can I get an ECU if it is dud??
that might cause you an issue.... that earth strap is there for a reason... on mine i've got two options left as to what it might be now... the TCI unit that sits on-top of the ECU, or the ECU itself... getting an ECU from a scrapper is ok, but make sure it comes with a warranty
earth strap from head to coil isn't going to cause this, generally it just sends the clocks dappy. turn the key 1 click and mkae sure you hear the pump prime, not run continuously. Also remove and clean up all the battery/starter/alt wires, just cos they look ok doesnt mean they are next have a good look at the wires to the injector rail and the 2 earths to the rocker cover/coolant flange are ok. Last of all pull the plug off the main under car fuel pump, turn the key 1 click again. Make sure you can hear the in-tank pump prime! Oh and while you're here, pull the plug off the injector rail and check across the pins with a multimeter with the ign on. You should get 0v here, if you get 12v you have a short to earth, either due to a wiring fault or a blown ecu (the red wire to the fuel rail gets constant 12v, the other wire is earthed by the ECU to open the injectors)
cheers chaps, I'll have a look at this lot some time this week. (might be the weekend before I can, what with the nights drawing in and all that!!) If it is the ECU, does the Megasquirt fit directly onto the Golf wiring loom, or would I have to splice in a new connector and any new sensors? Just a thought that might be a source for an ECU, Iknow it would require programming, but like I said, just a thought!
Guys, Finally managed to find time to stick my head under the back of my car this weekend (far too much DIY to be done to get out there sooner!). From what I can hear it sounds like the pump is running continuously, and there was a really strong smell of fuel under the back of the car after running the pump for about 10 seconds. I'm thinking of getting another ECU to see if that cures the problem. What should I check to make sure that I don't fry the next one if was an earthing fault that fried this one? Cheers
Guys, I fitted a new ECU today, but the car stillwon't start!!!! The fuel pump now only primes, the engine spins over, still getting a strong spark (even swapped back to my old coil just to make sure) but it just won't catch! It's not even trying to catch at the moment[:^(] If I can't find out what's wrong with it soon its in danger of a one way trip to the scrap yard!!! Any more ideas welcome?!?! Just one other thing, does anyone know which ECU's are interchangeable, the one on my car had an 'E' suffix part number, the replacement one has an 'AN'?? Cheers (at the end of his tether) Pete
as long as it says digifant ii on it its fine. I'd do the blue ecu temp sensor next if you have fuel & spark!
Or try it with a dose of easy-start, having disconnected the injector rail plug. My only other worry is that you may have damaged it trying to spin it over with the engine hydrolocked with fuel - but that's not likely.
Right, I've just been having another look at the car. I pulled the plugs out and they were really wet with fuel, so thinking that the engine is still flooding. Next I checked the injectors, getting 4.1 Ohms across the two pins on the injector rail (according to Haynes, that means that the injectors are all good). Then I checked the injector rail plug with the ignition on, getting 12v on them and it falls as I stand there with the multimeter connected to them?!?! I've checked the continuity of the wires back to the ECU plug, both wires check out to their pins. Also getting constant 12v on the red as I should. Which temp sensor is the blue one? Cheers
