MK2 8v GTI wont start

88 digifant 8v GTI

Has been laid up for a loooong time, started up with a new battery and moved about a couple of times on day 1, at the end of day 1 it struggled to fire and when it did it misfired and cut out, now it just cranks on the key with no attempt to fire up.

Fuel pump primes and runs when cranking

Swapped the TCI as had them blow before causing non start

Still no joy.

Anyone got a step by step walk though of what to test/in what order?

Cheers folks

 

If it's been idle for quite sometime, I would start with the following suspects:

• Fuel - is it old/have you topped up with fresh juice.
• Fuel filter, if you haven't changed it then please do - fuel can get gummy over time and affect the filter by dragging nasty stuff from the tank/fuel
• Moving to the engine bay - check/replace spark plugs, rotor, distributor cap, coil, HT leads, and coolant (blue) sensor.
• After that it would be onto confirming fuel is getting to all injectors from pump(s)

It has to be the spark or the fuel supply that's playing up

 

Quick update - nice spark from King lead but weaker spark from each individual spark plug when earthed.

Thinking maybe dizzy cap/arm for starters?

Ignition timing although it did run before and nothing has been interfered with at the dizzy end?

Cheers

 

Yes change the cap and rotor and see how you and definitely replace that fuel filter regardless-you don’t want crud/gum in the lines

 

Updated:

Firstly I have ruled out spark issues as it starts on easy start.

Onto fuel side then!

I pulled both these fuel pipes in the bay and got nothing on ign or crank

 

I then swapped out the fuel pump relay, no joy

So I pulled these 2 pipes from the under tank pump to try rule out blocked filter, nothing on ign and crank

 

And lastly I proved the lift pump works by pulling the outlet pipe and got a good flow as expected.

The main pump primes on ign and sounds like it's running on crank (hard to hear over racket from starter tho) so I'm stumped.

Anything else I can check before I start thinking about replacing the dreaded main pump?

@rubjonny any thoughts mate?

Thanks

 

All sorted now, the fuel pump relay I replaced was duff so tried a 3rd one and away it went.