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Hi all, My G won't start at the moment. Any help would be amazing as it's due to go in for MOT in a couple of days! Here's what I do know: Battery is fully charged and seems fine. when I turn the key, the dashboard lights come on, as does the radio. I can also turn the headlights on etc. However, it won't start. I can't hear a solanoid click or starter motor etc. I HAVE been able to bump start it no probs. Could it be that a fuse or a relay has gone? (my amateur diagnosis) This is extra weird, as it's been running really nicely, no probs at all for the past few weeks. Any help would be very much appreciated. Cheers, Tim

anyone running a 8v with aftermarket ecu id like to ask if i can see your ign map my spec is 1400 with mpi , but id be happy to hear from anyone with similar engine , or know anywhere i could ask ?

Hi guys. I'm reasonably new on here - been on club G40 for a good few years tho. Basically I've reshelled my G40 into a breadvan, engine has been fully rebuilt etc. My issue is no spark and the injectors aren't firing. I have fuel pressure at the rail, which as far as I can see means that both the ecu relay and the fuel pump relay are good. I've got 12v at the coil with the ignition on, and I've checked the resistances and theyre all good too (this was a brand new coil 6 years ago and has done ~200 miles). The distributer again was a brand new part just before my G40 died 6 years ago, but I know Hall senders can cause issues so I swapped it out for the known working item from the old 1.0 spi engine, and still no luck. All of this seems to be pointing towards an ecu fault but I'm sure there will be something I'm missing. Anyone on here got any ideas? Help is very much appreciated. Cheers

While I’ve got my golf off the road I’m looking to fit my twin dcoe 40s to my 1986 1.3 mh. Fuelling, linkage and manifold all understood but I’m in need of suggestions as far as ignition goes. Dcoe carbs have no take off for ignition advance so the car will never run right on the current setup. Anyone know what people usually do in this application? Searched and searched but information is either limited or old pages 404. Read about everything from having the Advance weights and springs changed to standalone systems(which if possible I’d like to avoid for now) not the most cost effective mod for performance but that’s not what this is about, just suggestions for the setup I’d like to run. Any help greatly appreciated!

Hello All, I have a 98' SEAT Arosa 1.0 with engine code AER. with 35,000 miles on the clock (sorry kind of a cut down Polo really) It was a great runner until it was parked up at the side of the house 2 years and 8 months ago. I started it every 6 months or so and ran it for a while with no problems. The Saturday before last I decided to get it back on the road so jump started it and it started first time and settled down to tick over nicely for 20 mins or so until I turned it off. As the battery was knackered I ordered a new one that week (reasonable quality VARTA). This was fitted this weekend, unfortunately when I came to start it it was running really bad. like it was only on 3 cylinders. Instead of persisting I decided that the fuel was most probably past it, so I got hold of a new fuel filter, drained the tank and filled up with fresh fuel. The old fuel was the colour of Whiskey so it wasn't good. No change. still very lumpy. Checked the Dizy and all HT connections etc, Nothing obviously loose etc. Tried unplugging cylinder 1, this made no difference to the running, 2 and 3 caused the engine to stall, 4 also made no difference. All HT's seems to be arcing away strongly to the metal shrouds on all cylinders. Checked the plugs for damage and cleaned (looked really good actually) however, 1 and 4 were wet. Didn't have any spare plugs or leads so sprayed the whole area in WD40 to see what happened. started and ran beautifully, 5 mins then reverted to running badly.Tried the spay again, but still ran badly. Decided to compression test it just to clear up any concern about valves. Did this with a cheap AM-Tech unit which I know from testing my Ghia is not correct and it gave 85 psi across all cylinders which is very low, but that's the crappy gauge. the important thing was they were all identical. Checked the connections to the injectors for security etc. Tried to start again, but now would not start at all. Just the odd fire and backfire through the throttle. Checked the dizzy again and found it to be cracked. GREAT. ordered a new on. This arrived today. Fitted it, still the same. Wont start. Checked the leads and coil with my timing strobe and there is power traveling down the leads from the dizzy, so I guess the coil, dizzy and cap are OK, so maybe just the connections to the plugs and/or the plugs or something fuel related? Any pointers/experience would be much appreciated. This was supposed to be a cheap recommissioning as it also needs an exhaust and MOT. I really don't want to throw money at it. Shame really as its in really good nick, Money so far - Battery £45.00, Fuel filter £7.50, Fuel 25.00, Dizzy and Rotor £15.00 = £92.00. It soon mounds up. Update, Just removed all the plugs and checked them for firing. They are all sparking, how well I am unsure but there is a blue spark present for all of them. All of the plugs except one from number 2 cylinder were wet and smelled of fuel. Number two is the one that is firing now and then, so was dry and sooty. So, fuel is present along with a spark, Cant think what I'm missing?

Hello just wondering if anyone can help, i have got a 1989 mk2 polo coupe S, I recently did an engine swap for a mk1 golf 1.3 on suzuki bike carbs. The only issue i am having is getting the original polo ignition loom to work with the mk1 golf distributor as my polo was originally electronic ignition and had a 3 prong plug where as the golf distributor is points and condenser with just a single plug (shown in picture) i have tried swapping the distributor but it does not fit and i am not able to swap the plug over on the distributor housing. Just wondering if anyone had a solution to my problem👍🏼 Thanks in advance!

Hi all, I'm in a right pickle so any help would be much appreciated. I'm due to hillclimb my G in a couple of weeks but since I got it through MOT it's horrid. Bit of backstory: Bought the car a year ago. Ran rough on idle and had very little power so got the charger re-built at Jabba inc. full service. Performance was like night and day but was still lumpy on idle so unplugged the lambda. Ran better (still not great) until MOT time last month. It failed on a whole load of things, one being emissions which were unsurprisingly through the roof. To get through MOT had to get a new lambda sensor as the old one was fucked apparently when they plugged it in, and fit a new cat as the one on there had been obliterated. So, after much expense (this, welding, steering column, etc.) it got through MOT and felt ok. Drove it 200miles to Devon and back, no probs. After sitting for a week or so last week, went to take it out and all hell broke loose. Wouldn't start (probably battery) so ended up bumping. When it turned over, I couldn't keep it alive. It was idling OK but as soon as I feathered the throttle it'd die. Bumped it again and again with the same result. Managed to limp it back into my driveway with the help of my gf and dad pushing it for a final bump. Has anyone else experienced this? The only course of action I can think of is unplugging the lambda, and replacing the cat with a straight through pipe. This is driving me nuts! 😬

Hi all, Came out the other day to give the G a blast after a couple of days standing and it's completely dead. Dashboard lights/radio/headlights all come on but no turn over. Not even a solenoid click I can also hear an electrical motor sound toward the rear which i presume is the fuel pump. I don't think it's the battery as all the electrics work and i've tried jumping it with a battery pack. Anyone got a clue what might be up? My mechanic skills are a work in progress so it's all a learning curve!

Hi guys, I posted earlier and got a very prompt response and it was greatly appreciated! I am getting married in little over 6 weeks time and hope to get my beloved mk2f coupe on the road again for the big day. The car has been off the road for some time and I asked my dad to charge the battery for me. I came home today to see that my dad loosened the cam and slipped the timing belt off and turned the cam by hand (for some reason). I am in a position now where my Haynes manual has disappeared and I need to know what damage has potentially been done/how to resolve it. I have taken a picture of how it is at the minute and note that the 2 white dots line up however I am unsure if this is of any significance. Any assistance would be appreciated. Cheers, Vinny

Hello, I am at the end of my tether with my poor running problem. It will run if I keep blipping the throttle but won't hold a steady tick over, to be able to set the mixture setting on the carburettor. I have deliberated between the Distributor, the points the plugs the leads the coil, the ignition circuit back to the ignition switch. I even checked the connection of the harness plugs near the fuse box, all seems well. The petrol isn't old and is 97ron super unleaded, lower ethanol? The carburettor is a recent fitted Weber 32IBF I have checked the carburettor for blocked idle jet . I have checked the ignition timing and valve timing all are within limits to run? The Weber instructions state the throttle screw should not be more than 2 turns in. The mixture screw should be within 2 turns out from fully seated. The airfilter is the standard air pan ring type.I am confident I don't have an air leakage at the manifold. I do not possess certain tools like a gas analyser or dwell meter. Although I am satisfied my points are gapped correctly and in serviceable order. It has got to the point where I am going around in circles. I give up in a defeated attitude. I leave it for days weeks, then decide to look at it again. I just cannot get it to run satisfactorily. To the point I am prepared to put another engine in, a 1300 electronic ignition type? If anyone has anything suitable? My engine is the last year of points ignition a 1985 GL engine coded 1043cc. In August 1985 the engine was redesigned incorporating hydraulic valve lifters, oil pump and fuel pump relocated, and electronic ignition.I cannot even use a later cylinder head? My engine has a points distributor Z43 type, with both advance and retard vacuum pipes fitted to a green spherical vacuum chamber. Actuated by a solenoid valve and relay. That would come into operation when the engine is under load by retarding the ignition I am in the Nottingham area if anyone could lend a hand? I have rebuilt the engine within 8000 miles, new shell bearings, piston rings etc. It would be a shame if I cannot get it to run satisfactorily ever again? It is unfortunate that mobile tuners are all of the plug in diagnostics fraternity? My old engine seems alien to them.

After a long time searching on line, I can't find a side entry distributor cap for a mk2 polo. I'm sure in the past I have seen such a thing. Does anyone know if there is such a thing and where I could get one? To answer a question from a previous post. Yes I will be running an oil cooler. At the moment I'm looking at mounting it in the nearside wing possibly with a fan on it but it depends on the room available.

Hi everyone, if anyone could help me diagnose my problem that would be amazing! I'm sure its down to something electrical? I have recently got back hold of the car (off road since'15) I had her firing a few times but running naff (always near enough flooding) so since these things I have changed; spark plugs, battery, replaced 1 HT lead (misfire), dizzy cap, oil sensor, blue and black coolant temp sensors, full service (oil, air & fuel) and also added and exhaust system. I have also added a gasket to the throttle body which was missing and fixed the one which sits between this and the carb (thick black one). Only after getting this far with the car today I've managed to see how bad the carbs flooding, if anyone has any ideas what it could be please let me know OR if you get the nail on the head I will PP you a beer token! :) Many thanks video here -

Hi all, been lurking on here for a while but never made an account. recently bought my first car, a p reg 1.4 cl (8v) with the Openair roof. Absolutely love it but have already caught the bug in terms of modding. Been reading up about carbs (seems less daunting than a 16v) to give it some more oomph but there’s one thing I’m not clear on. How does the ignition work when efi and stock throttle body etc is gone? Seen some websites saying I can run off stock distributor but lots of talk on here about mk2 wiring? Fairly new to it all but sort of mechanically minded so just looking for some explanation maybe. sorry for the long post and thanks in advance to anyone who bothers to read this and help a newb out!! ?