Car Still Not Starting / Working

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

My 1.6 GTI started having a fuelling (seemingly) issue a few months ago. I was driving home and it just cut out. As soon as it stopped, I started it again and drove on. Thought I might have actually run out of petrol so filled it up. On the way home it did the same thing, just died completely as if the fuel suddenly cut off. It continued to do this so I have replaced:

 

Fuel pump relay

 

Ignition Amplifier

 

Battery

 

Positive and Negative connectors on the battery

 

Earth lead

 

AFM x 2

 

Fuel filter

 

Nothing has cured the problem. The first replacement AFM seemed to cure it for a week or so, but then it started doing it again. I thought it might be the immobiliser kicking in, so I had that removed. The car ran fine for two days with no immobiliser, but then refused to start after driving it for five miles or so with no problems.

 

Fitted the latest AFM today, but it hasn't made any difference (bought from a forum member) also tried switching the ignition amp back to the original. Am now thinking it must be the fuel pump.

 

When I turn the ignition to the second click, the pump is no longer priming. I can hear the relay click under the dash, but no buzz from the pump.

 

Should I get a new fuel pump then? I am at the end of my teather and don't want to continue throwing money at a mystery problem.

 

The car had not given me any engine problems whatsoever prior to going into a bodyshop for a repair to the rear OS panel - this is the one with the fuel cap etc on it, is there anything I should check?

 

I did notice today a smell of fuel when I tried to start it up. Starter motor was going and engine turning over briskly, but no sign of life.

 

Any help would be much appreciated as I am missing out on a summer of hot hatch fun and clomping around in a crap boring volvo.

 

Ian

Edited July 10, 2009 by mainline

[Anthony 1,003]

Back to basics first before throwing money at it - when it won't start, so you have a spark, is the fuel pump running, and is fuel being injected?

 

Intermittently cutting out and then working again doesn't sound like the fuel pump itself to me, although if it's not starting at all now then it could be a seperate issue. If you've got a multimeter, then check for power at the fuel pump connector - lack of priming isn't a worry in itself, as I've had several 205's that have never primed and always started and worked fine.

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

I've had a similar problem and it turned out to be the fuel pump dying. Checked the fuses etc?

[Greg205 0]

Check the 6mm vacuum hose that runs from the bottom of the dizzy to the bottom of the throttle housing. If that little pipe is split/cracked you'll get all sorts of problems!

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

Checked all fuses, and am going to re-borrow a mate's multimeter tonight. Good advice Anthony about not just throwing money at it. Something I need to learn.

 

I will definitely check the 6mm hose Greg - am sure it will be something along those lines.

 

Is it possible for a fuel pump to work intermitently, or do they just stop working altogether? I thought it might be a case of the latter which is why I hadn't touched it yet.

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

Mine intermitently then .........

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

It might be worth removing the fuel rail with injectors still fitted and cranking to see what fuel if any is getting into the cylinders. If you have spark and fuel at the right times it should run. If you have spark, then surely it's fuel?

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

Check the 6mm vacuum hose that runs from the bottom of the dizzy to the bottom of the throttle housing. If that little pipe is split/cracked you'll get all sorts of problems!

 

Checked that pipe and it was tie wrapped on? There was quite a bit of oil / gunge around it and on the electrical connector (yellow one) adjecent to it. Its not split or cracked but it was bulging at the top. I have trimmed it and it now sits nice and flush. How should I re-attach it, I am thinking that I should use a jubilee clip?

 

What does that pipe do anyway?

 

Am off to get hold of some small jubilee clips and hoping that when I re-attach that it might just start working again

[GLPoomobile 958]

Are you talking about the extremely thin (even thinner than the windscreen washer fluid hose) vacuum hose from dizzy to throttle body? If so, it doesn't need to be held on with anything. It should be a tight enough fit at both ends that it stays securely in place, but you certainly don't need to add anything to it to secure it!

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

Are you talking about the extremely thin (even thinner than the windscreen washer fluid hose) vacuum hose from dizzy to throttle body? If so, it doesn't need to be held on with anything. It should be a tight enough fit at both ends that it stays securely in place, but you certainly don't need to add anything to it to secure it!

 

Yeah that's the one, mine isn't a tight fit at all. . . . Looks like someone else might have botched it.

[GLPoomobile 958]

Or the hose is too big a bore. It should literally be piss thin, and slip over each end quite tightly.

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

Got the hose nice and tight, but it hasn't made any difference. Am going to get a multimeter today and see if its the pump.