# Hard Start/ Won't Start



## mk1daily (Jan 7, 2010)

I have an '83 RabbitGTI
A couple of weeks ago, there was a puddle of gas by my rear passenger tire. Since that day the car has given me 100-150 miles on the tank, usually I get 200-300. The other day I was driving it and it started sputtering and dying, I thought I might have been out of gas because my gauge doesn't match up perfectly with my sender. After putting gas in it she seemed to run fine then started doing it a block done the road. Now she won't start, it tries to turn over but it just coughs when I let go of the key. 
There is spark, We changed the entire CIS box, changed the fuel pump relay, changed the fuel filter, tried adjusting time, and cleaned all of the spark plugs. Even adjusted the CIS to lean/rich to try and get it to run. When it does magically start it runs really rough and dies, it will only stay running for that magical second if we pump the gas. 
We can't figure out what to change/try next. Any Ideas?


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## WaterWheels (Aug 14, 2005)

*Re: Hard Start/ Won't Start (mk1daily)*


_Quote, originally posted by *mk1daily* »_ A couple of weeks ago, there was a puddle of gas by my rear passenger tire. Since that day the car has given me 100-150 miles on the tank, usually I get 200-300.

I can only speak for myself, but the above would have set off sirens and raised red flags for me. I mean that is where the fuel pump and some of it's plumbing resides, right? I suggest you do some good investegation work in that area to begin.


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## mk1daily (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: Hard Start/ Won't Start (WaterWheels)*

One of the lines to the Fuel Pump are leaking, I was told that it wouldn't cause this problem so I never bothered replacing the pump/lines. 
I can try swapping it with another FP and see if it changes.


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## WaterWheels (Aug 14, 2005)

Depends on which line and where. If it's before the pump it could cause it to suck in air. After the pump it could spray out and lower pressure. A return line would be no real problem, but it is gasoline and not good to have a leak.
Remove the cold start fuel line, stick it into a can or plastic cup, run the fuel pump for a few seconds and see if fuel comes out of the line. At least you'll know if fuel is reaching the fuel distributor, does not indicate if there's pressure though.


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## mk1daily (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: (WaterWheels)*


_Quote, originally posted by *WaterWheels* »_Remove the cold start fuel line, stick it into a can or plastic cup, run the fuel pump for a few seconds and see if fuel comes out of the line. At least you'll know if fuel is reaching the fuel distributor, does not indicate if there's pressure though.

I haven't done this step, but like I said I changed out the entire distributor a couple of times with different ones and there was plenty of gas spraying out of each line when I would change it between failed starts.
I'll do so better investigation on those lines, I know it isn't the before the pump.


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## natethegreat369 (Sep 6, 2009)

*Re: Hard Start/ Won't Start (mk1daily)*

i had almost the same problem on my 83 rabbit gti and it turned out that the cold start injector was leaking so the car was flooding constantly. I had a shop look at it and they decided to put a manual override switch on the injuctor and its seemed to stop the problem so far.


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## mk1daily (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: Hard Start/ Won't Start (natethegreat369)*


_Quote, originally posted by *natethegreat369* »_i had almost the same problem on my 83 rabbit gti and it turned out that the cold start injector was leaking so the car was flooding constantly. I had a shop look at it and they decided to put a manual override switch on the injuctor and its seemed to stop the problem so far.


We figured the same thing because the plugs were dripping wet when we pulled them. After cleaning and replacing the plugs we tried unplugging the cold start and starting and had no luck.
UPDATE: Replaced fuel distributor with another working one, fuel pump relay, fuel filter, cleaned plugs, bypassed ignition switch, adjusted timing, and checked for spark
Sat at mmi for a week and they told me I'd be better off switching to webers with an msd ignition. Which would be awesome but I don't have 1500$ laying around to spend on it. 
Car still just tries to turn over and just coughs and backfires when I let go of the key.








If anyone lives in the Tacoma/Spanaway area and wants to come take a crack at it, I would be eternally grateful


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## 16vsilverstreak (Dec 5, 2001)

*Re: Hard Start/ Won't Start (mk1daily)*

Have you checked the fuel pressure with a gauge hooked up at the fuel distributor? I'm assuming you bypassed the fuel pump relay with a jumper. I had an '82 Scirocco with a weak pump. It wouldn't start with the key but you could push it and jump start it. It ran fine, always had to park on a hill until I replaced the pump.


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## mk1daily (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: Hard Start/ Won't Start (16vsilverstreak)*

After finally getting some time to get to my parts car, I removed the fuel pump and placed it on the rabbit.
Unfortunately when I was under the rabbit putting the new fuel pump I discovered one of the hard fuel lines that ran to the accumulator were rusted and broken.
Will update if I can find a fix, (other than replacing the entire fuel line) and will post if it starts and runs.


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