# So you fished a VW out of a back yard. Now what?



## alloftheabove (Jan 16, 2012)

Thread for VW CPR.

Tips for starting an engine that has sat for years.

Brake tips.

Wiring issues like corroded grounds ets.

Rust repair. The cheap way and the right way.

Rejuvinating seals and bushing etc. ( BLACK SILICONE CAULK AND A WET FINGER IS GREAT)

IF U HAVE A DIESEL READ DOWN THE THREAD. THERE IS SOME GREAT DIESEL ADVICE. My advice on diesel fishing is to bring a new filter, atf auto trans fluid to fill filter with... Yes its true, some fuel stabilizer like lucas for the old fuel, and maybe some methanol incase there is water in the tank.

IF THR CAR HASNT RUN IN MANY YEARS YOU CAN PULL THE PLUGS AND SPRAY SOME MOTOR OIL INTO THE CYLINDERS THEN LEAVE OVER NIGHT. THIS WILL REJUVENATE DRY RINGS AND LUBE THE FIRING CYLINDER DECREASING THE POSSIBILITY OR CYLYNDER SCORING IF THERE IS RUST IN THERE OR THE RINGS JUST CRUMBLING TO BITS WHEN YOU TURN IT OVER.

Don't be like me and replace the crankshaft sensor unless the engine is already running.
If the engine isn't running or starting it will throw the crankshaft sensor code 2111 and the bad ecu ground code 1111 because The engine isnt turning and the ECU is not getting signal, again because the engine isn't running.


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## alloftheabove (Jan 16, 2012)

*I know I started the thread. $300 Jetta drove home great, now no spark*

$300 Jetta drove home great, now no spark. It was a mechanics girlfriends car until they broke up.
So the car is in pretty darn good shape with newer wires, rotor, distr cap, brakes, oil change. 

Drove it home parked it no spark. Just turns and turns.

here are the circumstances:
1. Bought it when raining, started when raining, won't start now at freezing temps.
2.When I jumped it to drive home, i cross connected the jumper cable for 1 second. I put it right and it started right up.
3. The distributor is not bolted in and jostles around a bit. It ran and drove like this just fine for my around the block test drive and my two block drive home. 
4. Ignition switch wires need an occassional jiggle to get it to engage starter.

Here's what I have tried:
Checked all fuses 
Checked main fuse by battery 
Cleaned the carbon off the distributor cap nubs. (wires look new and have dielectric grease) no spark 
Starter fluid in the air intake after throttle body. No combustion 
Pulled plug 4 and tried to arc on block(plug came out clean and dry with minimal carbon) no spark 
pulled center distributor wire and tried to arc on center cap and engine block. no spark. 
Exhaust smells of unspent gas 
Voltage to coil is 14 
Pulled ignition coil and tested from term 15 to 1 with a harbor freight multi-tester I got for $5. results were 2.2 ohms (I need to redo with a better one) BUT THE RESULT WERE SAME AS NEW NAPA ONE, SO I THINK TESTER IS OFF) 
From term 15 to wire post was 1700 I think, but I'm not experienced with a tester. 
**Replaced coil with new one from Napa. NO SPARK 
**Reinstalled the old coil No spark.. 
1. Test voltage from term 15 on coil with ignition on = 14 volt 
2. Check if rotor spins while cranking. Yes. Spinning 
Reseated coil ground wire. Tested with ohm meter 0.8 resistance 
Tested voltage to ECU relay 12volts 
Jumped pin 87 to pin 30 on relay as recommeneded on http://tdiclub.com/TDIFAQ/TDiFAQ-8.html but this is a diesel forum, so I don't know. Didn't work.

Things I need to do: 
I think before anything else I should pull the battery and clean up any ground connections, both on the block and around the ECU. 
4.test the crank position sensor first: resistance across terminal 1-3 and 1-2should be 1.5 or less. Need to figure out how to remove connector 
5. Test the hall sensor/sender: terminal (#1) should pulse positive/negative while you expect the engine to run 
6. Screw in the distributor flange To hold distributor down.???? (I am distributor illiterate) Could a loose distributor mean no spark at all? (it did run for quite some time while flopping around) 
7. Test ECM ECU (I did cross connect the jumper cables for 1 second, BUT, It started right after that and I drove it home. (maybe it had one good start left in it) HOW? Looked couldn’t find. 
Check grounds on ecu


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NEED ADVICE AND TIPS ON WHAT TO CHECK. I SUSPECT A GROUNDING ISSUE SOMEWHERE. OR AT LEAST I HOPE. DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO TEST AN ECU


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## srgtlord (Jun 4, 2010)

It may be the ignition switch, the hall sender, or the ecu....


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## alloftheabove (Jan 16, 2012)

*Ignition switch, hall sender, ecu.*

I have an ingnition switch on the way.

The hall sender is in the distributer and from what i've read it's just easier to replace the dizzy. 
I will look up test the hall, unless there is some easy way one can post here.


How does one test the ECU?


I thought it might be the plugs because the ceramic was split on one and shattered on the other. They were autlite plugs and the gap was huge. I really should post a picture for sh*ts and giggles. The ends smelled like bad gas. Which makes me think it might the injectors. 

Thought


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## alloftheabove (Jan 16, 2012)

*If I could go back in time....*

The first thing I would have done was remove the rain guard and clean the mud and water out from around the wiring harness.


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

if its a diesel, replace the timing belt and tensioner before you go any further!! if it snaps, there goes your cheap investment..


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## alloftheabove (Jan 16, 2012)

If its a diesel also do change the filter but fill the filter with red ATF to clean injectors. I learned that trick from a mercedes mechanic. 
After I started doing that my 1981 turbo diesel with inifiniti miles ran like a top. 

Another trick is cutting the fuel with 20% to 30% kerosene in the cold months.


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

alloftheabove said:


> If its a diesel also do change the filter but fill the filter with red ATF to clean injectors. I learned that trick from a mercedes mechanic.
> After I started doing that my 1981 turbo diesel with inifiniti miles ran like a top.
> 
> Another trick is cutting the fuel with 20% to 30% kerosene in the cold months.


 i use ATF in my fuel, as well as fill my filter with it whenever i do a change.. 

one thing about ATF tho, if you use a fair amount, it dyes your diesel red like off road non taxed fuel.. 

and around my part of the world, the commercially available kerosene (stove/furnace oil) is just un-treated #1 diesel dyed red..


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## alloftheabove (Jan 16, 2012)

Its too the [email protected] crooks at the fuel companies realized that since diesel gets better mpg they will charge more. Kerosene is also more expensive because of supply and demand even though it costs less to make. No wonder even gsa prices are record high they are makeing record profits.


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## Brendon1098 (Oct 17, 2008)

he's talking about ignition coils, wires and spark plugs.... NOT a diesel.

If you have power and ground to the coil then you should have spark coming out of it.


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

Brendon1098 said:


> he's talking about ignition coils, wires and spark plugs.... NOT a diesel.
> 
> If you have power and ground to the coil then you should have spark coming out of it.


yea, but whats to say that someone wont "fish a VW out of a back yard" in the future, and its a diesel, but they find this thread and its purely gasser knowledge?

they would probably be pretty pissed that they didnt know about VW diesels being severe interference engines, and they just ruined there new car..

were talking about having just gotten a VW that had been sitting a VERY LONG TIME.. and guess what? the car you come across, may just very well be a diesel!

(and just because you have power to the coil, doesnt mean squat.. you DO need power, but more importantly, you need a triggered ground from the hall sender, ignition module, or points & condenser, to operate the coil properly.)

and, since your talking about hall senders, and ECUs, im assuming you have a DIGI equipped car? if you do, the first thing you need to do, is CLEAN ALL YOUR GROUNDS.. especially the ones under the hood..

my Jetta had a bad ground, and it kept cooking the ignition module, and it would crank, and do everything like it should, but not make spark..

so, first things first, check the amount of resistance from the battery negative terminal, to the ground strap going to the coil its self. it should not have much resistance.. high resistance is BAD. my coil had power to it like it should, but the trigger side of the module was dead. power passed thru it towards the coil no problem, and it had a trigger signal from the dizzy, but no trigger signal out of the ignition module to the coil.. one easy way to check if your ignition module is good, is to check the GROUND side of the coil with a test light (preferably an LED, but incandescent works too) while cranking, the positive side should ALWAYS HAVE POWER.. but the negative side should make your test light FLICKER while you crank the engine.. if your test light does not flicker (steady on, or off) then you have found your problem..

HOPE THIS HELPS!!

(the suggestions were all assuming you have a Digifant, or Motronic controlled car/engine)


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## Brendon1098 (Oct 17, 2008)

Glegor said:


> yea, but whats to say that someone wont "fish a VW out of a back yard" in the future, and its a diesel, but they find this thread and its purely gasser knowledge?
> 
> they would probably be pretty pissed that they didnt know about VW diesels being severe interference engines, and they just ruined there new car..
> 
> ...


-.- my diesel comment was about how everyone ran train on diesel comments when the OP didn't need diesel advice.


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## alloftheabove (Jan 16, 2012)

*As far as the grounds are concerned... check out Dan J Reeds page on grounds to clean.*

Here is his page
http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/campingart/jettatech/index.htm


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