Starting a Golf GTI

In news:d0hgbm$jg0$ snipped-for-privacy@fantastix.bangor.ac.uk, Willy Eckerslyke decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

Depends on how old the Golf is, early Mk2 GTi's had two fuel pumps. One in the tank, and one external. If the lift pump (in the tank) is fubar then you'd have to put a lot of fuel in it to get life and even then it's still only a "possible".

The fuel pump relay can be bypassed by using a normal, spotlight type, relay in its place. This won't cut out when the engine stops though, so it's unwise to drive it like this. Unless you're a stunt man, or have a wish to meet Red Adair in person [1]

[1] Yup, I know he's dead, but a decent crash and a permanantly running fuel pump could make it so.

I've just been doing a google and yes, it does have two pumps. I hadn't realised that the black box on the underside was a pump. So is the lift pump only supposed to run for a few seconds to prime the main pump and then cut out? If so, it's working but the external one doesn't seem to be - unless they're silent in operation.

I'll bear that in mind! So next step is to check the leads to the external pump with a multimeter and swap relays if there's no power coming through.

Thanks Pete.

This reminds me of my old Merc. The pump underneath was fed by a relay which lived in an electronic control box hidden behind the battery. Mine developed a dry joint and refused to run. I suspect the two systems are similar - Bosch K-Jetronic?

Yes, KE Jetronic, I read somewhere. You're right, the problem does sound the same. I quick had a fiddle with it last night and found that there was no power going to the external pump (assuming that's what the black box next to the filter is). There's one relay in the fuse box marked "fuel pump". I swapped it for another that fitted with the result that the pump in the tank ran continually (when the ignition was on) rather than just for a few seconds - as Pete suggested it would. The external pump remained silent, but unplugging its lead changed the pitch of the internal pump's sound. This made me think there's a pressure regulator cutting in or out. I'll have a look for a second relay this evening - there are a few empty relay sockets in the fuse box so perhaps someone has been messing about in there...

Hmmm, how old is it? The Golf GTI I have my eyes on right now has a Jetta grille and headlights, and I'd like to put the proper ones back on it. Why on earth people replace a good, twin light setup with the damn ugly Jetta ones defeats me.

Richard

RichardK-PB ( snipped-for-privacy@NOSPAMbtconnect.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Because it then looks like a Golf Rallye.

Allegedly.

In the dark.

From a distance.

If you squint.

No, it looks like a Jetta. Because a Golf Rallye has dual-optic lights that are somewhat shallower and a grille area underneath them, and flared arches, and isn't sat in front of you. Usually.

IIRC you can get Golf Rallye lights and put them in a Golf, I've seen it done. Probably by people with more money than sense.

Richard

I've seena few with Corrado grilles and lights, they actually look pretty damned good like that.

HTH.

I like the Corrado grille conversion, but a 3-bar grille, single light and brow spoiler is more my thing.