85 Jetta hard start

I'd start by checking all the fuel lines, hoses, connections and filters for leaks. If air can enter the lines, then fuel will drain back and not re-fill again right away, causing you to have to crank longer. Can you smell raw gas outside the car?

No smell of raw gas, no leaks under the car. The fuel lines are old, since the car has in excess of 200,000 miles on it, but there's no visible leakage under the hood. There'd be clean spots, and there are definitely none of those ;-).

I wondered if this was symptomatic of the fifth injector for cold starting, but the fact that it happens even when the car is warm argues against that. The car is kept in a heated garage overnight, and still does this, even though it's in a 65-degree (F) environment when we try to start it in the morning.

Transfer pump dead?

probably a non-functioning cold start valve. check: cold start valve (AKA the cold start fuel injector), (-) ground from temperature sensor and (+) power from starter.

let us know what you find!

later, dave (One out of many daves)

"Pat" wrote

Also check the fuel pump relay as it could be operating intermittantly or has poor deteriated contacts. Next time is does NOT start, turn the key off and on and see if you can hear the fuel pump cycle. What could, beside the tips you got here, be happening is that the relay may be malfuntioning 'warms up' from the voltage attempts and finally makes a circuit to start the car. Locate it and wiggle it too if you can't hear the pump cycle - obviously - as others have stated other things - could be a number of things.

Harry

I don't think it's the cold start valve if the problem occurs with a warm engine.

Seems like my CIS Rabbit did something like this and it turned out to be a bad fuel accumulator, it sits under the car next to the main fuel pump if memory serves.

I would also replace the fuel filter as a matter of course, as a dirty fuel filter will soon trash an expensive fuel pump if not replaced quickly. A new filter is a lot cheaper than a new pump. ;)

Let's see, my Fox book (Fox is CIS too), says hard starting warm or cold can be caused by:

Faulty coolant temperature sensor Faulty auxiliary air regulator Vacuum leaks Worn or damaged fuel pump Fuel filter restricted Faulty evaporative emissions system Weak spark Faulty Electronic Control Unit

I'd start with the filter and go from there.

Used the Bentley procedure to test the cold start valve. It squirted fuel fine when hooked to 12 volts, but there was no ground at the terminals, so got a replacement for the temperature sensor out of a wreck and tested it by hooking it up and grounding it to the block. The cold start valve works with the new one. So, unscrewed the old sensor and screwed the new one in. The coolant outlet fitting crumbled where the time delay thing screws in, effectively grounding the car until I can get a replacement. I've got one coming from a yard in Montana, but it's usually 4-5 days getting stuff from there by mail. UPS only offers overnight to Juneau, at $50 a whack, so I prefer mail. Plus, I now get the joy of draining the coolant and replacing it.