'96 Cabrio won't start:update (please help!)

.......I tried yet again to start the car.Nada.I pulled one line of the fuel injector harness and the voltage at the injectors is around

6VDC.It's a little bit less when the engine is cranking.(Should I pull the injectors?) (Is there anything that I should know as far as that procedure goes?)Upon removal of the manifold,there was a fog in the ports that look like some kind of combustion occured.Just not enough to start the car.....:0(

What colors the ignition coil, mostly silver or black.

Black.

Trust me, the first thing I try is an coil on them 93 to 99 cars! If it has spark that doesn't mean it's OK. Know anyone that will lend you a coil to try from their running VW.

......I'll stop by at a junk yard and pick one up on the way home...

And hope it's good!

yeah id try coil aswell, check your whole electrical system,could be wires,distributor cap, also check to see if your fuel pump is pumping, also inspect all other wires thouroghly for chaffing most ppl will tell you that is usually the problem,make sure your grounds are also good, I'd almost guarantee that it is one of these things

oops missed the part where u where getting fuel, but as mentioned just because you have spark doesnt mean its not the problem spark can be weak or weakened, also unplug all connectors that you can and spray them with wd40 or something similar,check for corrison,also try spraying your wires and inside the distributor capwith wd40 it may help

it get's worse....... I replaced the 'balck' coil with a 'silver' coilIThe car would not start. I regapped the (platinum) plugs,and it started! Eureka!(well....no) The car would quit if I stepped on the gas.I drove the car around the parameter of my driveway,and it could not climb a small hill.I looked under the car and i noticed that the CAT was glowing brighter than a cigar ash in a darkened room! Eureka! (well,no) I *CUT* the CAT off of the car figuring that I would have full power restored( at least enough to get up the hill).(well,no) Now I have to replace the CAT which may have been needed anyway,but I can now start the car,but have no meaningful power from the engine.The engine also used about 3/8 of a tank of gas(!!!) to go about one mile.(!!!!!!) I am stumped.......... Thoughts??????????

02 sensor.

Easy fix, fairly cheap if you are handy.

I disconnected the O2 sensors early in my diagnostic search.(Am I correct in asssuming this would've stopped the engine roughness,and simply made the engine run rich?) No difference. The engine was not putting out any codes that would suggest a problem with the O2 sensors. Of course,since I hacked the CAT,I will disable the O2 sensors tomorrow to see what happens.(I could also be dealing with a lack of back pressure now that the CAT has been amputated) Why can't life be simple.............. :0(

Platium 4 plugs?? theres yer prob my and my friends experiences with them are they SUCK,they look flashy like they would work good,but rarely do,if u can get another set of plugs try that also look/listen for vacuum leaks,try tapping things with a hammer,lightly as to not break it

Thanks,I'll change the plugs.I ordered a new CAT online last night,so the car is going to be sitting for another week or so. I'm going to keep troubleshooting the engine in the meantime,so I'll report back with my findings.

BTW,there are two different air mass meters available for the cabrio.Does anyone know if they are interchageable,or do you have to use the specific model determined via chassis number?????

Don't know. But if you're looking at the OEM part, see if the dealer also has the Bosch part. Mine did and it was about 1/2 price.

They're normally on eBay for ~$50 or so. 'Course you have to hope they're really ok.

Mark '95 Jetta GLS