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HELP! 88 GTI 16v Power Drop

My beloved GTI 16V, that I bought new in 1988, has a problem, making it "less than reliable". It is a stock 1988 GTI 1.8 16V with 193,000 miles, AC, cruise control - all original. The past 2000 miles, it has been plagued with a problem that is best described as breif, intermittent loss of power, or hesitation. Usually after it's warmed up and cruising at a sustained RPM, accelerating or decelerating, I will experience moments of brief power interuptions, lasting only a fraction of a second at a time. It used to occur only at around

29-3100 RPM on the highway, but now happens from 25-3100 RPM and more recently when maneuvering into parking spaces and sometimes when idling at a stoplight, as well. In the latter instances, the RPM's will drop to almost 200, come back up, drop, come back up, drop etc. and then smooth out. This will be accompanied by what sounds like a metallic, electronic "clicking" noise from behind the instrument panel. (It sounds like a relay opening and closing rapidly.) Runs fine and purrs when first started and idling, and for the first few miles.

Occurs at 35-65 MPH or at idle; AC on or off; full tank or gas, almost empty and anywhere in between; hot weather or cold; raining or dry weather; cruise control on or off.

Both my VW mechanic (Jeff's VW in Mooresville, Indiana - HIGHLY recommended) and I have been "scratching our heads" and cannot seem to solve this problem.

Here's the list of things done to the automobile;

New Bosch spark plugs, wires, rotor, distributor cap. New distributor and Hall sensor. Replaced terminals to Hall sensor. New knock sensor. New Air filter. New Valve cover gaskets (Old one leaked oil into two spark plug wells and might have been causing the spark to jump). New battery (6 months). Fuel pump and filter 3-1/2 years ago (Fuel pump problems in past were "bucking", loss of power and car dies immediately and won't go anymore.) New fuel pump relay. All rubber boots and hoses seem to be in good condition - checked for cracks and leaks. Ran three tankfulls of injector cleaner in the past 2000 miles.

No apparent water leaks from the windshield. All electronics in the instrument cluster are working fine; odometer as stopped turning recently. Ignition switch checked and okay.

If anyone has had this problem and has a solution, please help! HELP! Any and all (believe me...ANY and ALL!) suggestions are welcome.

SK

Reply to
IndyGTI
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try another ign. switch just in case.

might also be the 02 or wiring to it.

what does the tach do when you are experiencing these problems. later, dave Reminder........ Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their shoes. Frieda Norris

Reply to
dave

One could speculate that you have an intermittent ignition switch. If this were the case, the clicking you hear would be the load reduction relay.

As a diagnostic measure, you could try jump>

Reply to
Randolph

dave,

Thanks for the reply! In response to your question about the GTI intermittent power drop, when I experience the power drop, I see the tach bounce from the last RPM to zero and back up again. I don't remember exactly, but I think the tach pulses (oscillates, vibrates, flutters...?) with the clicking sound. I think, but I'm not absolutely sure about that. I'll watch more closely when it happens next. When this happened in the past, I would purposely jiggle the key in the ignition switch with no result in recreating the symptoms. Could that still mean the switch is bad, anyway? What might the O2 wiring have to do with this?

Again, I REALLY appreciate the reply!

Steve K

Reply to
IndyGTI

Hiya!

I replaced the ignition switch myself (an $8 item, the old one WAS cracked) and started it up. Within 30 minutes of running, it started doing the same thing again, only worse, accompanied with backfiring. The next day I started it again, idled it for 90 minutes, then drove it for another 2-1/2 hours and 70 miles with NO PROBLEMS!!

Today's amother day, and we'll see what happens.

Thanks again for the replys, you and everyone who took the time to send me the advice! It was very greatly appreciated!

SK

Reply to
IndyGTI

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