85 Jetta dies again

Some time back, I posted when my 85 1.8L Auto Jetta quit in the middle of an intersection. I took the advice of the list and taped up the Hall Sensor connector, cleaned the contacts, and reconnected it. I did this on spec, since the car had miraculously healed itself before I got around to working on it (about two hours after I got it towed home).

It died again yesterday, and started up today just fine. There's no warning - it just quits and won't start. It cranks over fine (until the battery runs down), but won't fire. I think I've sealed up the Hall Sensor cable pretty good. I can't keep it dead long enough to get it where I can work on it, just long enough that I have to go tow my wife home when she's stranded - by the time we get it home, cope with the disasters that being stranded cause, and get around to working on the car, it's all better.

This, of course, means I can't tell if it's fuel or spark that's killing the thing.

So, any ideas?

Reply to
Pat Moore
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Take test equipment and test it when (or if) it dies again. I have seen a bad main fuel pump plug that was not making good contact with the terminals causing a similar problem. Then towing the vehicle around, bouncing it I guess, and it would start again like nothing was wrong.

later, dave (One out of many Daves)

Reply to
dave

When it is dead on the side of the road, pull a spark plug wire off of a plug. Have your wife turn over the engine while you look for spark. Got spark?

The one thing that is common to be intermittently bad, and I've had this problem, is a faulty fuel pump relay. The contacts will make contact when they feel like it and get progressively worse. The symptoms will be the same as yours.

Reply to
Simplstupd

Jim B.

Reply to
jimbehning

My gti had 2 fuel pumps...be sure to check the tank pump and the pump underneath the passenger seat if applicable

Reply to
<hatch

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