91 VW CABRIOLET 1.8L

Nov 29, 2006 7 Replies
W

Hi everybody, I've got a dilema.



I've got a 91 VW Cabriolet. Here's the problem. Recently the car would die randomly after warm up and a short/long run. After the car dies, I have to let it sit for about 15-20 minutes and if I'm lucky, it will start right back up. Today, the car died after idling for about 10 minutes (running errands) and would not start back up. The engine smelled strongly of gasoline, so I don't think fuel delivery is a problem. I pulled the ignition coil to distributor wire and put it to ground while a friend of mine cranked the engine. No spark. I checked for a referance voltage on the coil and it has battery voltage (12+ volts). I'm really at a loss as to what I can do. I am somewhat mechanically inclined but I really have little knowledge of ignitions systems in VW's. If anybody could point me in the right direction, I would really appreciate it.


- Wil



P.S. My buddy checked fuel pressure prior to the car no longer starting (when the car would die after a shot/long cruise) and the fuel pressure was at 36 psi idle, 44 without the pressure regulator. I have a coil from my local Kragen that I'm going to try out, but I don't want to waste it. Thanks in advance.



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D

maybe a faulty ign module. I forgot where it should be on your vehicle. Sometimes they are under the windshield on the left or right side and attached to a bracket on the ECM. I have not had to replace one of those in years. I am thinking it heats up and fails..........or It could also be a bad Hall Sender inside of the distributor. PLEASE check the terminals/plugs to the distributor. I have seen some corrode or even pull out and not make contact.

The Bentley repair manual should have some procedures for testing different components.

later, dave (One out of many daves)

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M

Unless you're getting too much fuel.

That's a problem and more likely the cause of your situation.

Flaky hall sender in the distributor maybe?

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V

If the 91 has a transfer pump in the tank my bet would be on that. same symtoms as my 85 cis. would die exactly 18 mins of idling.

mike

Matt B. wrote:

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W

Hi everybody,

Took a look inside the distributor, to check out the hall sender. One of the blades looked off, somewhat bent. My buddy had a "good" distributor so we threw it on but it made no difference. Still not getting a spark to from the coil. Went ahead and put the new coil on the car, one problem, old coil had a wire going out of the coil to what appears to be a ground, not certain though. The new coil doesn't have this wire, but has the spot to have the "connector" soldered in. Any ideas? I haven't checked the coil for resistance, but it was working previously (again, until the car got hot). Thanks again everybody.

-Wil

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M

that wouldn't explain the no-spark though.

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