# Mk3 Golf – problems getting engine started after cleaning.



## Phil1971 (Sep 3, 2007)

A friend of mine has just bought an old clunker of an M-Reg Mk. 3 Golf GTI to do up and sell on. He asked if I would try and give the engine bay a spruce up as it just looked pretty grotty.

I took my usual precautions of covering all the electrical connections with tin foil and then after soaking with de-greaser, I gave it a quick blast with the jet wash, carefully avoiding anything with wires hanging out of it. But now it's reluctant to start.

The car was playing up a bit before, but it started first thing this morning (albeit a bit lazily), but after my initial wash it would barely turnover and wouldn't fire up. After flattening the battery trying to start it, it took some jump leads and over an hour of fiddling to finally get it started, but once it got going, it would only keep running if you held the throttle open at about 2k revs. If you blipped the throttle or eased off, it would just die and then was a ***** to restart. It turns over freely, plugs sparking ok, fuel getting in ok, all connections dry and clean, petrol in tank, all fuses ok, dist'r cap seems to be ok, leads ok.

Couple of funnies though. There is a copper braid that runs from side/end of the cylinder head to the coil mounted beneath the bulkhead. We'd noticed this had come away whilst initially trying to restart it and thought we'd cured it when it started for the first time after cleaning this up and re-attaching it. Second thing is a spade connecter which is attached to nut/blue sensor of some description which is fastened to a lug on the throttle/injection casting unit behind the rocker cover. This appears to be permanently live (key out of ignition) and is not insulated. I discovered it was live when I tried to cover it in foil !! Circuled in the attached photo.









I'm hoping that the problem may just be a bit of moisture somewhere and it will eventually dry out, but are there any VAG or Mk3 Golf owners out there who've experienced anything similar and have any suggestions…???? 

Any help would be much appreciated….cheers all…

I'll post up some before/afters once I know its all ok....


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## Streeto (Apr 3, 2008)

This car have an AFM or MAP sensor, might be some moisure in there, or at the connection best thing is jsut to get it warm and try and dry it out and try unpluggin connectors to sensors one at a time (taking it off spraying it, putting it back) and spraying WD40 or a water displacing lubricant on them. I'd take the plugs out if you haven't already and check them.


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## Guest (Oct 5, 2008)

Leave it to dry out, it should be fine. The only common thing on them really is if the coil is cracked and water has got in it, aside from that it could be many other things. 

I hate to say it but "trying to start it" will not have done it any good, let it dry out overnight (if it is still playing up) and then go from there, it should be fine.


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## talisman (Nov 20, 2006)

I never use a jetwash on a engine!!...a open end hose should be more than enough, that and the power of the degreaser you are using, with various brushes etc etc ....jetwashing is more hassle than it is worth..


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## Phil1971 (Sep 3, 2007)

Thanks everyone.....I've used a jet wash many times before without any problems so am a bit annoyed with this one !!! I really only use the full force of the spray on things like the engine block, clutch housing, inner wings, etc. and just a wide open fan on the remainder and avoiding any connectors that I've previously covered with foil. We've taken out the plugs and their sparking ok, fuel is getting in. We've gone round all the connectors we can reach and blown them out with an airline before squirting with WD40.

I usually like to start the engine as soon as I've finished so it can warm up and dry off any moisture before dressing - maybe a re-think needed ?

The car was already a bit iffy at starting so it's either something unrelated or maybe agrivated by moisture, hopefully it will just dry out...fingers crossed..

Anymore more ideas/thoughts would be welcome....!!


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## Guest (Oct 5, 2008)

> it would only keep running if you held the throttle open at about 2k revs


Sorry i forgot to add this before. This is typical Mk3 behaviour when it gets affected by damp, I think it is the throttle position sensor, anyhow, let it dry, it should be fine, I have seen posts of them taking upto 4 days to recover after being blasted by water


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## Phil1971 (Sep 3, 2007)

Phew....it's sorted !!!! 

After searching through some VW forums, it was suggested we should reset the ECU by disconnecting the battery for 30 seconds. My friend went to do this and found that the connection on the live side of the battery was loose. After disconnecting everything for a couple of minutes and tightening everything back up securely, the engine fired up first time and ticks over just luverly !!!! Yippeeee...., can sleep now...!!!


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## Phil1971 (Sep 3, 2007)

After finally getting it started, I can now take some pride in showing a couple of before and after shots....

My mate was well chuffed with the results and its now up for sale !!!


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## woodybeefcake (Oct 12, 2008)

Ive got one of these! what i was gunna say is check the rubber mounting bracket in the bottom of the air flow regulator, they get worn and disintegrate! if you have any more problems check that! theyre about £20 from GSF and are quite easy to fit!

nice results!


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## Guest (Oct 19, 2008)

Very nice results, I wish my engine bay looked as clean as that, someone sprayed lacquer-glue all over mine, and I can't get it off!!


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