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High mileage 98 Golf hard to start, stalls-out while driving
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Bud Osbourne
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Joined: May 25, 2005
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA.
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2014 6:14 am    Post subject: High mileage 98 Golf hard to start, stalls-out while driving Reply with quote

I'm thinking fuel delivery issue, but haven't done any testing to confirm (way too busy with other automotive projects).
Since new, this car has always started with a misfire, after sitting for several days. Lately, however, it flat-out refuses to start, after sitting for more than a day or two. When started every day, however, it starts like "the day I drove it off the showroom floor" (yeah, I've owned it since new). But, let it sit for a few days and it becomes extremely difficult to start.
Typically, after numerous failed attempts, I have to walk away from it for a few hours, then come back and try, again. At that point, it usually starts normally. I did have success in starting it, after a four day sit, by turning the ignition on and waiting 30 seconds before energizing the starter. This trick, however, only worked once.
Also, it has now begun to cut-out, while driving, although it will re-start and continue to run (at least long enough to turn around and get me home).
New plugs, wires, rotor & dizzy cap a year or so ago. Fuel filter (the one VW says you never need to replace) was replaced at roughly 200,000 miles, at the recommendation of my local VW dealer tech.
I'm thinking fuel pressure regulator, fuel pump relay or fuel pump, but my knowledge of modern FI systems and OBD II-related engine management systems is extremely limited, at best.
Normally, I'd just take the car in to my VW dealer, for a diagnostic scan. Now, however, money is tight and I don't really need the car every day, until winter. So, can anyone offer some thoughts/suggestions as to what I need to do to cure this ill?
Oh, yeah....this Golf has logged 376,000+ miles and is still in very good condition. Not quite ready to give up on it.
Thanks in advance.
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ps2375
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2014 6:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Unless something shows up in a scan, which sounds unlikely, a low cost first option would be the coolant temp sender(CTS). Sometimes those give an inaccurate reading when cold and make cold start hard.

You really need to have someone with VAG-Com come by and give it a scan and look at some of the sensor inputs to have a better idea of where to begin. Driving it to the dealer would be good for the scan, but unless you leave it over night, they won't be able to give it the same scan and the cost for them to do the same is not nearly as friendly.

I would think if it were fuel pump or relay, those seem to fail and the car won't run at all, not just on start-up.
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Bud Osbourne
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2014 1:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ps2375 wrote:
Unless something shows up in a scan, which sounds unlikely, a low cost first option would be the coolant temp sender(CTS). Sometimes those give an inaccurate reading when cold and make cold start hard.

You really need to have someone with VAG-Com come by and give it a scan and look at some of the sensor inputs to have a better idea of where to begin. Driving it to the dealer would be good for the scan, but unless you leave it over night, they won't be able to give it the same scan and the cost for them to do the same is not nearly as friendly.

I would think if it were fuel pump or relay, those seem to fail and the car won't run at all, not just on start-up.


I suspect that the fact that it starts normally, if started daily, is significant. It's when it sits for a few days that it becomes difficult. As far as driving it to my dealer, I think that ship has sailed, since it's taken to cutting-out and dying, while driving. I've been fortunate enough to get it re-started and get it home, but I don't want to push my luck. If push comes to shove, I can call AAA and have it towed in. I can get my eldest son to bring a VAG scanner home from work (he works at a Porsche dealership, but they also have an Audi dealership next door (same owner).

I noticed a little while ago, when attempting to start it (gonna try, again, in a few minutes), that I can smell un-burned fuel, when I step out of the car (it's in my garage), so it's getting fuel. Question now is, I think: is it getting fuel in the right proportion?
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Bud Osbourne
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 14, 2014 6:00 pm    Post subject: update Reply with quote

I cured the cutting-out/dying issue by replacing the MAF. I found the original to be in pretty bad shape, with the plastic screen/grate burned away and bits of melted plastic lying on top of the air filter element and a few other places. I suspect that the airflow over the sensor wire was being badly disturbed. Anyway, the new MAF (a NAPA rebuilt unit) has resulted in no misfiring or stalling, although the above-described starting problem is, very much, still present.

I've allowed it to go on for so long simply because I didn't have to depend on the car and I was too busy working on other automotive projects and enjoying driving my Brit cars. But, winter is here and the Brit cars are put away for the winter. Time to sort the Golf out, because this problem is becoming very tiresome.

I'm going to replace the coolant temp sensor, as has been suggested. I suppose I really should buy a VAG scanner, rather than depend on my son to bring one from work, when it's way out of his way. Or, I suppose I could just let my dealer scan it and see what it reads after sitting for a couple of days. Problem is, I need to drive it most days and only have an issue when I skip one day of driving it. Sign........ Nobody to blame for it but me, as I've been pretty lax about getting to the bottom of the problem and sorting it out.
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Bud Osbourne
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I've got a new coolant temp sensor coming in tomorrow morning (NAPA). I sure hope it's the right one. I'm assuming it's the four pin sensor and not the two pin sensor.

How about it, guys? Thanks.
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