Off subject, need 1988 VW halp asap - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Cliff · 11-17-2003, 10:20 PM

I appologize in advance fellas for posting this, but I am in serious need of help from any VW mechanics out there. haha. It is a 1988 Cabriolet that is a good friend of mine and the car won't start. It's fuel injected... which i know nothing about. I have narrowed the problem somewhat I believe. I have a solid spark to all 4 of the cylinders. I have a good battery. The car has gas. Starting sysyem is okay as well. The darn thing will turn over and over all day and cough like it wants to run but won't fully start. I'll admit i don't know much about the fuel injection, but I think it is not getting sufficient fuel to start the car. It did this hard start thing last week, and once running there are no problems, the car will run all day and easily re-start. I'm hoping fuel filter ? maybe ? anyone with any info on this car ? I have a chiltons manual that dose not seem to be much help at all. I posted on a VW forum but they haven't said much at all. Should I attempt the fuel filter ? it looks easy to get at, right behind the battery. I'm at school and my friend has to go home for thanksgiving. I wanted to know also if there is a way to "prime" a fuel injected car... like pouring a little gas into the carb on the old chev... If i could do this somehow and the car ran I could narrow it to the fuel system. I'm really trying ot help a friend out here and appreciate any info you all have. Thanks in advance. Cliff

Cliff · 11-18-2003, 01:27 AM

top

Scrub · 11-18-2003, 01:33 AM

WD40 makes pretty darn good starting fluid. Spray quite a bit in while someone cranks on it. If it starts, you know your problem is fuel related.

Cat Fuzz · 11-18-2003, 02:27 AM

Fuel pump. Probably located inside the gas tank. Should be an access panel in the trunk to get to it, so you don't have to drop the tank. You can test by disconnecting the fuel hose on the pump side of the fuel filter, turn the key on and see if it comes out. Should be pretty high pressure, so be careful. If the fuel filter is cheap and easy to get too, replace that and see if that solves the problem, it couldn't hurt. If not, then its a bad fuel pump.

SWEET7T · 11-18-2003, 02:54 AM

Just a thought...
My friend had a similar prob on a '91 CRX. After I fooled around with it for a little while, I found out that it was the ignition switch!!! The switch would supply power to the ignition system while in the 'start' position, but wouldn't supply power when in the 'run' position. The car would fire as when starting, but would die as soon as you let go of the key.
I told her to take all those random keys and other funky crap she had on her key chain off because there was too much weight

I don't know if the weight would be the source of the problem, it probably just wore out but I said it anyway.
It's just another idea to your friend's car problems... Good luck

Cliff · 11-18-2003, 03:12 AM

can i give it a shot of wd40 near the air cleaner ? this fuel injected crap is for the birds, especially on this car. Makes me love my truck all the more. Thanks for the responses everyone. Any more always welcome. I'm gonna go at it again tomorrow afternoon. Thanks again.. Cliff

Scrub · 11-18-2003, 03:40 AM

Well, I don't know how far the away the air cleaner is, but I would pull the filter off and stick the little red tube on your wd40 can right down into the air intake and let it rip pretty steady. Like a 5 second blast then half second shots every second to keep it going.

Good luck

stllookn · 11-18-2003, 05:01 AM

Try the cold start fuel injection circuit. The cold start injector location varies depending upon which type is on your engine...CIS, CIS1, CIS2 or Digifont. It sounds like everything else is fine as long as it is warm and running.

rambler · 11-18-2003, 12:20 PM

I have a 89 cabriolet, they both have the CIS injection system, there are also 2 fuel pumps, one in the tank $$ and one outside even more $$$.... it could also be the fuel pump relay as well, those things also run very bad with any vacumn leak... it could also be the cold start valve, which is a seperate injector on the head. VWVORTEX.com is a good site with a forum,, and also dump the chilton on this,, I had bought both a Haynes and a Chilton,, you need to invest in the Bentley manual if you want to work on this yourself,, I've now gotten over 179,000 miles on mine.. you should look at a fuel pressure gauge to test the pressure from the regulator,, and yes, replace the filter,, but I would assume now it may be the pump in the tank, or the cold start valve

11-17-2003, 10:20 PM	#1
Cliff Registered User Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 291	Off subject, need 1988 VW halp asap I appologize in advance fellas for posting this, but I am in serious need of help from any VW mechanics out there. haha. It is a 1988 Cabriolet that is a good friend of mine and the car won't start. It's fuel injected... which i know nothing about. I have narrowed the problem somewhat I believe. I have a solid spark to all 4 of the cylinders. I have a good battery. The car has gas. Starting sysyem is okay as well. The darn thing will turn over and over all day and cough like it wants to run but won't fully start. I'll admit i don't know much about the fuel injection, but I think it is not getting sufficient fuel to start the car. It did this hard start thing last week, and once running there are no problems, the car will run all day and easily re-start. I'm hoping fuel filter ? maybe ? anyone with any info on this car ? I have a chiltons manual that dose not seem to be much help at all. I posted on a VW forum but they haven't said much at all. Should I attempt the fuel filter ? it looks easy to get at, right behind the battery. I'm at school and my friend has to go home for thanksgiving. I wanted to know also if there is a way to "prime" a fuel injected car... like pouring a little gas into the carb on the old chev... If i could do this somehow and the car ran I could narrow it to the fuel system. I'm really trying ot help a friend out here and appreciate any info you all have. Thanks in advance. Cliff __________________ 1972 Custom deluxe 305/350 C/10 8-foot bed with 1/4 inch diamond plate steel bed floor.

11-18-2003, 01:27 AM	#2
Cliff Registered User Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 291	top top __________________ 1972 Custom deluxe 305/350 C/10 8-foot bed with 1/4 inch diamond plate steel bed floor.

11-18-2003, 01:33 AM	#3
Scrub Collector of rusty Items Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Sisters,Oregon USA Posts: 731	WD40 makes pretty darn good starting fluid. Spray quite a bit in while someone cranks on it. If it starts, you know your problem is fuel related. __________________ Scrub Sisters, Oregon - Home of the Sisters Rodeo. 70 GMC 1,000,000 + miles 72 K-20 project, 456 Dana60 front, Corp14 rear w/locker, 265R19.5 tires 20-ply. Warn 12k winches both ends, Cross-over steering with raised tie-rod, Powerbox steering, 4500 watt 120-AC power, Air, Hydraulic aux power, 4 inch lift, 5000 lb air-bags both ends.

11-18-2003, 02:27 AM	#4
Cat Fuzz My son, my joy. Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 463	Fuel pump. Probably located inside the gas tank. Should be an access panel in the trunk to get to it, so you don't have to drop the tank. You can test by disconnecting the fuel hose on the pump side of the fuel filter, turn the key on and see if it comes out. Should be pretty high pressure, so be careful. If the fuel filter is cheap and easy to get too, replace that and see if that solves the problem, it couldn't hurt. If not, then its a bad fuel pump. Last edited by Cat Fuzz; 11-18-2003 at 02:30 AM.

11-18-2003, 02:54 AM	#5
SWEET7T Try spinnin 4 rear tars Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 757	Just a thought... My friend had a similar prob on a '91 CRX. After I fooled around with it for a little while, I found out that it was the ignition switch!!! The switch would supply power to the ignition system while in the 'start' position, but wouldn't supply power when in the 'run' position. The car would fire as when starting, but would die as soon as you let go of the key. I told her to take all those random keys and other funky crap she had on her key chain off because there was too much weight I don't know if the weight would be the source of the problem, it probably just wore out but I said it anyway. It's just another idea to your friend's car problems... Good luck __________________ SWEET7T 1970 C10, 2wd, LB, 307/TH350/3.08. PS, PB

11-18-2003, 03:12 AM	#6
Cliff Registered User Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 291	re WD40 haha can i give it a shot of wd40 near the air cleaner ? this fuel injected crap is for the birds, especially on this car. Makes me love my truck all the more. Thanks for the responses everyone. Any more always welcome. I'm gonna go at it again tomorrow afternoon. Thanks again.. Cliff __________________ 1972 Custom deluxe 305/350 C/10 8-foot bed with 1/4 inch diamond plate steel bed floor.

11-18-2003, 03:40 AM	#7
Scrub Collector of rusty Items Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Sisters,Oregon USA Posts: 731	Well, I don't know how far the away the air cleaner is, but I would pull the filter off and stick the little red tube on your wd40 can right down into the air intake and let it rip pretty steady. Like a 5 second blast then half second shots every second to keep it going. Good luck __________________ Scrub Sisters, Oregon - Home of the Sisters Rodeo. 70 GMC 1,000,000 + miles 72 K-20 project, 456 Dana60 front, Corp14 rear w/locker, 265R19.5 tires 20-ply. Warn 12k winches both ends, Cross-over steering with raised tie-rod, Powerbox steering, 4500 watt 120-AC power, Air, Hydraulic aux power, 4 inch lift, 5000 lb air-bags both ends.

11-18-2003, 05:01 AM	#8
stllookn Saving 1 truck at a time! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Kent, WA Posts: 6,465	Try the cold start fuel injection circuit. The cold start injector location varies depending upon which type is on your engine...CIS, CIS1, CIS2 or Digifont. It sounds like everything else is fine as long as it is warm and running. __________________ '68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 400/TH400 '68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 468/TH400w/buckets '72 C20 Halfhorn (Longhorn w/o cab and front clip) '69 Flxible Cruiser (look up ugly in the dictionary)

11-18-2003, 12:20 PM	#9
rambler MOVE OVER Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Warrensburg, MO Posts: 5,470	I have a 89 cabriolet, they both have the CIS injection system, there are also 2 fuel pumps, one in the tank $$ and one outside even more $$$.... it could also be the fuel pump relay as well, those things also run very bad with any vacumn leak... it could also be the cold start valve, which is a seperate injector on the head. VWVORTEX.com is a good site with a forum,, and also dump the chilton on this,, I had bought both a Haynes and a Chilton,, you need to invest in the Bentley manual if you want to work on this yourself,, I've now gotten over 179,000 miles on mine.. you should look at a fuel pressure gauge to test the pressure from the regulator,, and yes, replace the filter,, but I would assume now it may be the pump in the tank, or the cold start valve __________________ No matter where you are..... There you are... Buckaroo Banzi

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