Mk2 GTI 16v help needed - wont start/turn over

[Ezy03]

hi guys iv started to restore my gti mk2, well the whole idea is to learn more about automobiles as i go along and learn on how to restore cars themselves, anyway to get on with it, i have a golf gti mk2 16v its in pretty decent for what i want to do, no signs of rust so far, panels are straight and so is underneath the car so it doesn't look like its been in any accidents, its been rarely used itself as its been off the roads for about 2 years now and just been lying around by a friend which i purchased the car off. The car does need body work and interior work to be perfect but the main trouble is the transmission and engine...

the problem so far....

so far i have taken off the hood, front bumper and lip and front wheel arches to get better access to the engine bay and keep those loose arches from cutting me.

the car has loose gear leaver all the way to the transmission so its kinda hard to get in gear..but that's no matter as the car doesn't start atm. it did before even with the bad tranny but obviously wasn't moving anyway just standing in the spot and idling (this was about 6 months ago).

anyway today i tried to make the engine kick but nothing happened and it went like this....

turn the key and it struggled to do anything. changed batter and something but still no dice....so.....

i changed engine oil etc (serviced the car) just incase it was something missing there, somethings simple stuff might do the trick i thought, anyway it didn't, i checked the spark plug leads and they were pretty dirty and had them cleaned and they seem ok i guess. secondly i check the ends of the leads both to the spark plugs and to the coil pack unit, they were dirty but i cleaned them up and opened the unit up and there wasn't anything wrong about it...

after that ordeal i open up the throttle body and gave it a clean, may i thought it was fully blocked or something. so i did that and connect the lot back up again and still same problem.

i have posted a video of what happens....any help of what it might be or ideas on what to do would be great!!


video link - VW Golf Mk2 GTI 16V - YouTube

[h100vw]

That's an 8Valve mate.

I am just guessing here but see if it spins better, with the plug removed off the side of the distributor. It seems to be really struggling to turn the engine and it should be whizzing around. I wonder if the timing is miles out and it's opposing the starter motor.

I would start from basics, check the mechanical timing of the engine. Set it to #1 at TDC by looking down the sparkplug hole and then check the crank pulley marks. The rotor arm in the dissy should point to the mark on the body of the dissy.

Then you should look for a spark and some fuel getting to the cylinders.

Can you hear the fuel pump run and is there any fuel in it?

Gavin

[Stiggy_21]

yep 8v

this is what a 16v looks like

[Ezy03]

quick question, could someone give me the exact battery size for the 8v gti mk2?

[ByronRichesMk1]

Pretty sure its a standard commodore/falcon size..
At least that's what I have in my Mk1 anyway mate.

[Ezy03]

Pretty sure its a standard commodore/falcon size..
At least that's what I have in my Mk1 anyway mate.

need numbers

[jwelect]

Hi Ezy03
Battery size is Din55 if no aircon Din66 if with aircon.
From sound on video I would check cam belt timing including the timing of the intermediate shaft (it drives the distributor)
Good luck!

[ryana89]

I have a Century DIN53 in my car, as it was the biggest I could fit.

[Jarred]

Do not buy a commodore/falcon battery. They are wrong for our cars!! (mk 1's or mk 2s!)

For starters I would sugggest charging the battery (if you have a charger) or using another car to help start it. Sounds like your battery maybe struggling, it should turn over much faster than that.

Then I'd follow the advice Gavin gave. He's been in this game for a long time, and knows what he's talking about!

[Ezy03]

thanks for that guys, im going to see the car today after a few things to do, ill try everything everyone has said starting from the easy stuff like battery to the bit more complicated stuff....anyways ill get back and write up what happens, hopefully something is going to happen today.


btw just for reference the battery in now is new, it is the same size of the old one, which the was enough to run it about 6 months ago.

[ByronRichesMk1]

Do not buy a commodore/falcon battery. They are wrong for our cars!! (mk 1's or mk 2s!)

For starters I would sugggest charging the battery (if you have a charger) or using another car to help start it. Sounds like your battery maybe struggling, it should turn over much faster than that.

Then I'd follow the advice Gavin gave. He's been in this game for a long time, and knows what he's talking about!

Hmmm, any reason behind not going for a commodore/falcon battery? Since its the one the guy at the battery shop said would fit the car after he looked at the old battery I had in there.. Seems to fit and work perfectly fine?
Sorry for the minor thread jack mate, just a bite interested haha..

[Bora Sport]

The correct battery is a DIN style which means the terminals are recessed into the battery. In other words tha top of the terminals is level with the top of the battery. 'Normal' batteries have the terminals sticking up above the top of the battery. Either will actually work however with the non DIN batteries you have to make sure that the terminals clear the bonnet.

[Jarred]

The correct battery is a DIN style which means the terminals are recessed into the battery. In other words tha top of the terminals is level with the top of the battery. 'Normal' batteries have the terminals sticking up above the top of the battery. Either will actually work however with the non DIN batteries you have to make sure that the terminals clear the bonnet.

This is why. Just becuase it's what was there before, doesn't mean its correct.

[Ezy03]

hey guys just thought id do a little update here, i changed the spark plugs. gave it a service, and changed the battery into a din66 - before it was something else way smaller dunno why, but it wants to start now a bit better than that video, i checked also the distributor and spark leads gave them a clean and whistle and they seem to be fine. next thing im going to do is check the injectors, fuel pump and flush the fuel and get new fuel in there and give it another try - doing this because it blew some smoke out (Signs of life) when i tried to kick it over and force some Aerosol easy start in the intake....it just back fired which led me to thinking of the fuel system and do that next, what do you guys think?

[Jarred]

Did you check the mechanical, and electrical (dizzY) timing, twice?

ti's easy enough to hot wire a fuel pump, either from the where the relay goes, or from under the car where the pump is.

Engines only need 3 things to run, air, fuel and spark. If you have all these (and they're running in the right order) I'd start looking for other issues.

it's worth while going over, and double check all the earthing points, esp around the ECU.