Golf not starting

Here's the story:

90 Golf 1.8 8v 140,000 miles.

The car died on the freeway and left me stranded. I got it towed home
and:

I replaced the oil pressure switch (sensor) on the side of the motor
because it was leaking. Also, the day before the car died, I noticed
a rattle under the car which I *assumed* was the catalytic
converter.

When I replaced the switch, it ran for a while but now won't start at
all (it just turns over and over). If the car sits for a while, it
starts for a second, but then dies.

Any thoughts? Please help!

Thanks in advance.

In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled, Ears wrote:

> Here's the story:
>
>90 Golf 1.8 8v 140,000 miles.
>
>The car died on the freeway and left me stranded. I got it towed home
>and:

What lead up to the dying? Was it sudden, or was the car going
slower and rougher over time.
>
>I replaced the oil pressure switch (sensor) on the side of the motor
>because it was leaking. Also, the day before the car died, I noticed
>a rattle under the car which I *assumed* was the catalytic
>converter.
>
>When I replaced the switch, it ran for a while but now won't start at
>all (it just turns over and over). If the car sits for a while, it
>starts for a second, but then dies.
>
>Any thoughts? Please help!

Maybe fuel. Maybe it is a really clogged fuel filter, tho I would
expect that to be more gradual.

On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:17:49 -0700 (PDT), Ears
> wrote:

> Here's the story:
>
>90 Golf 1.8 8v 140,000 miles.
>
>The car died on the freeway and left me stranded. I got it towed home
>and:
>
>I replaced the oil pressure switch (sensor) on the side of the motor
>because it was leaking. Also, the day before the car died, I noticed
>a rattle under the car which I *assumed* was the catalytic
>converter.
>
>When I replaced the switch, it ran for a while but now won't start at
>all (it just turns over and over). If the car sits for a while, it
>starts for a second, but then dies.
>
>Any thoughts? Please help!
>
>Thanks in advance.


Any codes when you put the scan tool on it?

Ears > wrote:

> Here's the story:

>90 Golf 1.8 8v 140,000 miles.

Engine code?

>The car died on the freeway and left me stranded. I got it towed home
>and:

>I replaced the oil pressure switch (sensor) on the side of the motor
>because it was leaking. Also, the day before the car died, I noticed
>a rattle under the car which I *assumed* was the catalytic
>converter.

Take a look and make sure that nothing has fallen off! :-)

>When I replaced the switch, it ran for a while but now won't start at
>all (it just turns over and over). If the car sits for a while, it
>starts for a second, but then dies.

Besides a clogged fuel filter, the problem could be electrical.

Check the electrical connection from the engine to the chassis. The
most important one for the electronics is from the corner of the
cylinder head to near where the ignition coil is mounted on the
firewall.

Re-check all the fuses.

Also, check the fuel pumps. There's one in the fuel tank and an
external one for injection pressure.

Depending on the type of engine, either the engine management system
or the fuel pump relay use timing pulses from the distributor to
tell it that the engine is still turning. When those pulses stop,
the fuel pump relay is shut off after about half a second.
--
/"\ Bernd Felsche - Innovative Reckoning, Perth, Western Australia
\ / ASCII ribbon campaign | Science is the belief in
X against HTML mail | the ignorance of the experts.
/ \ and postings | -- Richard Feynman

OK lets forget all that other stuff. Start with the basics. FUEL & SPARK.
Which don't you have???

If you have both check your timing belt & timing marks to make sure the belt
hasn't jumped.

Craig


"Ears" > wrote in message
...
> Here's the story:
>
> 90 Golf 1.8 8v 140,000 miles.
>
> The car died on the freeway and left me stranded. I got it towed home
> and:
>
> I replaced the oil pressure switch (sensor) on the side of the motor
> because it was leaking. Also, the day before the car died, I noticed
> a rattle under the car which I *assumed* was the catalytic
> converter.
>
> When I replaced the switch, it ran for a while but now won't start at
> all (it just turns over and over). If the car sits for a while, it
> starts for a second, but then dies.
>
> Any thoughts? Please help!
>
> Thanks in advance.
>

I agree with Craig here.
Let us not forget it could possibly be a bad ign switch. Do you always seen
the red lights ON in the dash while trying to start the engine?

Check out the ground wires near that oil pressure switch. If they break
then you could experience running problems.

Most 90 Golf 8Vs don't have codes, but I believe the California equipped
ones might.
--
later,
(One out of many daves)

"Craig" > wrote in message
...
> OK lets forget all that other stuff. Start with the basics. FUEL & SPARK.
> Which don't you have???
>
> If you have both check your timing belt & timing marks to make sure the
> belt hasn't jumped.
>
> Craig
>
>
> "Ears" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Here's the story:
>>
>> 90 Golf 1.8 8v 140,000 miles.
>>
>> The car died on the freeway and left me stranded. I got it towed home
>> and:
>>
>> I replaced the oil pressure switch (sensor) on the side of the motor
>> because it was leaking. Also, the day before the car died, I noticed
>> a rattle under the car which I *assumed* was the catalytic
>> converter.
>>
>> When I replaced the switch, it ran for a while but now won't start at
>> all (it just turns over and over). If the car sits for a while, it
>> starts for a second, but then dies.

>
> If you have both check your timing belt & timing marks to make sure the belt
> hasn't jumped.


Would you kindly tell me how to check this? Thanks.

check your repair manual, you do have one...

"Ears" > wrote in message
...
> >
>> If you have both check your timing belt & timing marks to make sure the
>> belt
>> hasn't jumped.
>
>
> Would you kindly tell me how to check this? Thanks.
>