91 Golf GL Various problems

Hi everyone.

My 91 Golf has the following problems:

1) The passenger floorboard has slowly been taking on water. It's not
flooding, but after heavy rain the floorboard is rather damp. Is this
the windshield leaking, or could it be coming through the engine
compartment?

2) My rear wiper doesn't work. Every time I try to replace the fuse it
blows immediately.

3) When it is cold outside the engine doesn't want to turn over. After
a few attempts and some waiting is fires up after a while, but runs
rough for a bit. Once warmed up it starts fine all day until the next
morning. Also, (and this is strange) when starting the car or running
before warmup, if the defrost slide is set, or the blower is set to 3,
the car idles much higher, often erratically.

Any ideas are much appreciated!

Thanks

On my Rabbit I caulked all around the fresh air intake behind the
firewall on the passenger side. Your car may be the same. Also look to
see that water drains from that area properly.

Unplug wiper connector back at hatch. Try new fuse and engage with
wiper still electrically unplugged. Report back.

Are you saying the starter motor turns slow? New battery.

Runs rough after start. Dirty and leaking injectors.

Higher idle when defrost on. Many cars engage AC when defrost runs. AC
en gauged means something bumps up idle to compensate for load of AC
compressor.

Idle speed related to blower speed suggest bad blower switch as idle
boost should happen at anything faster than 0.

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:08:24 -0800 (PST), wrote:

>Hi everyone.
>
>My 91 Golf has the following problems:
>
>1) The passenger floorboard has slowly been taking on water. It's not
>flooding, but after heavy rain the floorboard is rather damp. Is this
>the windshield leaking, or could it be coming through the engine
>compartment?
>
>2) My rear wiper doesn't work. Every time I try to replace the fuse it
>blows immediately.
>
>3) When it is cold outside the engine doesn't want to turn over. After
>a few attempts and some waiting is fires up after a while, but runs
>rough for a bit. Once warmed up it starts fine all day until the next
>morning. Also, (and this is strange) when starting the car or running
>before warmup, if the defrost slide is set, or the blower is set to 3,
>the car idles much higher, often erratically.
>
>Any ideas are much appreciated!
>
>Thanks

Adding to what Jim said.

1. Check the inner door panels. If someone tore that plastic water can
easily get inside the cabin that way. Also check the door drains.
If the plastic is torn just buy the kit to seal house windows (plastic and
double sided tape) which is what VW told me to do.
If you have a sunroof check all 4 drains for that too!
My old '91 Passat leaked from the roof panels and it had no sunroof! 8^o

2. What Jim said. Also see what other components are on that circuit and
not working!

3. Battery or cables, clean and tighten all connections. I have seen bad
cable ends that attach to the starter. Also those cables could be a thicker
grade. ;-)
If this is a Digifant engine, then check the ground wires at the cylinder
head and the wires to the throttle switches. They are known to break.
Has this engine been tuned lately? Have you checked for any vacuum leaks
too?

--
later,
(One out of many daves)


"Jim Behning" > wrote in message
...
> On my Rabbit I caulked all around the fresh air intake behind the
> firewall on the passenger side. Your car may be the same. Also look to
> see that water drains from that area properly.
>
> Unplug wiper connector back at hatch. Try new fuse and engage with
> wiper still electrically unplugged. Report back.
>
> Are you saying the starter motor turns slow? New battery.
>
> Runs rough after start. Dirty and leaking injectors.
>
> Higher idle when defrost on. Many cars engage AC when defrost runs. AC
> en gauged means something bumps up idle to compensate for load of AC
> compressor.
>
> Idle speed related to blower speed suggest bad blower switch as idle
> boost should happen at anything faster than 0.
>
> On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:08:24 -0800 (PST), wrote:
>
>>Hi everyone.
>>
>>My 91 Golf has the following problems:
>>
>>1) The passenger floorboard has slowly been taking on water. It's not
>>flooding, but after heavy rain the floorboard is rather damp. Is this
>>the windshield leaking, or could it be coming through the engine
>>compartment?
>>
>>2) My rear wiper doesn't work. Every time I try to replace the fuse it
>>blows immediately.
>>
>>3) When it is cold outside the engine doesn't want to turn over. After
>>a few attempts and some waiting is fires up after a while, but runs
>>rough for a bit. Once warmed up it starts fine all day until the next
>>morning. Also, (and this is strange) when starting the car or running
>>before warmup, if the defrost slide is set, or the blower is set to 3,
>>the car idles much higher, often erratically.
>>
>>Any ideas are much appreciated!
>>
>>Thanks

Check that battery. A dying battery can create all kinds of problems
in these cars.

2) My rear wiper doesn't work. Every time I try to replace the fuse it
blows immediately.


On mine, the problem was caused by the wires fracturing where they come out
of the roof panel on the left hand side. I guess years of opening and
closing makes the wires weak?

Neil