mantaraman

Hi all Car is a 16V 1.8 '91. Done 140K. After a few miles (i.e. when it's warm) if I select reverse, it judders a lot and clonks. Not so bad when it's cold. It feels like the engine is moving but only in reverse. Do you think it's time for some new engine mounts? Benj

Mine does it too. Drives me bloody mad. I've changed dizzy cap, rotor arm, cold start valve, thermotime switch. Nothing helps. Smells of petrol when it's having this problem (between being stone cold and hot) and when it does start it runs on Did have a thought that it was the injectors leaking into the bores when left for a while, but I'm not spending 100 quid to 'try' something else out that is pointless (as with the cold start valve/thermotime - they are expensive!). Any help really appreciated.

errr, how do you disable it - take the fuse out? :oops:

Chaps I've had the starting problem that seems so common on KR engines. Cam belt bust, had a new one fitted so it obviously was retimed etc. It STILL didn't start properly. This weekend I found a hole in the exhaust, so fixed that. It still didn't fix the starting problem. I then bought a new dizzy cap. No luck either. I then went to change the fuel filter, and then gave up half way through because it was so bloody cold! Still didn't fix it. I then went and did something that I've tried before that didn't work, and that was to unplug the blue connector to the cold start valve, only this time the pipe has a small bend (almost a kink) in it which I straightened out. The car now starts on the first turn, even first thing in the morning.... :lol: So, I have no idea whether it was an accumulation of all of the above, or the latter. But now it seems to be OK. Big test will be this lunchtime when I go to start it, as that usually gave me grief...

Hi Got the modified headlight loom from Ebay some time ago, I'm sure I wired it up right, but it still seems dull, unless I pull the healight flasher towards me when high beams are on and then the light intensity goes up by about 30%?! I thought the wiring mod would not cause this to happen? So unless I drive around at night with my full beams on AND hold the flasher towards me I don't get a satisfactory headlight strength. Any ideas? :?:

Just to let you know, NO DAMAGE! Got away with just a new cambelt and labour!! :-P Thanks for offers anyhow...

Thanks, I'll let you know what the damage is when they've peered into it... How easy to fit a G60 engine?!

:( My cambelt went at 70mph on Saturday. In the event of the engine being goosed (I may be lucky however), has anybody got a second hand 1.8 16V engine going on offer just in case?? :wink: Ta Mantaraman

That's good news. The only stuff I haven't done from your list is change the fuel filter and change the leads for the alternator circuit. Going on the assumption that the fuel pressure may be up the swanny iniitially, then fuel filter sounds promising. I'll give that a go and see - ta

JBOB How's the starting - have the problems gone away for sure now or is it still playing up?

I reckon it may be the injectors, looking forward to the results. They have to diffuse the petrol as a fine high pressure spray in order for proper combustion to take place. I'm thinking now that on startup sometimes the spray isn't a good enough one (maybe more like a squirt - fuel pressure too low?), and there is no combustion. When it finally does start, either the cylinders are running too rich because of all the fuel that's gone in and not combusted, or each of the injectors starts to spray properly in an independant fashion. This could be it :-P If not, maybe then it points to something in the pressurisation of the fuel...??

Mine the same. Lately it's got worse, just a pig to start, then sometimes runs on 2-3 cylinders and sorts itself out. The car actually runs fine after this. If I stop and leave it for 10 minutes, it does the same thing but starts on all 4 cylinders. If i leave it for a few hours, it will take lots of cranking of the starter and then may start on

Any details on drilling the airbox. Sounds obvious to me but I assume there is a 'proper' way of doing it...

Aide Let me know if changing these fellas works, and cures the starting problems. Ta

Hi Mine does this too. Initially I thought the injectors were a bit on the funny side so I've Slick 50's the fuel system which has made no difference. I drive 30 miles to work, it starts on the button in the morning, but if I go out at lunchtime at work it starts after about 5 seconds of cranking, then is either fine, or runs on less than 4 cylinders for a bit. What's this cold start valve thingy and the Thermotime switch? Is it easy to sort?

While this thread is running, I seem to have something almost similar but not as bad, involving ease of starting the car. Sometimes (rarely) it starts 'on the button', almost always it takes 4 or 5 seconds of cranking before it starts. I'm reckoning on the fuel filter needing replacement, and hopefully nothing else. The car runs fine with no misfires or starvation etc. Where is the fuel filter and how easy is it to change?

Anyone know a good wheel that looks retro (like a 8x15 BBS or something)? What do I need to know about correct offsets? I'd like something that will fill the flaring on the arches, but in a 15" wheel with a deep dish. Anyone - new to the scene so forgive what is probably a 'basic' question. :oops:

Brilliant. Thanks very much David. I'll let you know how I get on. Benja

Can you tell me where the timing marks are? If it's out, will I need to re-adjust idle speed or is it automatic? No. 1 cylinder nearest pulley end, yes?

:) OK! Thanks for the quick response. Haven't wound her up properly yet, so I guess everything is fine then. Oh yeah, when should I be expecting to do a top end rebuild. I don't see it happening just yet as the motor is still tight with no signs of fatigue. I guess when I start seeing smoke and hearing rattles... Thanks for the advice. Benja

Hi Only very new to C's, I bought an immaculate 1.8 16V on Saturday. I have one question, which may or may not be a problem: It pinks, admittedly I've been running on half a tank of 95RON and then filled up with 98RON. It also is sometimes hard to start and needs a bit of right pedal. Also, maybe it seems less powerful than I expected for a 1.8 16V. My girlfriend has a Mk2 Golf GTi (8V) and this is much more responsive and pulls harder. My initial thoughts were that the ignition timing is too retarded? It's done 120K but no rattles and no smoke, FSH. Perhaps I need to try it solely on 98 super unleaded? Can anyone shed any light. By the way, this is an awesome car. I have a 4litre V8 Marcos as well and the Corrado is almost as fun, brilliant car. :D Ta