Reggit

Just taken this piccy from under car, sorry it's a bit out of focus. You'll find it is just a sealed metal can, I wiped mine clean with a cloth.

If I was you I'd take a spark plug out and lie it on the engine to test it (connected to the HT lead of course!). I found that if you take the plug out at the front drivers side of the engine you can turn the engine over and watch the plug at the same time if you open the drivers window and reach in to the key. With the plug out, check if you can smell petrol after cranking it for a few seconds. If you can't and have no spark it is pointing to the speed sensor. Mine had the exact symptoms as yours and no faults on vagcom. I found that removing sensor, cleaning and replacing cured the problem. It is roughly central at the bottom front of the engine, held by a 5mm allen bolt. If you can jack the car up and put an axel stand under to support it, you should be able to have it out in 5 minutes.

Does temp rise above 70 at any time, eg standing in traffic? then fall to 70 or below when moving again? That is what I was experiencing last year, turned out to be the thermostat stuck in open position.

I'd say thermostat stuck closed.

That sounds how mine behaved when the pedal position sensor was faulty. Where are you? Perhaps someone near you could vagcom it and see what fault code is logged.

They always over read.

Vagcom will report a speed sensor error-no signal- if the engine is not running. If it is faulty you won't have a spark or fuel through the injectors. May be worth taking it out and cleaning it. I had similar problem, cleaning it cured it. There is a speed sensor on ebay right now, auction ends monday morning.

Finally found the problem, and it wasn't the MAF. I was fortunate enough not to buy one. Of all things it was a spark plug on number 6 cylinder. The insulator has broken away and jammed on the electrodes. Also caked up in oily goo, for want of a better description. I'm hoping that's a result of the plug failure and not an engine problem in the making. Anyway it goes like stink again so I'm happy :) Still doesn't explain the MAF error on vagcom, but I'll ingore that for now and see if it returns in the future.

I have a feeling my fuel pump has joined the rapidly growing list of expensive bits to bite the dust on my car. I don't think it's priming, but hard to hear due to traffic noise. I've pulled the fuel pipe(arrow toward front of car on the pipe) off the injector rail next to no 2 cylinder, would I be right in expecting a healthe flow from that pipe with the ignition on? As it is, I'm just getting a short splash of fuel out of the pipe.

I'm in that club as well! Engine speed sensor was playing up a few weeks ago, now my MAF sensor needs replacing. Waiting for the local VW specialist to get one in. Keeping fingers crossed that will cure the problem.

A similar think happened to my VR, coolent showing sky high temps, warning light flashing. I also had fans coming on with a near cold engine. Turned out to be the blue temp sender. That wouldn't explain spoiler though.

Took connector off and gave it a squirt of WD40, cured problem for a while. Yesterday the car suddenly felt as if it was misfiring, although there was no smell of unburned fuel. No Vagcom faults showing. Will replace MAF anyway as it has thrown a fault, does symptom above sound like failure? Does any one know of a Bosch outlet in Manchester, their website isn't working. Unpluging connector when engine is running causes engine to stutter and stall. Would a MAF of a VR6 Golf (1994) be the same? Mate's got one so I could probably borrow it briefly to substitute.

Yesterday the car started misfiring, can't be sure if it is running on 4 or 5 cylinders. What I'm trying to determine if this could be a symptom of the Mass airflow sensor. The car started running badly a couple of weeks ago and it had a G70 intermittent short to ground showing on vagcom. the connections where cleaned, fault code cleared and car started running perfectly again. Disconnecting sensor from this causes engine to stutter and then stall. Vagcom is now clear although running with a bad misfire, wondering about changing coilpack or MAF sensor, but before froking out yet more hard-earned, I thought I'd run it past you knowledgable people. Cheers!

I swear this car has something against me at the minute. It's just started running badly...again, feels like the engine is momenterily cutting out and then restarting. Vagcom says G70 Mass airflow sensor - short to ground, intermittent. Is this likely to be repairable, given price of a new one, and more importantly where is this sensor? Is it usual to have a batch of sensors fail within a few months of each other? I'm getting a bit fed up (and skint) of changing them all!

Try copper contact on rotary control. I would guess that it is no longer making contact with rest of switch. Remove trim panel around heater control, and control knob for access, both just clip into place. See pic for clarification.

If you're wondering, my nickname is 'Tigger', but as that seems to be in use on most forums I use, I just started spelling it backwards!

Just been the stealer and ordered the sensor £126 + vat. Removed old one and cleaned + replaced (no swarf on it, which is good), hey presto, car starts up. Looks like the sensor definately at fault. Got to wait til tuesday until new one arrives, so in the meantime I'll be crossing my fingers that it keeps going! Cheers for the help guys :thumb right:

Unfortunatley the fault has just returned :cry: When it starts it performs faultlessly, but when it doesn't start ther is no fuel to cylinders and no spark to plugs. Have ruled out fuel pump, load reduction relay, ignition switch, vagcom is clear (other than speed sensor-no signal). Think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get the stupidly expensive speed sensor from the stealer.

I really don't understand this blooming car! (other than it being a 'rado). Was fearing the worst of having to change the engine speed sensor, decided to turn engine over one last time, and the thing starts normally. There is obviously something starting to fail, but it's gone away for now!

New switch didn't make any difference. :cry:

Henny, Cheers for that info, I've just bought a new switch from GSF on Trafford Park this morning, will be fitting it tonight. Will let you know how it goes, that little screw looks a bugger to get to!

Anyone know anything about this system - Laserline 948. I'm having starting problem with car (see thread in engine bay section - mods, sorry if I should have kept this to that thread). Sort of wondering if I should remove, or at least by-pass the system to eliminate it from my problem. How easy is this to bypass, bearing in mind I only know where the siren is located. I can't move the car to take it to an alarm place. Thanks.

Have tested G28 according to bentley check, it appears to be in order. 500 Ohms across 67-68, all other combinations are open circuit. I've also found out that it is the fuel pump relay that is switching when engine is turned over. Pump primes normally when ignition is first turned on. Need to do more head scratching!

It's not been showing signs of dying, even if it had I'd still have a spark wouldn't I? Just realised that I have no fuel either, plugs are dry after loads of cranking. Starting to think G28 sensor. Where abouts on the engine does it live, I want to clean it and check signal cables before shelling out on a replacement.

I can also hear a relay clicking rapidly whilst engine is turning over, I don't know if this is a symptom of the fault.