Help! 1989 Jetta won't start!

[lite1979]

The car is a 1989 Jetta, 8v, digifant II, 5spd. Known problems: Bad exhaust, power steering pump leaks, won't start.

Last week, on 2/10/05, thursday, the car's flywheel started coming loose, I couldn't engage the clutch, and I had to have it towed home to have the clutch centered and refasten the flywheel. After removing the tranny, centering the clutch (which was brand new two weeks ago), and tightening the flywheel, I put the car back on the ground, and it wouldn't start.

I was alarmed to find gas coming out of my bad exhaust between the downpipe and the catalytic converter. Turns out i don't have a gas leak, but the engine was so full of gas that it was coming out the exhuast.

I get new plugs, cap, rotor, and wire from cap to coil, change the oil, and try starting it. It won't start. I remove the gas line, hook it up to the return line, turn the engine over until no more gas sprays out the spark plug holes, and spray ether into it. It fires (and runs for a second) on starter fluid.

I hook the gas lines back up, try to start it, and it doesn't start. I pull the plugs out, and they're all soaked in gas. I have spark, and I have gas, but the car won't start! What's happening? It seems like it's getting too much gas, but I don't know what would cause this... Please help.

[boschmann]

Was the car ever cranked with the ground harness loose, a common occurance when R&Ring trannies? Digifants are easy to fry when a ground wire to the FI is left off & flooding is the main symptom. Alternatively check the resistance on the coolant temp sensor on the water flange at the cylinder head. It should be 2000-3000 Ohms cold.

[lite1979]

FWIW, I found one ground wire loose, but it was connected to the firewall, and didn't seem to be long enough to reach another ground point, but I ended up splicing it into another wire, and grounding that wire to the intake manifold, via a screw on the right side.

I disconnected the main fuel pump electric harness, turned the car over, and it started, ran, and died. I then replaced the ECU with a known working unit, reconnected the main fuel pump, checked all my grounds, and started it again. She fired with no problem, and after running for a while, began to smoke profusely because of all the gas I had wasted trying to get her started. There was quite a bit of gas in the catalytic converter at this point, and my father had also sprayed the engine in engine cleaner and had not told me, so that baked off for quite a while.

Now the car starts fine, but I'm having trouble shifting. I was thinking that maybe since I forgot to lube the input shaft before putting the tranny back on, I'm getting friction between that and the clutch. My clutch doens't feel right, either. This started happening the same night I got the car out of the barn, after being outside for about a half-hour. Btw, I live in Canastota, NY, about 25 miles east of Syracuse, and we've been buried in snow all winter...

[cbright22]

1989 jetta won't start, 2 new starters and one new battery

[denisond3]

cbright22: We need more detailed info. Are you saying it cranks over/over/over but doesnt start up, or are you saying the engine isnt turning?
An engine will start if it is getting fuel, ignition (at the right time) and has compression and the starter is turning it. You can usually hear the effect of compression - its the up-down-up-down-up-down change in the cranking speed. If the timing belt were to give way the engine's cranking sound would be suddenly different. It might sound more like windshield wipers.
If it cranks the same as usual, you can try squirting some starting fluid (from a spray can) into the air intake and see if it fires. If it does, then it isnt getting fuel to the cylinders in the usual way. This could be a bunch of things, including a bad fuel pump or clogged fuel filter.
If squirting the starting fluid doesnt produce even a cough, you need to check for having ignition, -spark-. You can do this by pulling one of the spark plug wires off of a spark plug. Take an extra spark plug and put it into the loose spark plug wire cap, and let the plug rest against something metal on the motor. When your assistant cranks the engine over you should see a nice blue spark from center electrode to the bottom or ground electrode.
If the engine doesnt begin turning when you twist the key to the start position, try wigglin the shift lever. Im assuming its an auto transmission.
Let us know whats happening or not happening.

[Doug Tatham]

lite1979,
You probably did this, but just in case, you should use thread locking compound and new bolts. (flywheel)

[dominique23]

i own a 2000 jetta 5spd and today i tryed starting it and it wouldnt start , i tryed to jump it and nothing worked . after a wile the gear shift just went loose and i didnt even have to push in the clutch adn the stick just moves from gear to gear. the car still wont start . what could thhis be?

[Doug Tatham]

It's normal to be able to change gears without the clutch if the engine isn't running. Check your starter and most importantly, check your cables. Clean your cable connections.