WTFox!

[mr.kyle.henderson]

Okay, So my 91 sedan starts, sometimes.
Its my daily driver and 50% of the time I have to pop start it, and quite frankly its getting old.

Ive replaced the alternator, charged and tested my battery, got a new starter, bypassed my seat belt, changed my ignition cylinder, & checked all power lines and connections at LEAST 5 times.

Sometimes it starts, especially after Ive driven it, and sometimes it doesn't.

When I turn the key sometimes it just turns on all electronics and I can hear my fuel pump but no turn over of the engine.
Rarely, but every once in a while its starts rough and you can hear the starter working harder than normal, but it will start. (Just replaced the starter)
On a good day it starts right up like it was brand new.


Also, My idle is rough after the car is warm, when its cold and first started it runs great.
AND
Occasionally I'll be at a red light and when I take off in first It wont have power (only in 1st) It seems like its not getting enough fuel or maybe my injectors are clogged. IDK.
It doesn't happen everyday.



Thank you for your time. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[themagellan]

Okay, So my 91 sedan starts, sometimes.
Its my daily driver and 50% of the time I have to pop start it, and quite frankly its getting old.

Ive replaced the alternator, charged and tested my battery, got a new starter, bypassed my seat belt, changed my ignition cylinder, & checked all power lines and connections at LEAST 5 times.

Sometimes it starts, especially after Ive driven it, and sometimes it doesn't.

When I turn the key sometimes it just turns on all electronics and I can hear my fuel pump but no turn over of the engine.
Rarely, but every once in a while its starts rough and you can hear the starter working harder than normal, but it will start. (Just replaced the starter)
On a good day it starts right up like it was brand new.


Also, My idle is rough after the car is warm, when its cold and first started it runs great.
AND
Occasionally I'll be at a red light and when I take off in first It wont have power (only in 1st) It seems like its not getting enough fuel or maybe my injectors are clogged. IDK.
It doesn't happen everyday.



Thank you for your time. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Have you investigated the ignition switch, do you have a ton of **** on your keychain?

[mr.kyle.henderson]

I replaced it the other day and actually my keys weigh like 5 pounds haha
I never thought about that....ill take the key off and see what happens.

Thankyou.

[themagellan]

I replaced it the other day and actually my keys weigh like 5 pounds haha
I never thought about that....ill take the key off and see what happens.

Thankyou.

Cool let us know the outcome, in case it helps someone else some day

[mr.kyle.henderson]

Went out to the car, fired right up and idled pretty good. I noticed my battery light slightly flickering I drove around the block, parked it and started working on small cosmetic things I wanted to fix, half an hour later tried to start and nothing. I heard the fuel pump and all electrical was on but no turn over or start. Go figure.

[90quattrocoupe]

I would say the ignition switch also.

It does some strange things when it goes out.

The key won't return to the on position, unless you turn it back.
Won't stay in the on position unless you hold it there.
Starter does not turn over sometimes, unless you play with it.
Starter does not work at all.
Car won't turn off.

I have had all these things happen to at least one of the VWs in the household.

Aftermarket ones, cheap and don't last. I tried one once, lasted a year. In the long run, it is cheaper to buy OEM. I mean, after all, it did last 20 years in the first place, or so many starts, whatever comes first.

Greg W.

[ziddey]

You said ignition cylinder. Did you mean switch, or the actual key lock?

Either way, it should be easy to rule that one way or the other by pulling the plug to it and shunting the pins. You should be able to get access by removing the trim around the steering column.

When the battery light was flickering, were the revs low?

Have you checked all your grounds? Did you use Loctite or something else on the starter bolts that might be preventing it from grounding properly?

Have you tried manually giving the solenoid 12v when it won't start (obviously have it in neutral)?


As for the running problem when warm, it could either be the CTS or the O2S. Or bad grounds.

[mr.kyle.henderson]

You said ignition cylinder. Did you mean switch, or the actual key lock? The key lock

Either way, it should be easy to rule that one way or the other by pulling the plug to it and shunting the pins. You should be able to get access by removing the trim around the steering column.
omg that took me FOREVER haha


When the battery light was flickering, were the revs low?
YES! its getting more common too

Have you checked all your grounds? Did you use Loctite or something else on the starter bolts that might be preventing it from grounding properly?
I found so much corrosion when I first got this car, ran great...now there's no corrosion and this is happening lol I didn't use anything on any grounds, I did change the bolt that grounds the battery, but it is more secure than before.

Have you tried manually giving the solenoid 12v when it won't start (obviously have it in neutral)?
I did that with the old starter, but not the new. (I accidentally left my volt meter under the car last time and the fox smashed it)

As for the running problem when warm, it could either be the CTS or the O2S. Or bad grounds.
Everything points to a bad ground but Ive looked so many times it makes me sick...Time too look again

Thanks again Ziddey I'll keep you posted.

[AKChappy]

I had an intermittent start problem on mine for a while.
It turned out to be two problems.
1. The actual switch mounted to the back of the key lock was worn out and the "lever" wouldn't always turn it far enough to actually start the car.
2. The copper bushing on the end of the starter shaft was worn out. This would allow the starter shaft to electrically "clamp" to the side of the starter when I applied voltage.

Good luck, electrical gremlins can be hard to find.

AK Chappy

[KRAMMIT]

I know this sounds really stupid...but, what condition is your ignition key in...? I had a problem with intermittent starting as well....there was no rhyme nor reason to when it decided it would or wouldn't start...after a few days of bump starting and parking backed up on slopes where possible...I noticed that my key was quite WORN......


I didn't think MUCH OF IT.....until I got another key cut from the ORIGINAL key that I got with the car...(I ALWAYS MAKE COPIES...!!!)...


As it turned out; the missing SIXTEENTH OF AN INCH from the point at the tip of the key; was enough to make the car NOT START...when I used the freshly cut key....it started EVERY TIME...!!


This had to be the CHEAPEST FIX EVER that I have experienced in over a decade of multiple Fox Wagon Ownership for me....I hope it helps you in some way...!! Best of Success...!!!

[woodardman]

I know this sounds really stupid...but, what condition is your ignition key in...? I had a problem with intermittent starting as well....there was no rhyme nor reason to when it decided it would or wouldn't start...after a few days of bump starting and parking backed up on slopes where possible...I noticed that my key was quite WORN......


I didn't think MUCH OF IT.....until I got another key cut from the ORIGINAL key that I got with the car...(I ALWAYS MAKE COPIES...!!!)...


As it turned out; the missing SIXTEENTH OF AN INCH from the point at the tip of the key; was enough to make the car NOT START...when I used the freshly cut key....it started EVERY TIME...!!


This had to be the CHEAPEST FIX EVER that I have experienced in over a decade of multiple Fox Wagon Ownership for me....I hope it helps you in some way...!! Best of Success...!!!

that key has had a rough life lol i wanna get a actuall VW key blank hopefully i know i can find one on ebay