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[solution] Cold Start Woes



<Long, but may be worth reading>

Ok, many a post has been flying in relation to cold start problems
which have also plaged me over a year (it's warm in the summer so I
put off) until last night.

I thought I solved the problem a month ago with a lot of work on the
fuel system, but when the temp dropped to 26 degrees the other night I
was dead in the snow at the airport park-n-fly.

OVERVIEW:
---------
The car is actually my 87 Jetta GLi 8v, but the technology is the same
in the rocco's.  Problem's included loss of power, constant cranking
to point of battery failure at times.  A goofy power band 1000-3800
rpm was seriously lacking, then it would jerk alive around 4000rpm -> 
The other day I could not rev past 3500rpm until I shut the car off
and restarted a minutes later.  Another interesting thing I noticed
which led me to my final resolution was a whining sound similar to a
turbo, and was amplified through the stock radio/speakers.

SOLUTION(S):
------------
A month ago I dug into the fuel system with new filters, pressure
accumulator, injector o-rings, 1 new injector as one was bad from my
spray/volume testing.  At this time I also replaced
plugs/cap/rotor/wires.  Things seemed better, but after driving
Shawn's 86 GLi, things still felt off.  Things were better I am
convinced NOW from the newness of the ignition components and the new
injector.

Temp's have fallen as low as 25 degrees lately here in Ohio and the
problem came back.  

While being stuck at the airport park-n-fly, they tried to jump me
with those portable jumper packs, but I killed 2 of them until, they
jumped me with their snow plow which turned on the light bulb in my
head.  When hooked up to the snow plow (12v battery) my engine cranked
faster than it ever had since I owned it, and fired up.  My anger
turned to the AutoZone battery, which was not the cause, but it made
me think.  ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS...Last night I disconnected all
leads running from the battery to the starter/drivers motor mount
(ground), broke out my Dremel and sanded off years of corrosion,  wire
brushed the posts on the starter as well.  Hooked everything back up
with new nuts and washers as well.  Jumped in the car (outside temp 31
degrees) and guess what?  My engine turned over faster than it ever
has since I've owned it.  Took it for a test drive and noticed the
whining coming through the speakers, and my goofy powerband was still
there.  Pulled back in the garage with my attention turned to the
COIL.  After examining the coil I noticed hey! it was made in Spain
huh!  I happened to have a near new German coil on my work bench of
the same part number so I swapped them (Paul Hanley--in doing so there
is a ground wire from the 5th injector to the coil mounting
bracket???).  NOW my car runs like the 102hp RD engine should. 
Between corroded electrical connections and a dying coil, I just did
not have enough juice to the spark plugs..    

LESSON:
-------
Confirm clean good electrical contacts, and as rarely as coils do fail
do not rule them out.  BTW:  I no longer have any whining/hum coming
through my radio.

 
==
-Paul
http://home1.gte.net/vwfan
90 Audi 90 Quattro 20v
87 Scirocco 16v
87 Jetta GLi
63 Bug Sunroof

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