Car won't start, stupid friggin thing

[Larry" <rocco16v@netzero.com (Larry)]

Cathy-
  Have you been neglecting your tithe lately???? :)
Seriously, if you have spark (doesn't take much of a spark, either) and
fuel, it should fire.
Pull the distributor cap and make sure there is no moisture in it.
Have a compression check done (this is a long-shot, but it is a possibility)

Larry
----- Original Message -----
From: Cathy Boyko <losinit@usa.net>
To: <scirocco-l@scirocco.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 04, 2002 5:00 AM
Subject: Car won't start, stupid friggin thing


Okay, I go out to talk to some ladie's church group on a Friday night,
(yeah,
I'm serious), the high point being I get to drive the headache there and
back.
So I try to start it, no luck. Here's some background, so you don't tell me
it's something that has already been replaced...
starter/atlernator/battery/grounds/plugs all new (hey, you can do "how much
do
you have in your car" tally while you read this, LOL)
 So I don't think there is a problem with the "turn it over" parts, it
seemed
to crank fast enough (until I wore the battery down trying)


It had been stubborn starting for a while, it seemed to fire and run well
after repeated cycles of the fuel pump, as if the lines had drained back
(check valve?) Which I told the dealer, but the message never got to the
mechanic for whatever reason. They did put in a new ingition switch, which
it
did need. The car has a security system (Clifford ignition disable), not
sure
if they needed to do anything special on the switch install to accomodate
this.

It has been towed in twice for a ruptured fuel line, it is now repaired
properly (gratis on the second repair), but I thought maybe this was the
reason it wasn't starting right up prior to the line failing outright. It
did
make an impressive fountian, and the pump buzzes normally at start up (well,
theoretical startup in this case) so I think it is (they are) working, and
the
car runs well once it starts.

Other complicating factors? The tranny has been in and out, if there are any
wires/sensors in this area that could be the culprits.

Now on to what it does. It turns but will not fire, as if it is not getting
fuel. The plugs do spark, when I phoned the mechanic he suggested maybe it
wasn't firing in the "start" positon , but it appears to be firing. How
bright
should the spark be, it is visible, but nothing like the ones I make in my
science class...
I could smell gas when the plug came out though.

I guess the guys made a feeble attempt to push start it with no luck last
night, and it wouldn't start.

I can't do anything very difficult, (I really don't know much about cars)but
if there is something simple I've overlooked (other than pushing the car
over
a cliff) let me know. It's not going anywherre, and neither am I (I have the
intesinal flu, to add to my pleasure) Serves me right for buying fun car
parts
during Lent.
Cathy, a very happy TDI owner.





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