Compression test was 180, i dont have the means to do a leak down test right now. But at this time it seems i have compression and spark. I was told the cat was bad but no code was pushed for the cat. Just a misfire on #3, also thank you so much for taking the time to help me out!
We've been restoring a 96 Cabrio and washed off the transmission and steering rack at a car wash close to our house since we are about to do the clutch and completely redo the suspension. While washing everything down my wife did get in the car breifly just to turned the acc power on and close up the windows tighter. Anyway, once washed it wouldn't start back up..at all..even after sitting in the sun for two days so we had it towed home. It cranks as normal but doesn't start. We tested the center distributor plug wire and also one plug wire and there is no spark from either so we assumed the coil was bad so we bought a new coil but..wow..no dice there either! We haven't tried the fuel pump but you can smell gas after cranking it each time and the car was running fine just before the wash. I can only assume we fried something electrical somewhere? We tested across the 3 outer coil plug power pins with a voltmeter ( the pins in our Bently manual are stated as neg-#1 and pos+#3) and yes, they are getting voltage (~11.5 to 12v). The center pin, when tested with an LED connected to pos+ batt terminal does not illuminate at all, maybe just a single small brief milli-second when you set key to on/pre-crank, but when cranking it does not flash or illuminate at all with our LED tester. What should we check from here? Do you think we fried the ECM? This is obviously electrical. If it is the ECM can it be reset?
Usual suspect after an engine wash is the ignition coil. Aftermarket coils can be bad out of the box. The crankshaft position sensor is the main input to the ecm... no crank signal = no fuel and no spark. If you are smelling fuel, then the injectors are clicking... which makes me think that the crank sensor is OK. Remove the spark plugs to confirm plug wetness... dry off and check again. Remove the distributor cap and look for moisture under the cap. Remove the black plastic cover from the distributor cap if the black cover is in place (remove distributor cap and pry black cover off of the cap on a bench). Eliminate everything first before going after the ecm. Attach a scan tool... check for codes. Check for an rpm signal via scan tool / live data. No rpm signal = bad crank sensor. If the ecm is fried... no resetting can be done... would need circuit board repair.
The new coil is made in Poland, not China, but we didn't spring for the higher cost of a Bosch either. We actually replaced the cap and rotor anyway in the process as it was due (I change them every 25k miles) and because the distributor is so vertically mounted I assume it would be hard to get water in it. Regardless I blew it out with compressed air when home as well a few of the plug connects like the 3 pin on the coil and some others. As for the plugs/wires I haven't taken the intake off yet for the center two but the outer two looked fine and dry. I have nice high-suppression silicone wires which are tight fitting and also use electrolytic grease on the ends. I barely washed off the engine, it was more of the right side to clean the tranny and the steering rack. The engine got wet but I wasn't totally soaking it. My wife also says the engine oil light is flashing when cranking and we couldn't recall if that's normal or not. The car has fresh oil as of 1,000 miles ago and I checked the level and that's fine too. Definitely a spark issue I assume.
And I thought of maybe pulling the plugs out to check for fouled plugs or wet plugs or water in the cylinder but again, if the coil is not even providing spark then checking the plugs is not the next step. We actually tested one plug wire with a brand new NGK plug we had in the garage that was going to be used soon (as part 2 of our regular 25k mile tune up).. so.. where to now? Again, the center pin of the three on the coil's power plug is not flashing nor illuminating at all while cranking. Does this point to an ecm issue? And we did use our OBDII scanner. It just pulls up an oxy sensor, and an evap exhaust sys malfunction (due to ox senson) but these two are codes we've been living with for awhile while the car was running fine. It's not throwing any other codes.
Jeff Chartier Oil light flashing is normal with excessive cranking. Does your cabrio have a check engine light when the key is on? If it does, but the light is off... check power supply to ecm. I'll think of some more stuff and will get back to you tomorrow... got to get some sleep now.
Thanks for the help! I'm pretty mechanically inclined. My wife and I have been self-maintaining our Cabrio and old Tacoma for 12 years. Sleep well and if you can help me get this sorted out over the next week I will buy you a case of beer via PayPal. I mean it! THANK YOU!!!! Your videos have already helped a lot. goodnight.
I have this condition now. Put a new clutch in had the hood open for a few days in a portable garage while raining. Tried a known good coil, rotor and new cap. I have a distributor too just not looking forward to doing that
Thomas, I am also having a really strange issue, I was driving in my VW cabrio 97 2.o with manual trans, when a water hose tore and leaked all over the distributor and the coil. I repaired the hose and dry out everything with a towel, the car just cranked but didnt start immediately so I had to le it dry for a bit, then it started again no problems, I stopped the car for a while then started it again, everything went fine for about 10 min and all of a sudden the car started to rattle and had to stop, when I wanted to start it again it couldnt keep itself on (just cranks), there was no way to tell if the coil died because I was driving alone, so I had it towed to my house. Next day I replaced the coil and worked fine for a bit, then the car started to rattle again and died on me, there was cranking but the car just cudnt keep itself on, I took it to a mechanic and e replaced the cars computer with another one, he told me the computer wasnt sending the signals for the distributor, so my question is, is there a way to tell if the CPU is damaged? am I overlooking something? should I replace my cars computer? I dont know what to do right now :( the car has already new spark plugs wiring and distributor rotor.
Components having gotten wet... might or might not have played a roll in what is happening now. If your distributor cap has a black plastic cover over it, remove the black cover from the cap (have to remove the cap & wires to do so). Your spark could still be shorting out underneath the cap. There's not much I can suggest, that a shop probably hasn't done already. Common issues with the 2.0L are crank sensor & coil (distributor / hall sensor is not needed to make the engine run). If everything (including wiring) checks-out OK, then yes, could be an ECM / CPU problem... I do not know of a way to test them, aside from plugging them in to see what happens.
Alright I am at the end of the line before burning the car to the ground. I have replaced the ecm, the ignition coil, the crankshaft position sensor. Redid the timing checked all of my grounds to the block and the body. Checked the plug on the Ignition coil still have power and ground going to that but the middle wire (black/red in the #2 pin) which we checked the continuity on (the wire checked fine) also still isn't flashing while cranking. I originally thought it was the ecm and replaced it and still getting the same thing as before. I don't know what else to do or check. I've checked all the fuses and replaced the ignition switch. the car will turnover but no spark is causing it to not start. If you have any more advice on why my middle wire on the ignition coil power output stage (black/red #2 pin) still isn't flashing while cranking that would be appreciated. It also isn't throwing any codes for the OBD scanner to pick up.
Thomas Monroe Not sure what to tell you... check the ignition coil manually (just to make sure): th-cam.com/video/skyF3tFvD0I/w-d-xo.html I have read too many posts about "I have a new coil but it won't start", that ended up being a bad coil. Have you checked the ground wires at the block (under the intake manifold)? How about the round wiring harness plug at the side of the head? Unplug it (twist counterclockwise) and look for corroded pins / connections.
Great video very informative, i have actually looked at several of your videos for guidance to help me fix my beat up 96 jetta with the 2.0 engine, like the relay shaft replacement and timing chain. And so far all of your information has been on point thank you so much for that. Im hoping u can help me once again, my car seems to stall once hot/operating temperature. Then itll start again for a couple of minutes then stall again. Help!! Please ihave checked for spark but havent checked across the connector at ignition coil, and i have a new fuel pump in it. What would you suggest i check next
Thomas EXOVCDS right on i will look at those today, i am actually getting ready to do a fuel pressure test, my car shit down on my way to autozone today, and i had my scanner hooked up to it, and it threw a p1500 code. No CEL tho.
@@gerardobrns could be a bad fuel pump relay... that will usually also set a bunch of short to ground codes, but not all scan tools will read stored fault codes. www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/dtc-comparison.html
Thomas EXOVCDS , so i have a second relay i swapped out, and it actually does the same thing, they are both used relays and the symptoms are when i start the car first thing in the morning it runs fine for a good 15-20 minutes after that it starts stalling out, then itll start back up after a few minutes but will stall out shortly after, so i am assuming it has a lot to do with the cars temperature, the haynes manual troubleshoot says something about a faulty temp sensor. But its super brief, doest really mention a why the temp sensor would have anything to do with the car stalling out
Hey Thomas how do I check if the ECU is group ding coil signal? ECU is not grow ding coil I think because test light is not flashing or turning on with key on ir crank I have fuel pump direct to key on and it primes OK any clue on how I can wire up the ground from ECU to coil?
Use a wiring diagram for the aba engine to check that everything is connected as it should be. If everything is OK, then you should be able to communicate with the ecm via scan tool. If you can not communicate with the ecm, then the ecm is not powered up. You can also check the O2 for a reference voltage when the key is on, the throttle position sensor or maf sensor for a 5v reference.
If you have the time maybe you could give some advice. 98 MK3 2.0 #3 misfire code. When the car is cold it has a loud tap that sounds like a valve. When the car warms up a bit the tap is less but #3 is still dead, done everything i could to try to find out why #3 is dead. New plug, wire, cap and rotor. I have spark to the plug but it will not fire. So im down to bad fuel injector or low compression right? I don't have a gauge right now but with a simple finger test they all feel the same.
We don't have 1.6L engines for 2005 vehicles in Canada... so i don't know if the ignition & fuel systems are similar to thos generation of vehicle. If things look similar, try the tests.
Hey Man Thanks A Lot I Have The Same Problem On My MK3 But I Don't How To To Check The Crank Position Sensor...My Coil And It's Pins Are Getting Power, Do You Think It Would Be The Crank Position Sensor Not Telling The Middle Pin To Flash?
When checking for center pin flashing... make sure to use an LED test light. A regular incandescent bulb test light will not be able to show the flashing well. Check the engine computer for fault codes. If a crank sensor / speed sensor fault is present... replace the sensor. Only 2.0l, vr6 & tdi engine use a crank sensor. The 8v 1.8l engines do not.
As far as the airbags, I found the module and unhooked it to see if that made a difference while cranking the engine, nothing changed. how beside the ODCII scanner can I diagnose a problem with the air bags causing a no start?
+Marcus Orillius Hi, the airbag module suggestion was just because of "the car not starting after the accident"... I have been told that the module will prevent fuel pump operation after an accident / crash. Whether or not that is true for your vehicle... I'm not sure. Let's say that the airbag cuts fuel (prevents fuel pump replay from working)... one can bypass the fuel pump relay to eliminate it as the cause. The quickest thing would be to scan the ECM & Airbag module for fault codes. Using wiring diagrams to check wire / circuit integrity can take quite a while.
I have a new hall sender, new crank sensor, new coil and new rotor/cap but I still don't get any spark while cranking. The coil does spark when I first turn the ignition on but no trigger signal on the middle wire while cranking. All the wires have good continuity so I don't think they're bad. I'm leaning towards faulty ECU but everything else works as it should. Any ideas?
Probably ECM. Watch this video (I was helping someone else)... as you can see, the coil does not spark when the key is cycled. Only when cranking. th-cam.com/video/QQUo3OO5LkE/w-d-xo.html
Hey Thomas I just have a quick question I have a 1984 Cabriolet and my car sparks only sometimes. Most of the times it starts is when I let off the key is when it sparks. Im not to sure if you could help me.. But that would be awesome! thank you.
Cody Warren Probably the hall sensor in the distributor.... check it like this: th-cam.com/video/95PkgSavOCo/w-d-xo.html the video is a bit dark, sorry. Any questions about it... just ask.
I drove it last week it had a push start when I bought it so I removed it installed new ignition switch it started then I realized I had no brake lights so I dropped the fuse box and found it was a bad connection behind the box.. I was thinking it may also be a bad connection not allowing it to start but I can't seem to find a problem.. I'm relays are fine, all work.. BUT I don't have power to fuse 18
+Ramon Esquibel Fuse 18 only gets power when the fuel pump relay is closed / on. The relay is grounded / triggered by the ECM... if the ECM is not "awake" it can't trigger the fuel pump. Check all your power & grounds for the ECM. I'm starting work right now, but can send you a wiring diagram once I get home tonight.
just happened to be working on one of these in the shop today. Not really a euro tech and not familiar with these systems. so it was nice to see a real tech do a real video.
hi Thomas, I changed the crank sensor, that did not do anything. same as before power on the two outside terminal but when I connected the tester to the center terminal and positive side of battery there is no light at all and does not flash on and off while cranking. im going to get a loaner ODCII and plug it in to see if there are any computer codes. also, #s 1,2,7,8,10,11,12, and 18 fuses do not have power to them in the fuse panel. engine still cranks but no spark and no fuel
+Marcus Orillius Not all fuses get power or have power at the same time. A wiring diagram will tell you when a fuse should have / get power. If the no start happened after the accident... either wiring got damaged during the accident (focus on the area that was affected) or one of the modules is preventing the engine from starting... that's the best I can guess at this point. Check the crankshaft position sensor for an AC voltage signal / output (2.6vAC when cranking, 1.3DC). Check that the ECM receives & generates an RPM signal that can be seen with a scan tool... if yes, then you should have spark, as long as the ECM is awake.
I have 1995 golf 2.0 with a no start no spark. I have power and and ground to ignition coil and the center control wire flashes showing ground for the pulse to be released from coil. not sure why im not getting spark also have replaced coil twice, as you said it more then likely would be a bad coil. maybe im missing something.
Are you checking at the ignition coil wire for spark or at one of the spark plug wires? Is the distributor turning? What brand are the "other" ignition coils? The coils can be triggered manually (to make sure that they actually produce spark) with a bunch of jumper wires.
Hey, so I did an engine swap on a 98 golf from a 1.8 to a 2.0 Aba, the aba was an automatic and the 1.8 was standard so we used the automatic wiring harness and ecu the car is standard still but it’s an automatic ecu and harness and it’s not getting spark I’m thinking the computer is looking for the car to be put into “park” but since it’s a standard that’s not an option I’m honestly stuck lol. If anyone has any suggestions please help lol 😅
Hi Thomas, I'm working on an '94 Golf 2.0 and have a crank/no start issue. I have good spark, and fuel pressure at the regulator but it seems the injectors aren't working. I did a visual on the timing belt, just in case and it looks good. I pulled the injector harness and connected a NOID LIGHT to each connector and have power to the left pin but no pulse when it cranks. I can get the engine started with starting fluid but will die with out it. Can you please help? Thank you
Any recent work on the car that lead up to this no-start? If the ECM is not "grounding" / controlling the injectors, it could be an internal problem with the "injector driver(s)" (transistor). Make sure that all the ground wires have clean & tight connections (use a wiring diagram to determine how many there are and where they connect). If you have a scan tool, check for fault codes. If your scan tool can activate "output tests"... do so. The ECM will trigger various components one after another... so that you can check if it has "control" over them.
No, No recent work has been done to it. Car has been sitting for a few months and I started troubleshooting it to see if I could get it to run. I will try to find a diagram to check all the grounds and will get back to you with results. Thank you very much for your quick response.
I hit a deer with my 1997 VW Jetta. broke the drivers side headlight and the plastic mount that holds it, smashed the grill, folded the hood slightly, and bent the metal cross member mounting for the hood latch. afterward my jetta would crank but would not start. I checked all wires in the front end around the smashed parts and don't see any obvious damage. I performed your diagnostic and there is no spark no fuel. there is power on both sides of the ignition coil wires but when I connected battery positive to the center wire and cranked the motor, the test light did not come on at all indicating a faulty crankshaft position sensor/engine speed sensor. Also several good fuses have no power to them # 1,2,7,8,10,11,12,18. Does the crankshaft sensor effect all of those fuses as well?
There's a possibility that the air bag module (if it has airbags) is preventing the car from starting... have you scanned for fault codes? ECM, Airbag Module?
Yeah... the 3rd wire is a ground. Attach the multimeter across the 2 signal wires (set the meter to AC volt scale)... should have 2.6 to 2.9 V AC when cranking... anything less can be a no start.
A video he watched said to change to DC voltage that's why he checked it that way. I'll respond once he checks it with AC voltage. Thanks for your help.
Thomas, I have a 97 Volkswagon Cabrio 2.0, no spark, have voltage and ground at the three wire plug at the coil but no ground pulse at the center wire when cranking. Changed crank sensor, still no ground at center wire, changed ECM, still no ground pulse at the center wire, any suggestions.
Hey Thomas it's me again. I need more advice. So I have tested the Ignition coil and its all good I have a brand new ECU, I have new Crankshaft postion Sensor, The timing has been done by myself. I have checked all grounds to the block and checked the wires going to the Ignition coil I am still not getting the flashing light while cranking on the middle wire of the coil. I have no clue what is going on with it. I have heard maybe that it could be a problem with the alarm system? but I'm not sure it just cranks and cranks and cranks but no spark whatsoever. Any other suggestions?
Thomas Monroe The alarm only cuts cranking... so if it cranks, it should not be an alarm issue. I'm at work.. I'll send you some ecm / crank sensor / coil testing info once I get home tonight.
Dude. I have changed everything in my 98 Golf and still not start. It cranks but no start. I have replaced: Knock sensor, RPM engine sensor, Ignition Coil, verified the hall sensor and it works, Spark plug cables, checked fuses and relays, it has fuel and still nothing! the coil is not getting power from the ECU. What else can I check? Great video!
2.0L? Remove the coil harness plug (3 wire), key ON, check for power and ground on the outer 2 wire. Yes? No? Most of the time it is a bad coil. I recently installed a NEW coil that was no good. Remove your coil and check it like this: VW A3: Ignition Coil & Power Output Stage Quick Check (helping a viewer) Does it work? Do you have a relay in relay slot #3?
***** There's no power coming to the Coil and the injectors aren't flickering, just puking gas into the chamber. I currently have 3 Coils I have used to test the Coil hypothesis. I'm not sure If it made any sense; I originally did not have a 109 on slot #3 but bought one thinking maybe someone broke into my car and stole it. Yes, it's 2ltr engine 4 cyl. Another question. I timed the engine about 20 times myself and triple checked the marks to make sure it was done properly. Could that be the culprit? I've been told it will run like crap but it will run, Im not sure but everything is on TDC. Thanks a lot! Your videos have helped me a lot!
Juan C. Villegas "If" your injectors are not flickering, but fuel is getting into the cylinders, then your injector driver (in the ECM) might be fried and keeping the injectors open. I would not fully suggest that yet, as I don't know what you are using to check for a flicker / injector control. Also, it is normal for the spark plugs to get wet when there is no spark. If you do not have battery power on one of the outer wires (on the 3 wire coil harness plug), then you need to trace that circuit. A faulty ignition switch can cause this... but the usual failure is loss of power during cranking. If the oil light & alt light come on in the dash, then the ignition #15 circuit "should be OK" (at least from the ignition switch to the dash). When was the last time she ran? What caused you to check the timing / belt timing? If she ran before any of the work you did, then it is something that is not set correctly. Not all mk3's had a #3 (109) relay. If you can access the ECM with a scan tool with the relay removed, then your vehicle does not need the 109 relay.
***** We used a test light on injector #4. We used a VAg com and all sensors tested fine (Go figure almost all of them are new). All dashboard lights come on normally on switching the power on, including the CEL. BTY the switch is ALSO new (Beck Arnley). She ran two years ago until the crappy timing belt damper (old design) broke and messed up two valves. Redid the cam and timed it to no avail. If the cranks shaft is off some will it not generate a spark? The technician that used the VAG com and tested everything else said that the ECU wasn't getting power, yet all fuses were fine; he even used a new battery for this diagnostic. Bummer!
Juan C. Villegas When pulling a head for valve replacement, nothing major should have been disconnected... meaning that it is a straight forward job = should run afterwards. If you truly are not getting spark, continue to check for a reason. Like you said earlier, if ignition timing were anywhere near close to where it should be, the engine should at least do something. The crankshaft position sensor is the main input, you will not have spark or injector pulse if that sensor is bad (no rpm signal when viewed with vag-com as well). There are too many variables for me to try and help diagnose this via a keyboard. I tied to help someone for 3 months in a forum and it ended up being a bad coil (not saying that's what it is in your case, just saying I don't want to waste your time). If you have time, take pictures of all the #1 TDC marks as you have them aligned and send me the pictures fkh161 at fkh161 dot ca Just so I can verify that they are ok. You are sure that the ignition coil harness plug does NOT have power on one of the 3 pins when the key is ON or Cranking. Yes? Focus on that!
+Ramon Esquibel No... the middle wire "at the coil connector" is pulse grounded by the ECM. check your coil like this: th-cam.com/video/skyF3tFvD0I/w-d-xo.html
Hey Thomas I have an 2002 vw cabrio 2.0, and I don't have the ( + ) pulses from computer to ignition coil, black/red center wire. New crankshaft sensor, new ignition coil and module, good signal to the coil, ground and 12v, the timing marks good, installed new computer and still same no spark, does the inmobilizer can cancel just the spark?
Miguel Lopez When you are cranking the engine, does the battery light in the dash go out right away? Watch this: th-cam.com/video/fWYhYx8bMWg/w-d-xo.html I believe that on those, the alarm module prevents cranking ( would have the check to confirm).
hey bro did a little more investigating on my vw.. I found that fuse 18 is getting power but its only getting power when the key is to the accessories position when I crank the car power to the fuse and fuel pump stop.. also when the key is turned to accessories I can clearly hear the fuel pump for about 30 sec then it and fuse 18 stop getting power.. seems that fuel pump relay stops giving fuse 18 power is this normal
+Ramon Esquibel The "prime function" is normal (when cycling the key)... 30 seconds is way long, usually only lasts a couple of seconds. When you are "cranking" do the oil light & battery light go out "while you are cranking"?
No, sorry. Make sure that there is not an excessive draw on the alternator that would put too much stress on it. A bad battery can cause low charging voltage and make it seem like the alternator is not putting out.
If your crankshaft position sensor (engine speed sensor) is bad, then yes, the RPM gauge / needle will not wiggle when you crank the engine... or a scan tool (that can view engine sensor data) will not show a change in RPM.
Hey Thomas! Great job on the videos, you have helped me many times, and I'm hoping you can do it again. I'm working on an '02 Cabrio 2.0 and have a crank/no start issue. I have good spark, and fuel pressure at the regulator but it seems the injectors aren't working. I did a visual on the timing belt, just in case and it looks good. I pulled the injector harness and connected a noid light to each connector and have power to the left pin but no pulse when it cranks. could this be the Hall effect sensor, or is the ECM cooked? Thanks >Tim
Hall sensor / distributor signal is not needed for the engine to run... you can disconnect the hall sensor and the engine should still start or continue to run when disconnected on a running engine. If you have spark, then you should have injector pulse. Any recent work on the vehicle? Can you communicate with the ECM via a scan tool? View live engine data or codes? Look for a broken wire on the control side of the injector wiring. If that is ok, check the ECM board for corrosion or cold solder joints. Confirm that the engine will actually run when an alternate fuel source is added to the intake.... if the engine does not try to run, then there is possibly more than one thing going on.
@@EXOVCDS yes, I replaced the Crank sensor to address a stalling issue, then after a few days the fuel pump quit. Fuel pump issue was accompanied by several codes related to fuel delivery as well as low inputs on all four injectors and SAI errors (no pump). I can still pull codes but have yet to try alternative fuel delivery, or looked for broken wires. Thanks for the direction, I will get back on it tomorrow after work. >T
Sorry... my bad, for some reason I was thinking batch fire injection / single ECM ground. Ignore that part of my last post. Check the main round wiring harness plug at the side of the cylinder head (behind the distributor)... separate it an check for corrosion.
A bad fuel pump relay will set 7+ codes that deal with "short to ground" (ECM controls all the ground circuits, when it does not see a voltage on those control wires, it sets short to ground fault codes). Try a different fuel pump relay, even though you seem to have power on the injector power feed.
hey..i have a 01 2.0 cabrio.Im having the same problem as Sejus but i replace my crank sensor and still nothin.also Im getting power to the ecu and replaced it.checked my fuses,relay 3 dont have one.im out of ideas.the 2 outer ones have power and ground,middle im getting nothing.Is the crank sensor the same as a speed sensor that you mention in the last minute
Crank sensor & engine speed sensor are the same thing. Any fault codes stored in the ECM? When cranking, does the tach move? If no tach, does the ECM show rpm when viewing datastream with a scan tool?
i just got a 1994 golf , was running and started fine when i bought it from the guy, brought my new baby home parked her for the night and woke up to go start her and she didnt start, just cranks away , i got her to idle for a bit then she would die, when i bought her the guy said all she needed was a new MAF because she would idle shitty and didnt have to much power when i tested drove her =( i replaced, fuel pump , fuel filter , and MAF going to get a new fuel pressure reg today , any ideas would be awesome ! thank you for your time and smart mind !
I was calling her my new baby ! I e wanted this car for a few years now so I won't give up on her , haha n I bought her cause I did just have a baby boy 3 weeks old thank you , needed a 4 door or I would of gotten a gti :) thanks for your time :)
Ryan Nelson Have you checked for fault codes? Either a 2 x 2 connector or a 16 pin OBD connector around the ash tray. Unscrew the main wiring harness plug at the side of the cylinder head (above the distributor)... check for corrosion of the pins.
Have a 2002 VW Jetta , it cranks no start and no spark. We have put in new ignition switch, new coil, new plugs and wires and crank sensor. Still not working.. There is a light that comes on says cpa on dash. Codes received are p0725, p1780, p1850. We don't knot if we should replace the ecm next or what to do next. Any suggestions?? Thank you.
OK I got a crank no start no spark.. It's a 95 vw golf 3, 2.0 I'm not getting a flashing light from the middle pong on the ignition coil.. crank sensor is new, ignition coil, ignition switch, spark plugs, plug wires, battery, changed Ecu out twice and still nothing.. no spark.. I'm also not getting a reading from the obd port ( failure to communicate) is what my scanner is saying.. "I'm thinking bad Ecu wire harness?? Any suggestions??
+Ramon Esquibel When was the last time it ran? What lead up to the no start? No communication could be due to scanner unless you have used that scanner before with no issues. If you have a relay in relay slot #3 (marked 109), you probably have a bad relay.
Is the check engine light ON when the key is in the ON position? If no... then the ECM is not awake. If yes, then it could be a problem with the crankshaft position sensor. Year, make, model, engine? The more info I have, the better I can guess. Fault codes?
@@EXOVCDS The car has been sitting for over 8 months; had all the gear lights on and car had issues shifting so I parked it. And no, I do not see an engine light. Thanks, for the quick response. Thank you,
Hi I have a 1998 volkswagen golf 2.0 l and it will crank all day but won't start and when it's cranking it will make a popping noise. I have changed the spark plugs and cap and rotor and I got a new ignition coil I haven't replaced the wires yet but I have spark but I just don't k ow what else to do. Any suggestions? Please help
Lucky OTD You need to check you camshaft / crankshaft / belt timing. When you crank the engine, is the distributor turning? Your timing belt could have jumped a few teeth or is missing teeth, which cause the timing to be out. If the timing belt is OK and your TDC marks are all lined-up, check for strong spark at the spark plug end of the wire and also check for good fuel flow & pressure.
hi I got it running but it drives rough and it has two codes a po341 and a p1316 when I hook my scanner to it. it shows it at 1500 rpms when its not even running should I change my cps ?
+alex murphy Can you post a video of it running? P0341 could be because of a faulty hall sensor in the distributor... in which case the engine should still run smooth, or it could be because the distributor timing is wrong. I don't know what p1316 is. Set the engine to #1 TDC and post a video so I can see all the marks. Crank pulley mark, flywheel mark, distributor rotor position and camshaft sprocket position. If you can't do video, send me links to pictures via private message.
The flashing "control" signal might not be easy to detect / recognize (might look like a steady ON to some). A new coil can be bad or go bad soon after purchase, so don't rule-out a faulty coil. Ignition coil can be bench tested: th-cam.com/video/skyF3tFvD0I/w-d-xo.html
Last few seconds of video would be little more helpful if a little more trouble shooting is possible .. brand knew parts are not always good I agree and if I have no spark BLINKING i re ground coil have a knew distributor and crank sensor any ideas ..is it still possible to get spark from coil wire if not pulsing or blink once plugged in
Haven't been able to get the car started. I am not getting power to the 4 pin connector to the ignition coil. Can it be bad wiring somewhere or can this be the computer? Thanks,
Key ON check engine light should be on = ECM is awake. If you can communicate with the ECM, then the ECM is awake. Your ignition coil does have 4 wires (I thought your coil had 3 because you posted under an A3/mk3 video), sorry. Ignition coil power wire gets power from fuse 29. Is the fuse OK?
Hey Thomas. Ive been having problems with my 97 jetta 2.0. Its obd1. Im getting no power under load, but full power after 4000 rpm. check engine light comes on under load and If i let off the throttle, the check engine light goes off, and lets me get into it some more. Its been consuming far too much fuel. 250-300 km to a tank where it use to get 600km to a tank.Its been parked for 6 years. Ive run 2 tanks full of premium with seafoam. Ive changed plugs, wires, cap,rotor, ign coil, fuel filter, and cleaned maf. Ive tested fuel pressure, timing marks, tested vacuum for plugged exhaust and everything checks out.It also back fires coasting down a hill in first gear. I throw codes on vag 65535, 00524, and 00515. can you please help me. Thanks
Hey Thomas, I have a 1997 Jetta, 2.0 motor, it is having a starting problem. I replaced the coil, ignition switch and then crankshaft position sensor and still nothing. On the plug to the bottom of the coil I tested it for power by checking the 2 outside wire for power found they had power and then with the middle one, I cranked the car but it had no flashing light. also the #3 wire (thick black one) on the same plug is melting and I am not sure. I bought the car it didn't run, then I got it started once and then ran just fine but not sure why its not starting now. If you have any suggestions on what else to check that would be awesome. Thanks. On a side note I cant get the car to turn over without the coil plug plugged in unless I connect a jump from the negative of the battery to the block somewhere.
The lack of "ground" (you having to attach a ground from battery negative to the engine) could be why you have a no start... it could very well be that due to the bad ground (the original negative battery cable / connection at the battery or at the transmission / engine) blew the ECM. I have seen many mk2 vehicles that had fried ECM's because someone forgot to connect the battery negative cable at the transmission after a clutch replacement. The starter tried to turn and found a path to ground through the little ECM wirez that are connected at the engine... the high current fries the ECM. I would suggest finding a wiring diagram for your engine and then checking the wires at your ECM according to the diagram. If all checks out (mainly power & ground wires) then I would suspect a faulty ECM. Have you got a scan tool? Any codes stored?
***** Thank you for all the info. We are going to pull some codes and Ill get it figured it out from there. Your videos are super informational and if I have any more questions I will be sure to ask you! Thanks again for the help! I will keep you updated on my status of the no start problem!
***** one more question I have is, Is there anyway to pull codes without a scanner. Im looking at buying a scanner but if there is way to pull codes without one that would be better. The OBD 2 plug is in the car by the ash tray. Let me know. Thanks!
Thomas Monroe On older models one was able to retrieve "blink" codes... not sure if it possible on yours. faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/Campingart/jettatech/vagblink.pdf *** Use at own risk *** If you have an aftermarket radio, "playing" with the OBD Plug can cause issues. www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/aftermarket-radio.html
***** Hey again Thomas.So I removed the ECM and was putting a test light to test the connections when I got to the 23rd pin which is the Power Supply Relay,when I ground the battery to the motor put the test light to it, its dims and flashes bright. Then when I have it only grounded to the frame it comes on bright then instantly goes dim. Is it suppose to do that or is there a bad connection somewhere? Thank you in advance. When I connected the scanner also it is throwing no codes, I cleared them by disconnecting the battery, trying to get them to reset the codes but its still not sending any codes. could that also mean a bad ECM? Sorry for all the questions just not sure what the problem is at this point and wanna make sure I cover everything.
Hey maybe you can help me, while my dad was driving my golf mk3,he noticed something making a beeping noises and like the oil thing poped up on the dash board,well when we inspected the car, the breather hose was torn up and there was small oil everywhere, well then i checked and got a single code P0341,and the car wont start, it cranks, just no start, If i replace the sensor and hose will it start.Thanks
Ivan Soto The 2.0L does not need a distributor signal to run... it uses the crankshaft position sensor as its main input. However, you need to make sure that the distributor rotor is actually turning. Remove the distributor cap and have someone crank the engine. If the rotor does not turn, your timing belt is broken. Here are some quick checks: VW A3: No Spark Quick Check...
Ivan Soto LOL... I replied via Google+ and didn't notice that our posts are under the video I just linked. Sorry about that. So, have you done the checks in this video? Do you have spark, Injector Pulse, is the coi being triggered?
hmmm i think i should make a video then show you because im not too car savvy so i dont really know where or what is the distributer cap. And i hope the belt is not broke, becasuse i know that that will be expensive to replace. Thanks and ill be back with you.
+M Thomas Does your car have a relay is slot #3? static.cargurus.com/images/site/2013/05/08/11/49/pic-568440149806152368-1600x1200.jpeg Some cars have a relay some don't. If you have a relay with 109 on it, then the relay might be bad. If you don't have a relay in slot #3, then you have to check a wiring diagram for power & ground locations.
Hello I have a 98 Volkswagen Jetta and I'm getting nothing from the middle electrode that connects to the coil pack how should I troubleshoot the computer?
You have to use an LED test light to check for coil control. Attach the test light to battery positive and then attach the tip of the test light to the center pin of the connector. When cranking, the LED light should flicker (it's faint / hard to see). You can also check if your tachometer is moving off of 0 when cranking or use a scan tool to check for an RPM signal. If you have an RPM signal, then the crank sensor is OK.
Hi.... ok so im fixing my grandmothers 2000 cabrio with the 2.0l engine one problem... no spark coming from coil... checked the 3 pins that connect to the coil... the 2 outter ones have power and ground... just the center one which should be the signal one that the ECM grounds isnt getting the on and off signal when cranking the the engine and testing it with the test light to power(12v) so i reached the conclusion that it could be the CKP or the hall effect on the distributor......one thing... how could i pinpoint which one of the 2 it is... or can it be many more culprits like the ECM, Knock Sensor, A Relay or fuse...... I'd really appreciate the help thanks
Hall sensor in the distributor is not needed for the engine to start/run. Most likely the crankshaft position sensor is no good. Does the check engine light come on when you turn the key On? If no, then the ECM is not powered up. Some cars had a #3 relay (marked 109) that can cause no ECM operation. If your car does not have a relay in spot #3, then don't worry about the relay.
***** ok when you say #3 relay is it from left to right on top of the fuses under the steering wheel? because my check engine light is not on.... so you are telling me that the ECM is not powering up... because of this relay?
Yes, possibly... #3 is the 3rd relay from the left, in the second row of relays above the fuses. I'm about to finish lunch and go back to work. Will be able to help more after work tonight. If you have a scan tool, check if you can communicate with the ECM.
If it flashes when cranking, that's all that matters. Depending on where / how the engine stops, I guess it could either stay on or off. Have you checked timing belt condition? Have you verified cam & crank TDC alignment? What is the actuall issue you are having? When did the issue start? Was the engine running and it died? Or it just doesn't start all of a sudden? Year, make, model, which engine? Have you checked for spark? How? Different coil? The more info I have, the better I can help.
Ok so i bought the car it was cranking but no start so i then started diagnostic i saw th engine speed sensor is new timing belt is relatively new the okd one was in the trunk coil and distributor are original. Original diagnostic was no triger signal from ecu so i bought a new ecu and now when i plug the led between middle wire and power wire the light is constantly on no matter how much i crank the engine but i did start to flash after i replaced ecu so thats great but still no spark so now im testing the coil. Omh test looked fine but with key on i put voltmeter at end of coil wire from coil to distributor and i get battery voltage there
+Jose Salazar If it will not crank (starter turns engine)... look for a starter / cranking problem. The light can't flicker if the engine is not turning / cranking from starter activation.
Another mk3 here with no spark from coil Any ideas? ive done or checked this fuse and fuel pump relay good tes light on when cranking coil is sealed and dry ignition control plug outers in test light in b+ turn on middle one wont fliker when cranking cps reads 932ohms in 2-3 terminals but nothing on 1-2 or 1-3 terminals (this is not clear to me) No relay on #3 position Alarm is ok cleaned ignition and hall sensor no signs of moisture plug is ok fuel pump is working and fuel pump relay closes when cranking Still no start and no coil spark Im missing something?
+Thomas EXOVCDS ill check that and let you know,h0w can i test the cps? im really worried because im searching the web and every person with an mk3 having the same issue after spending maybe Hundreds the car never start!
+Johnny Gonzalez 2 of the 3 wires are signal wires... the third is a shield (grounded). Attach your meter to battery negative and back probe the sensor wires one at a time. On a 20vdc scale, you will see 1/2 of the ac signal. To see the full ac signal... you need to attach both your meter leads to the two signal wires and have your meter set to ac. A 2.6Vac signal will show up as 1.3vdc Anything less than 2Vac when cranking (IIRC) will result in a no start / spark.
Ok so I have a 97 Jetta 2.0. Cranks, has spark, and have fuel pressure. I had it running and driving for few weeks after I bought it, then one day I was going for a quick spin around the block 1/4mile. Randomly died And hasn't restarted. Right before it died I was accelerating hard and as soon as I let off gas the motor turned off. I had it restarted one time after I tried every possible thing. I finally decided to drop the catalytic converter cause maybe it was clogged and it started few tries later. BUT IT WASN'T A CLOGGED CAT because I went to drive it around the block again and car died literally in same spot. Could it be a Bermuda Triangle issue or is that only with planes. JK. But now the car won't start.cranks and It has spark, fuel pressure, new plugs and wires. One thing I noticed was when I hooked up a disconnected spark plug to a connected spark plug wire the spark didn't seem strong or maybe injectors weren't firing. What does the www(WholeWideWorld).think?
+Cody Runyon Some of these vehicles have an ECM power supply relay... relay spot #3 (second row of relays above the fuses, third one from the left). The relay usually has a 109 on the face of it. If you have such a relay, it can cause the engine to stall or not start when it acts-up. The next time it does NOT start, turn the key ON and check if the check engine light is ON... if it is NOT on, then the ECM is not awake and it could be due to the relay. The most common cause of no starts with these mk3 VW's: Ignition coil, crankshaft position sensor, 109 relay, fuel pump. Not in that order. If you have spark, then you should have injector pulse... if the spark is weak... probably a coil issue or high resistance in the spark plug / coil wire. If you don't have spark... crank sensor (maybe). If you have spark & injector pulse... bad fuel pump or timing belt.
Thomas EXOVCDS thank you for the knowledge. It's obvious you know what your talking about with vw. Also when key is in on position the pump doesn't prime. But if I crank it for a second or less I can hear the pump and there was pressure when I used a pressure Guage but it was from harbor freight and didn't last and I don't trust its accuracy. But when I unhooked the return line off the rail it def seemed like pressure was good. I tried jumping the fuel relay #12 I think and turned key two seconds after and didn't start but pump worked. I did the ignition switch test you mentioned in a diff video and all the lights stayed in when cranking. Now will that work or have you encountered a car with a bad ignition switch but lights stayed on? I will try the other test you mentioned in next few hours and get back. Again thank you.
Ohhh I follow you now. It HAS to be one or more of those issues you stated in order to get it to at least turn over. Well I just cleaned up all the grounds under the battery mount. So I check to see if cel was on and yes it is. I still don't hear the pump prime unless I jump the relay. But even when it did run I'm positive I never heard it prime cause I bought the car as a non runner and that was the second thing I check after plugs. It ended up being the coil ground when I first bought the car and ran great for few weeks. Then it didn't. So when I dropped the cat I forgot to mention I replace the dis. cap too and booming ran until it didn't 1/4mile later. I'm beginning to think it is spark related. Would it still run with a faulty coil. I have three used coils. I tried them all. I noticed when the previous owner had a new thermostat in vehicle along with new plugs. The old plugs had grease caked on them. But like I said it ran good no temp issues.
+Cody Runyon Fuel pump prime is irrelevant as long as the pump runs when cranking. Check the ignition coil by manually triggering it with jumper wires. Once you know that the coil is good, then you can continue with checking the rest of the system (control of coil).
+Thomas EXOVCDS ok I got good spark now and I think I narrowed it down to injectors. I don't think they are firing. I pulled the intake manifold two weeks ago and clean the injectors up and to test them with a ohm meter 15.8-16ohm and did a voltage test and they all made that clicking sound like when testing a relay. What would you do next?
yes the car has airbags but I have not had it scanned. I dont have a scanner and can t drive it any where to have it scanned. is thre any other way to dianose without scanning, otherwise I will have to tow it several miles.
from the damage description, I can't think of anything "engine wise" (wiring or sensors) that would cause a no-start after the accident... aside from airbag module being the cause. I could be wrong about that though. Let me see if I can find some info about the airbag module & crash strategies. In the mean time, look for someone with vag-com / vcds in your area... via this link: www.maptive.com/ver3/VCDS_Locator
Starter is turning the engine when cranking? Does the battery light & oil light stay ON while cranking? Does the distributor rotor turn when cranking? Do you have spark? Do you have fuel / flow / injector pulse? Could be a number of things.
not all the way sure. this girl is selling it cheap because she cant figure out whats wrong. the fuel pump,starter,relay, have all been changed. they say the the starter engages but no start. they tried a push start no start
Let me tell you what all started with this had a water leak it overheated filled it back up and got it home replaced the radiator then found the water pump went to crap replaced that then wouldn't start replaced all the ignition stuff no check engine light and timing belt is spinning haven't checked the altnator
In need of some help i got a 95 VW cabrio that's not giving me no spark is changed the ignition switch and coil I put in a brand new cam/crank sensor brand new distributor and starter and still nothing somebody help me please
Not sure why you changed the starter for a "no spark" condition. Also not sure how you are checking for spark (so i can't tell you if you are doing it correctly) . Have you verified that the cam, crank & distributor are "in time"? When you turn the key to ON, which lights in the dash come on? With the key in the crank position, which lights are ON? With a scan tool connected to the vehicle, do you have communication? Any fault codes? Post a video on your channel so that I can see & hear what is happening when you are trying to start the engine.
+alex murphy There's a difference between cranking (starter is operating) and not cranking (no starter operation). If it is not cranking, how are you getting spark? What year / model & engine size?
+alex murphy So is the engine cranking / turning but not starting or is the engine not cranking / not turning? If it does not crank, have you tried roll starting it?
+alex murphy Yeah, sounds like ignition switch. Leave the key ON, transmission in neutral and activate the starter with a jumper wire... engine should start. or apply pressure (left, right, up, down) to the key while cranking.
I need some help again i got the car back running again park it iver night came out this morning nothing, i hook the test like uo to the coil and it lights up on blk but nothing on the center or the orange wire and it was just running fine yesterday plz help
To check the signal at the coil center wire, it is best to use an LED test light (attached to the positive post of the battery) to see the flickering. I still don't know if you TDC marks are ok. I have seen engines that had missing timing belt teeth, that caused the engine to behave weird (timing would change as the crank gear would sometimes slip when the stripped teeth go past). I have not seen a video of the engine cranking. Would be nice to see your test light testing, so I can see if it is done correctly. A bad ignition switch can cause no starts. Leave the key in the ON position. Make sure that the battery light & check engine light in the dash are on. Transmission in park or neutral. Jump the starter with a cable directly from the battery. If the engine starts like that, but not with the key... then the ignition switch is bad.
@@EXOVCDS I pulled the plug off the coil itself it lights up on the black but that's it and the car cranks using the key should I still try to start off the starter ??
Is the timing belt turning? Is the ignition rotor turning? Could be a bad crankshaft position sensor. Is the check engine light ON when you turn the key to ON?
+Ramon Esquibel Not sure... relay sticking, or some kind of electrical gremlin. As long as the pump "shuts off" when you turn the key OFF... it should be ok for now (but should be investigated further in the future).
Didn't find any specific crash strategies / info... you can try disconnecting the module to see if is the cause of the no start. it is located below the heater box by the firewall: forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4068545-Cant-find-the-airbag-control-module
+Renee Pedersen Can your scan tool view ECM live data? If yes, does it show rpm when you are cranking? Does the tach needle move off of 0 when you crank?
Compression test was 180, i dont have the means to do a leak down test right now. But at this time it seems i have compression and spark. I was told the cat was bad but no code was pushed for the cat. Just a misfire on #3, also thank you so much for taking the time to help me out!
your my new its best friend!! haha started life saver .. i just replaced the ignition switch rite before it stop starting like 3 days before
+Ramon Esquibel I know you replaced it, but I needed to know what it was doing.... so it starts with the jumper wire?
We've been restoring a 96 Cabrio and washed off the transmission and steering rack at a car wash close to our house since we are about to do the clutch and completely redo the suspension. While washing everything down my wife did get in the car breifly just to turned the acc power on and close up the windows tighter. Anyway, once washed it wouldn't start back up..at all..even after sitting in the sun for two days so we had it towed home. It cranks as normal but doesn't start. We tested the center distributor plug wire and also one plug wire and there is no spark from either so we assumed the coil was bad so we bought a new coil but..wow..no dice there either!
We haven't tried the fuel pump but you can smell gas after cranking it each time and the car was running fine just before the wash. I can only assume we fried something electrical somewhere? We tested across the 3 outer coil plug power pins with a voltmeter ( the pins in our Bently manual are stated as neg-#1 and pos+#3) and yes, they are getting voltage (~11.5 to 12v). The center pin, when tested with an LED connected to pos+ batt terminal does not illuminate at all, maybe just a single small brief milli-second when you set key to on/pre-crank, but when cranking it does not flash or illuminate at all with our LED tester. What should we check from here? Do you think we fried the ECM? This is obviously electrical. If it is the ECM can it be reset?
Usual suspect after an engine wash is the ignition coil. Aftermarket coils can be bad out of the box. The crankshaft position sensor is the main input to the ecm... no crank signal = no fuel and no spark. If you are smelling fuel, then the injectors are clicking... which makes me think that the crank sensor is OK. Remove the spark plugs to confirm plug wetness... dry off and check again. Remove the distributor cap and look for moisture under the cap. Remove the black plastic cover from the distributor cap if the black cover is in place (remove distributor cap and pry black cover off of the cap on a bench). Eliminate everything first before going after the ecm. Attach a scan tool... check for codes. Check for an rpm signal via scan tool / live data. No rpm signal = bad crank sensor. If the ecm is fried... no resetting can be done... would need circuit board repair.
The new coil is made in Poland, not China, but we didn't spring for the higher cost of a Bosch either. We actually replaced the cap and rotor anyway in the process as it was due (I change them every 25k miles) and because the distributor is so vertically mounted I assume it would be hard to get water in it. Regardless I blew it out with compressed air when home as well a few of the plug connects like the 3 pin on the coil and some others. As for the plugs/wires I haven't taken the intake off yet for the center two but the outer two looked fine and dry. I have nice high-suppression silicone wires which are tight fitting and also use electrolytic grease on the ends. I barely washed off the engine, it was more of the right side to clean the tranny and the steering rack. The engine got wet but I wasn't totally soaking it. My wife also says the engine oil light is flashing when cranking and we couldn't recall if that's normal or not. The car has fresh oil as of 1,000 miles ago and I checked the level and that's fine too. Definitely a spark issue I assume.
And I thought of maybe pulling the plugs out to check for fouled plugs or wet plugs or water in the cylinder but again, if the coil is not even providing spark then checking the plugs is not the next step. We actually tested one plug wire with a brand new NGK plug we had in the garage that was going to be used soon (as part 2 of our regular 25k mile tune up).. so.. where to now? Again, the center pin of the three on the coil's power plug is not flashing nor illuminating at all while cranking. Does this point to an ecm issue? And we did use our OBDII scanner. It just pulls up an oxy sensor, and an evap exhaust sys malfunction (due to ox senson) but these two are codes we've been living with for awhile while the car was running fine. It's not throwing any other codes.
Jeff Chartier Oil light flashing is normal with excessive cranking. Does your cabrio have a check engine light when the key is on? If it does, but the light is off... check power supply to ecm. I'll think of some more stuff and will get back to you tomorrow... got to get some sleep now.
Thanks for the help! I'm pretty mechanically inclined. My wife and I have been self-maintaining our Cabrio and old Tacoma for 12 years. Sleep well and if you can help me get this sorted out over the next week I will buy you a case of beer via PayPal. I mean it! THANK YOU!!!! Your videos have already helped a lot. goodnight.
I have this condition now. Put a new clutch in had the hood open for a few days in a portable garage while raining. Tried a known good coil, rotor and new cap. I have a distributor too just not looking forward to doing that
Make sure that the battery light & oil light "stay ON" during cranking... could be ignition switch if they don't.
Will do and FYI, and dude this will blow your mind, SEAFOAM fixed the injector! Car is running normal for now.
Thank you for a easy, quick way to diagnose no spark.. it is appreciated..
+Ajaxaxxess Thank you for watching!
Thomas, I am also having a really strange issue, I was driving in my VW cabrio 97 2.o with manual trans, when a water hose tore and leaked all over the distributor and the coil. I repaired the hose and dry out everything with a towel, the car just cranked but didnt start immediately so I had to le it dry for a bit, then it started again no problems, I stopped the car for a while then started it again, everything went fine for about 10 min and all of a sudden the car started to rattle and had to stop, when I wanted to start it again it couldnt keep itself on (just cranks), there was no way to tell if the coil died because I was driving alone, so I had it towed to my house. Next day I replaced the coil and worked fine for a bit, then the car started to rattle again and died on me, there was cranking but the car just cudnt keep itself on, I took it to a mechanic and e replaced the cars computer with another one, he told me the computer wasnt sending the signals for the distributor, so my question is, is there a way to tell if the CPU is damaged? am I overlooking something? should I replace my cars computer? I dont know what to do right now :(
the car has already new spark plugs wiring and distributor rotor.
Components having gotten wet... might or might not have played a roll in what is happening now. If your distributor cap has a black plastic cover over it, remove the black cover from the cap (have to remove the cap & wires to do so). Your spark could still be shorting out underneath the cap. There's not much I can suggest, that a shop probably hasn't done already. Common issues with the 2.0L are crank sensor & coil (distributor / hall sensor is not needed to make the engine run). If everything (including wiring) checks-out OK, then yes, could be an ECM / CPU problem... I do not know of a way to test them, aside from plugging them in to see what happens.
Alright I am at the end of the line before burning the car to the ground. I have replaced the ecm, the ignition coil, the crankshaft position sensor. Redid the timing checked all of my grounds to the block and the body. Checked the plug on the Ignition coil still have power and ground going to that but the middle wire (black/red in the #2 pin) which we checked the continuity on (the wire checked fine) also still isn't flashing while cranking. I originally thought it was the ecm and replaced it and still getting the same thing as before. I don't know what else to do or check. I've checked all the fuses and replaced the ignition switch. the car will turnover but no spark is causing it to not start. If you have any more advice on why my middle wire on the ignition coil power output stage (black/red #2 pin) still isn't flashing while cranking that would be appreciated.
It also isn't throwing any codes for the OBD scanner to pick up.
Thomas Monroe Not sure what to tell you... check the ignition coil manually (just to make sure): th-cam.com/video/skyF3tFvD0I/w-d-xo.html I have read too many posts about "I have a new coil but it won't start", that ended up being a bad coil. Have you checked the ground wires at the block (under the intake manifold)? How about the round wiring harness plug at the side of the head? Unplug it (twist counterclockwise) and look for corroded pins / connections.
Great video very informative, i have actually looked at several of your videos for guidance to help me fix my beat up 96 jetta with the 2.0 engine, like the relay shaft replacement and timing chain. And so far all of your information has been on point thank you so much for that. Im hoping u can help me once again, my car seems to stall once hot/operating temperature. Then itll start again for a couple of minutes then stall again. Help!! Please ihave checked for spark but havent checked across the connector at ignition coil, and i have a new fuel pump in it. What would you suggest i check next
Crankshaft position sensor or 109 relay (if there is one in the fuse box)... would me my first suspects.
Thomas EXOVCDS right on i will look at those today, i am actually getting ready to do a fuel pressure test, my car shit down on my way to autozone today, and i had my scanner hooked up to it, and it threw a p1500 code. No CEL tho.
Shut*
@@gerardobrns could be a bad fuel pump relay... that will usually also set a bunch of short to ground codes, but not all scan tools will read stored fault codes.
www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/dtc-comparison.html
Thomas EXOVCDS , so i have a second relay i swapped out, and it actually does the same thing, they are both used relays and the symptoms are when i start the car first thing in the morning it runs fine for a good 15-20 minutes after that it starts stalling out, then itll start back up after a few minutes but will stall out shortly after, so i am assuming it has a lot to do with the cars temperature, the haynes manual troubleshoot says something about a faulty temp sensor. But its super brief, doest really mention a why the temp sensor would have anything to do with the car stalling out
Hey Thomas how do I check if the ECU is group ding coil signal? ECU is not grow ding coil I think because test light is not flashing or turning on with key on ir crank I have fuel pump direct to key on and it primes OK any clue on how I can wire up the ground from ECU to coil?
Use a wiring diagram for the aba engine to check that everything is connected as it should be. If everything is OK, then you should be able to communicate with the ecm via scan tool.
If you can not communicate with the ecm, then the ecm is not powered up.
You can also check the O2 for a reference voltage when the key is on, the throttle position sensor or maf sensor for a 5v reference.
What about a Cabrio that cranks, doesn't have any garages working, no fuel pump, no fire , would the pundenz fuse be the issue on the box
Post a video on your channel so that I can see what the car does / does not do. I don't know what a "pundenz" fuse is.
I can't help if you don't reply.
If you have the time maybe you could give some advice. 98 MK3 2.0 #3 misfire code. When the car is cold it has a loud tap that sounds like a valve. When the car warms up a bit the tap is less but #3 is still dead, done everything i could to try to find out why #3 is dead. New plug, wire, cap and rotor. I have spark to the plug but it will not fire. So im down to bad fuel injector or low compression right? I don't have a gauge right now but with a simple finger test they all feel the same.
Ahoy! Great video! Would this be relevant to a 2005 1.6L engine (Caddie/Golf)?
We don't have 1.6L engines for 2005 vehicles in Canada... so i don't know if the ignition & fuel systems are similar to thos generation of vehicle. If things look similar, try the tests.
Hey Man Thanks A Lot I Have The Same Problem On My MK3 But I Don't How To To Check The Crank Position Sensor...My Coil And It's Pins Are Getting Power, Do You Think It Would Be The Crank Position Sensor Not Telling The Middle Pin To Flash?
When checking for center pin flashing... make sure to use an LED test light. A regular incandescent bulb test light will not be able to show the flashing well. Check the engine computer for fault codes. If a crank sensor / speed sensor fault is present... replace the sensor. Only 2.0l, vr6 & tdi engine use a crank sensor. The 8v 1.8l engines do not.
As far as the airbags, I found the module and unhooked it to see if that made a difference while cranking the engine, nothing changed. how beside the ODCII scanner can I diagnose a problem with the air bags causing a no start?
+Marcus Orillius Hi, the airbag module suggestion was just because of "the car not starting after the accident"... I have been told that the module will prevent fuel pump operation after an accident / crash. Whether or not that is true for your vehicle... I'm not sure. Let's say that the airbag cuts fuel (prevents fuel pump replay from working)... one can bypass the fuel pump relay to eliminate it as the cause. The quickest thing would be to scan the ECM & Airbag module for fault codes. Using wiring diagrams to check wire / circuit integrity can take quite a while.
I have a new hall sender, new crank sensor, new coil and new rotor/cap but I still don't get any spark while cranking. The coil does spark when I first turn the ignition on but no trigger signal on the middle wire while cranking. All the wires have good continuity so I don't think they're bad. I'm leaning towards faulty ECU but everything else works as it should. Any ideas?
Probably ECM.
Watch this video (I was helping someone else)... as you can see, the coil does not spark when the key is cycled. Only when cranking.
th-cam.com/video/QQUo3OO5LkE/w-d-xo.html
Hey Thomas I just have a quick question I have a 1984 Cabriolet and my car sparks only sometimes. Most of the times it starts is when I let off the key is when it sparks. Im not to sure if you could help me.. But that would be awesome! thank you.
Cody Warren Probably the hall sensor in the distributor.... check it like this: th-cam.com/video/95PkgSavOCo/w-d-xo.html the video is a bit dark, sorry. Any questions about it... just ask.
I drove it last week it had a push start when I bought it so I removed it installed new ignition switch it started then I realized I had no brake lights so I dropped the fuse box and found it was a bad connection behind the box.. I was thinking it may also be a bad connection not allowing it to start but I can't seem to find a problem.. I'm relays are fine, all work.. BUT I don't have power to fuse 18
+Ramon Esquibel Fuse 18 only gets power when the fuel pump relay is closed / on. The relay is grounded / triggered by the ECM... if the ECM is not "awake" it can't trigger the fuel pump. Check all your power & grounds for the ECM. I'm starting work right now, but can send you a wiring diagram once I get home tonight.
its not often I say this but very nice. thanks for the great information.
Justin Robichaud Thank you for watching & taking the time to comment!
just happened to be working on one of these in the shop today. Not really a euro tech and not familiar with these systems. so it was nice to see a real tech do a real video.
hi Thomas, I changed the crank sensor, that did not do anything. same as before power on the two outside terminal but when I connected the tester to the center terminal and positive side of battery there is no light at all and does not flash on and off while cranking. im going to get a loaner ODCII and plug it in to see if there are any computer codes. also, #s 1,2,7,8,10,11,12, and 18 fuses do not have power to them in the fuse panel. engine still cranks but no spark and no fuel
+Marcus Orillius Not all fuses get power or have power at the same time. A wiring diagram will tell you when a fuse should have / get power. If the no start happened after the accident... either wiring got damaged during the accident (focus on the area that was affected) or one of the modules is preventing the engine from starting... that's the best I can guess at this point. Check the crankshaft position sensor for an AC voltage signal / output (2.6vAC when cranking, 1.3DC). Check that the ECM receives & generates an RPM signal that can be seen with a scan tool... if yes, then you should have spark, as long as the ECM is awake.
I have 1995 golf 2.0 with a no start no spark. I have power and and ground to ignition coil and the center control wire flashes showing ground for the pulse to be released from coil. not sure why im not getting spark also have replaced coil twice, as you said it more then likely would be a bad coil. maybe im missing something.
Are you checking at the ignition coil wire for spark or at one of the spark plug wires? Is the distributor turning? What brand are the "other" ignition coils? The coils can be triggered manually (to make sure that they actually produce spark) with a bunch of jumper wires.
Hey, so I did an engine swap on a 98 golf from a 1.8 to a 2.0 Aba, the aba was an automatic and the 1.8 was standard so we used the automatic wiring harness and ecu the car is standard still but it’s an automatic ecu and harness and it’s not getting spark I’m thinking the computer is looking for the car to be put into “park” but since it’s a standard that’s not an option I’m honestly stuck lol. If anyone has any suggestions please help lol 😅
Gear position shouldn't have anything to do with spark.
Hi Thomas,
I'm working on an '94 Golf 2.0 and have a crank/no start issue. I have good spark, and fuel pressure at the regulator but it seems the injectors aren't working. I did a visual on the timing belt, just in case and it looks good. I pulled the injector harness and connected a NOID LIGHT to each connector and have power to the left pin but no pulse when it cranks. I can get the engine started with starting fluid but will die with out it. Can you please help? Thank you
Any recent work on the car that lead up to this no-start?
If the ECM is not "grounding" / controlling the injectors, it could be an internal problem with the "injector driver(s)" (transistor). Make sure that all the ground wires have clean & tight connections (use a wiring diagram to determine how many there are and where they connect). If you have a scan tool, check for fault codes. If your scan tool can activate "output tests"... do so. The ECM will trigger various components one after another... so that you can check if it has "control" over them.
No, No recent work has been done to it. Car has been sitting for a few months and I started troubleshooting it to see if I could get it to run. I will try to find a diagram to check all the grounds and will get back to you with results. Thank you very much for your quick response.
I hit a deer with my 1997 VW Jetta. broke the drivers side headlight and the plastic mount that holds it, smashed the grill, folded the hood slightly, and bent the metal cross member mounting for the hood latch. afterward my jetta would crank but would not start. I checked all wires in the front end around the smashed parts and don't see any obvious damage. I performed your diagnostic and there is no spark no fuel. there is power on both sides of the ignition coil wires but when I connected battery positive to the center wire and cranked the motor, the test light did not come on at all indicating a faulty crankshaft position sensor/engine speed sensor. Also several good fuses have no power to them # 1,2,7,8,10,11,12,18. Does the crankshaft sensor effect all of those fuses as well?
There's a possibility that the air bag module (if it has airbags) is preventing the car from starting... have you scanned for fault codes? ECM, Airbag Module?
On 2002 Jetta 2.0 Battery gets 12 volts. Crank sensor from the ecu is getting ground and on the connectors is getting 2.5 volts dc
Crank sensor produces its own AC voltage... what is it when cranking?
It is a 3 wire crank sensor, getting 2.5 volts dc when cranking
Yeah... the 3rd wire is a ground. Attach the multimeter across the 2 signal wires (set the meter to AC volt scale)... should have 2.6 to 2.9 V AC when cranking... anything less can be a no start.
A video he watched said to change to DC voltage that's why he checked it that way. I'll respond once he checks it with AC voltage. Thanks for your help.
On the crank sensor I Get 2.51 ac volts when not cranking just key on . while cranking get 2.56 ac volts on the 2 non ground pins.
Thomas, I have a 97 Volkswagon Cabrio 2.0, no spark, have voltage and ground at the three wire plug at the coil but no ground pulse at the center wire when cranking. Changed crank sensor, still no ground at center wire, changed ECM, still no ground pulse at the center wire, any suggestions.
+1340RAD Your test light is attached to battery + yes?
Hey Thomas it's me again. I need more advice. So I have tested the Ignition coil and its all good I have a brand new ECU, I have new Crankshaft postion Sensor, The timing has been done by myself. I have checked all grounds to the block and checked the wires going to the Ignition coil I am still not getting the flashing light while cranking on the middle wire of the coil. I have no clue what is going on with it. I have heard maybe that it could be a problem with the alarm system? but I'm not sure it just cranks and cranks and cranks but no spark whatsoever. Any other suggestions?
Thomas Monroe The alarm only cuts cranking... so if it cranks, it should not be an alarm issue. I'm at work.. I'll send you some ecm / crank sensor / coil testing info once I get home tonight.
Ok thanks
Dude. I have changed everything in my 98 Golf and still not start. It cranks but no start. I have replaced: Knock sensor, RPM engine sensor, Ignition Coil, verified the hall sensor and it works, Spark plug cables, checked fuses and relays, it has fuel and still nothing! the coil is not getting power from the ECU. What else can I check? Great video!
2.0L? Remove the coil harness plug (3 wire), key ON, check for power and ground on the outer 2 wire. Yes? No? Most of the time it is a bad coil. I recently installed a NEW coil that was no good. Remove your coil and check it like this:
VW A3: Ignition Coil & Power Output Stage Quick Check (helping a viewer)
Does it work?
Do you have a relay in relay slot #3?
***** There's no power coming to the Coil and the injectors aren't flickering, just puking gas into the chamber. I currently have 3 Coils I have used to test the Coil hypothesis. I'm not sure If it made any sense; I originally did not have a 109 on slot #3 but bought one thinking maybe someone broke into my car and stole it.
Yes, it's 2ltr engine 4 cyl.
Another question. I timed the engine about 20 times myself and triple checked the marks to make sure it was done properly. Could that be the culprit? I've been told it will run like crap but it will run, Im not sure but everything is on TDC.
Thanks a lot! Your videos have helped me a lot!
Juan C. Villegas "If" your injectors are not flickering, but fuel is getting into the cylinders, then your injector driver (in the ECM) might be fried and keeping the injectors open. I would not fully suggest that yet, as I don't know what you are using to check for a flicker / injector control.
Also, it is normal for the spark plugs to get wet when there is no spark.
If you do not have battery power on one of the outer wires (on the 3 wire coil harness plug), then you need to trace that circuit. A faulty ignition switch can cause this... but the usual failure is loss of power during cranking.
If the oil light & alt light come on in the dash, then the ignition #15 circuit "should be OK" (at least from the ignition switch to the dash).
When was the last time she ran? What caused you to check the timing / belt timing?
If she ran before any of the work you did, then it is something that is not set correctly.
Not all mk3's had a #3 (109) relay. If you can access the ECM with a scan tool with the relay removed, then your vehicle does not need the 109 relay.
***** We used a test light on injector #4. We used a VAg com and all sensors tested fine (Go figure almost all of them are new). All dashboard lights come on normally on switching the power on, including the CEL. BTY the switch is ALSO new (Beck Arnley). She ran two years ago until the crappy timing belt damper (old design) broke and messed up two valves. Redid the cam and timed it to no avail. If the cranks shaft is off some will it not generate a spark? The technician that used the VAG com and tested everything else said that the ECU wasn't getting power, yet all fuses were fine; he even used a new battery for this diagnostic. Bummer!
Juan C. Villegas When pulling a head for valve replacement, nothing major should have been disconnected... meaning that it is a straight forward job = should run afterwards. If you truly are not getting spark, continue to check for a reason. Like you said earlier, if ignition timing were anywhere near close to where it should be, the engine should at least do something. The crankshaft position sensor is the main input, you will not have spark or injector pulse if that sensor is bad (no rpm signal when viewed with vag-com as well). There are too many variables for me to try and help diagnose this via a keyboard. I tied to help someone for 3 months in a forum and it ended up being a bad coil (not saying that's what it is in your case, just saying I don't want to waste your time). If you have time, take pictures of all the #1 TDC marks as you have them aligned and send me the pictures fkh161 at fkh161 dot ca Just so I can verify that they are ok. You are sure that the ignition coil harness plug does NOT have power on one of the 3 pins when the key is ON or Cranking. Yes? Focus on that!
in your video you say that the middle wire to the coil is also a ground..
Does this mean if I ground the middle wire the car may start????
+Ramon Esquibel No... the middle wire "at the coil connector" is pulse grounded by the ECM. check your coil like this: th-cam.com/video/skyF3tFvD0I/w-d-xo.html
Hey Thomas
I have an 2002 vw cabrio 2.0, and I don't have the ( + ) pulses from computer to ignition coil, black/red center wire. New crankshaft sensor, new ignition coil and module, good signal to the coil, ground and 12v, the timing marks good, installed new computer and still same no spark, does the inmobilizer can cancel just the spark?
Miguel Lopez When you are cranking the engine, does the battery light in the dash go out right away? Watch this:
th-cam.com/video/fWYhYx8bMWg/w-d-xo.html
I believe that on those, the alarm module prevents cranking ( would have the check to confirm).
no all the lights are on when cranking.
same issue and have changed the same pieces except for the computer, lights are on while cranking any ideas?
hey bro did a little more investigating on my vw.. I found that fuse 18 is getting power but its only getting power when the key is to the accessories position when I crank the car power to the fuse and fuel pump stop.. also when the key is turned to accessories I can clearly hear the fuel pump for about 30 sec then it and fuse 18 stop getting power.. seems that fuel pump relay stops giving fuse 18 power is this normal
+Ramon Esquibel The "prime function" is normal (when cycling the key)... 30 seconds is way long, usually only lasts a couple of seconds. When you are "cranking" do the oil light & battery light go out "while you are cranking"?
hey u got any videos on why my car keeps eating up my alternator I went threw 3 of them on my 97 golf
No, sorry. Make sure that there is not an excessive draw on the alternator that would put too much stress on it. A bad battery can cause low charging voltage and make it seem like the alternator is not putting out.
so if the speed control sensor is bad, my rpm tack shouldn't move, I have put a new fule pressure regulatory in also
If your crankshaft position sensor (engine speed sensor) is bad, then yes, the RPM gauge / needle will not wiggle when you crank the engine... or a scan tool (that can view engine sensor data) will not show a change in RPM.
Hey Thomas! Great job on the videos, you have helped me many times, and I'm hoping you can do it again. I'm working on an '02 Cabrio 2.0 and have a crank/no start issue. I have good spark, and fuel pressure at the regulator but it seems the injectors aren't working. I did a visual on the timing belt, just in case and it looks good. I pulled the injector
harness and connected a noid light to each connector and have power to the left pin but no pulse when it cranks. could this be the Hall effect sensor, or is the ECM cooked?
Thanks >Tim
Hall sensor / distributor signal is not needed for the engine to run... you can disconnect the hall sensor and the engine should still start or continue to run when disconnected on a running engine.
If you have spark, then you should have injector pulse.
Any recent work on the vehicle? Can you communicate with the ECM via a scan tool? View live engine data or codes?
Look for a broken wire on the control side of the injector wiring. If that is ok, check the ECM board for corrosion or cold solder joints.
Confirm that the engine will actually run when an alternate fuel source is added to the intake.... if the engine does not try to run, then there is possibly more than one thing going on.
@@EXOVCDS yes, I replaced the Crank sensor to address a stalling issue, then after a few days the fuel pump quit. Fuel pump issue was accompanied by several codes related to fuel delivery as well as low inputs on all four injectors and SAI errors (no pump). I can still pull codes but have yet to try alternative fuel delivery, or looked for broken wires. Thanks for the direction, I will get back on it tomorrow after work. >T
Sorry... my bad, for some reason I was thinking batch fire injection / single ECM ground. Ignore that part of my last post.
Check the main round wiring harness plug at the side of the cylinder head (behind the distributor)... separate it an check for corrosion.
A bad fuel pump relay will set 7+ codes that deal with "short to ground" (ECM controls all the ground circuits, when it does not see a voltage on those control wires, it sets short to ground fault codes). Try a different fuel pump relay, even though you seem to have power on the injector power feed.
hey..i have a 01 2.0 cabrio.Im having the same problem as Sejus but i replace my crank sensor and still nothin.also Im getting power to the ecu and replaced it.checked my fuses,relay 3 dont have one.im out of ideas.the 2 outer ones have power and ground,middle im getting nothing.Is the crank sensor the same as a speed sensor that you mention in the last minute
Crank sensor & engine speed sensor are the same thing. Any fault codes stored in the ECM? When cranking, does the tach move? If no tach, does the ECM show rpm when viewing datastream with a scan tool?
code 17978 engine start block by immobilizer.im going to have to get a scan tool because im pretty sure vagcom doent do data stream unless car starts.
osox713 Vag-com will show data with key on / cranking. You will have to crank several seconds so Vag-com has time to connect during cranking.
i just got a 1994 golf , was running and started fine when i bought it from the guy, brought my new baby home parked her for the night and woke up to go start her and she didnt start, just cranks away , i got her to idle for a bit then she would die, when i bought her the guy said all she needed was a new MAF because she would idle shitty and didnt have to much power when i tested drove her =(
i replaced, fuel pump , fuel filter , and MAF going to get a new fuel pressure reg today , any ideas would be awesome ! thank you for your time and smart mind !
I'm currently at work... will reply again once I get home tonight. The car might be jealous of the new baby. :-) congrats!
Sorry, read that wrong! LOL.
I was calling her my new baby ! I e wanted this car for a few years now so I won't give up on her , haha n I bought her cause I did just have a baby boy 3 weeks old thank you , needed a 4 door or I would of gotten a gti :) thanks for your time :)
Lol
Ryan Nelson Have you checked for fault codes? Either a 2 x 2 connector or a 16 pin OBD connector around the ash tray. Unscrew the main wiring harness plug at the side of the cylinder head (above the distributor)... check for corrosion of the pins.
Have a 2002 VW Jetta , it cranks no start and no spark. We have put in new ignition switch, new coil, new plugs and wires and crank sensor. Still not working.. There is a light that comes on says cpa on dash. Codes received are p0725, p1780, p1850. We don't knot if we should replace the ecm next or what to do next. Any suggestions?? Thank you.
CPA light on dash?
Epc light is also coming on. The car does not have a distributor and my husband has checked voltage car cranks but no start and no spark.
OK I got a crank no start no spark.. It's a 95 vw golf 3, 2.0 I'm not getting a flashing light from the middle pong on the ignition coil.. crank sensor is new, ignition coil, ignition switch, spark plugs, plug wires, battery, changed Ecu out twice and still nothing.. no spark.. I'm also not getting a reading from the obd port ( failure to communicate) is what my scanner is saying.. "I'm thinking bad Ecu wire harness?? Any suggestions??
+Ramon Esquibel When was the last time it ran? What lead up to the no start? No communication could be due to scanner unless you have used that scanner before with no issues. If you have a relay in relay slot #3 (marked 109), you probably have a bad relay.
Hi, do you have a video explaining how to do this with an MK4. I have a no spark situation. Thank you,
Is the check engine light ON when the key is in the ON position? If no... then the ECM is not awake. If yes, then it could be a problem with the crankshaft position sensor. Year, make, model, engine? The more info I have, the better I can guess. Fault codes?
@@EXOVCDS The car has been sitting for over 8 months; had all the gear lights on and car had issues shifting so I parked it. And no, I do not see an engine light. Thanks, for the quick response. Thank you,
@@EXOVCDS The battery was disconnected the whole time.
@@EXOVCDS It's a 1999.5 MK4.
@@EXOVCDS 2.0L
Hi I have a 1998 volkswagen golf 2.0 l and it will crank all day but won't start and when it's cranking it will make a popping noise. I have changed the spark plugs and cap and rotor and I got a new ignition coil I haven't replaced the wires yet but I have spark but I just don't k ow what else to do. Any suggestions? Please help
Lucky OTD You need to check you camshaft / crankshaft / belt timing. When you crank the engine, is the distributor turning? Your timing belt could have jumped a few teeth or is missing teeth, which cause the timing to be out. If the timing belt is OK and your TDC marks are all lined-up, check for strong spark at the spark plug end of the wire and also check for good fuel flow & pressure.
hi I got it running but it drives rough and it has two codes a po341 and a p1316 when I hook my scanner to it. it shows it at 1500 rpms when its not even running should I change my cps ?
+alex murphy Can you post a video of it running? P0341 could be because of a faulty hall sensor in the distributor... in which case the engine should still run smooth, or it could be because the distributor timing is wrong. I don't know what p1316 is. Set the engine to #1 TDC and post a video so I can see all the marks. Crank pulley mark, flywheel mark, distributor rotor position and camshaft sprocket position. If you can't do video, send me links to pictures via private message.
I think this video hits my problem pretty good
The flashing "control" signal might not be easy to detect / recognize (might look like a steady ON to some). A new coil can be bad or go bad soon after purchase, so don't rule-out a faulty coil. Ignition coil can be bench tested: th-cam.com/video/skyF3tFvD0I/w-d-xo.html
Last few seconds of video would be little more helpful if a little more trouble shooting is possible .. brand knew parts are not always good I agree and if I have no spark BLINKING i re ground coil have a knew distributor and crank sensor any ideas ..is it still possible to get spark from coil wire if not pulsing or blink once plugged in
Not sure I understand your last sentence / question.
the answer is no...
Haven't been able to get the car started. I am not getting power to the 4 pin connector to the ignition coil. Can it be bad wiring somewhere or can this be the computer? Thanks,
Ignition coil connector is a 3 wire connector.
Year, make, model, engine?
@@EXOVCDS 1999.5 VW Golf, Automatic with the 2.0L AEG.
Does the starter turn the engine? Is the check engine light ON when the key is ON?
@@EXOVCDS The engine does turn over. Engine light is not on: but I get a "P1857 Load Signal: Error Message from ECU" code.
Key ON check engine light should be on = ECM is awake. If you can communicate with the ECM, then the ECM is awake. Your ignition coil does have 4 wires (I thought your coil had 3 because you posted under an A3/mk3 video), sorry.
Ignition coil power wire gets power from fuse 29. Is the fuse OK?
Hey Thomas. Ive been having problems with my 97 jetta 2.0. Its obd1. Im getting no power under load, but full power after 4000 rpm. check engine light comes on under load and If i let off the throttle, the check engine light goes off, and lets me get into it some more. Its been consuming far too much fuel. 250-300 km to a tank where it use to get 600km to a tank.Its been parked for 6 years. Ive run 2 tanks full of premium with seafoam. Ive changed plugs, wires, cap,rotor, ign coil, fuel filter, and cleaned maf. Ive tested fuel pressure, timing marks, tested vacuum for plugged exhaust and everything checks out.It also back fires coasting down a hill in first gear. I throw codes on vag 65535, 00524, and 00515. can you please help me. Thanks
I'll get back to you after I finish work tonight... West Coast Pacific time 6pm
Check your inbox... message with links sent.
Hey Thomas, I have a 1997 Jetta, 2.0 motor, it is having a starting problem. I replaced the coil, ignition switch and then crankshaft position sensor and still nothing. On the plug to the bottom of the coil I tested it for power by checking the 2 outside wire for power found they had power and then with the middle one, I cranked the car but it had no flashing light. also the #3 wire (thick black one) on the same plug is melting and I am not sure. I bought the car it didn't run, then I got it started once and then ran just fine but not sure why its not starting now. If you have any suggestions on what else to check that would be awesome. Thanks.
On a side note I cant get the car to turn over without the coil plug plugged in unless I connect a jump from the negative of the battery to the block somewhere.
The lack of "ground" (you having to attach a ground from battery negative to the engine) could be why you have a no start... it could very well be that due to the bad ground (the original negative battery cable / connection at the battery or at the transmission / engine) blew the ECM.
I have seen many mk2 vehicles that had fried ECM's because someone forgot to connect the battery negative cable at the transmission after a clutch replacement.
The starter tried to turn and found a path to ground through the little ECM wirez that are connected at the engine... the high current fries the ECM.
I would suggest finding a wiring diagram for your engine and then checking the wires at your ECM according to the diagram.
If all checks out (mainly power & ground wires) then I would suspect a faulty ECM.
Have you got a scan tool? Any codes stored?
***** Thank you for all the info. We are going to pull some codes and Ill get it figured it out from there. Your videos are super informational and if I have any more questions I will be sure to ask you! Thanks again for the help! I will keep you updated on my status of the no start problem!
***** one more question I have is, Is there anyway to pull codes without a scanner. Im looking at buying a scanner but if there is way to pull codes without one that would be better. The OBD 2 plug is in the car by the ash tray. Let me know. Thanks!
Thomas Monroe On older models one was able to retrieve "blink" codes... not sure if it possible on yours.
faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/Campingart/jettatech/vagblink.pdf *** Use at own risk *** If you have an aftermarket radio, "playing" with the OBD Plug can cause issues. www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/aftermarket-radio.html
***** Hey again Thomas.So I removed the ECM and was putting a test light to test the connections when I got to the 23rd pin which is the Power Supply Relay,when I ground the battery to the motor put the test light to it, its dims and flashes bright. Then when I have it only grounded to the frame it comes on bright then instantly goes dim. Is it suppose to do that or is there a bad connection somewhere? Thank you in advance.
When I connected the scanner also it is throwing no codes, I cleared them by disconnecting the battery, trying to get them to reset the codes but its still not sending any codes. could that also mean a bad ECM?
Sorry for all the questions just not sure what the problem is at this point and wanna make sure I cover everything.
Hey maybe you can help me, while my dad was driving my golf mk3,he noticed something making a beeping noises and like the oil thing poped up on the dash board,well when we inspected the car, the breather hose was torn up and there was small oil everywhere, well then i checked and got a single code P0341,and the car wont start, it cranks, just no start, If i replace the sensor and hose will it start.Thanks
2 liter engine or 1.8L engine?
***** 2 litr
Ivan Soto The 2.0L does not need a distributor signal to run... it uses the crankshaft position sensor as its main input. However, you need to make sure that the distributor rotor is actually turning. Remove the distributor cap and have someone crank the engine. If the rotor does not turn, your timing belt is broken. Here are some quick checks: VW A3: No Spark Quick Check...
Ivan Soto LOL... I replied via Google+ and didn't notice that our posts are under the video I just linked. Sorry about that. So, have you done the checks in this video? Do you have spark, Injector Pulse, is the coi being triggered?
hmmm i think i should make a video then show you because im not too car savvy so i dont really know where or what is the distributer cap. And i hope the belt is not broke, becasuse i know that that will be expensive to replace. Thanks and ill be back with you.
How do check that and is there a relay that could be out
+M Thomas Does your car have a relay is slot #3?
static.cargurus.com/images/site/2013/05/08/11/49/pic-568440149806152368-1600x1200.jpeg
Some cars have a relay some don't.
If you have a relay with 109 on it, then the relay might be bad.
If you don't have a relay in slot #3, then you have to check a wiring diagram for power & ground locations.
Hello I have a 98 Volkswagen Jetta and I'm getting nothing from the middle electrode that connects to the coil pack how should I troubleshoot the computer?
You have to use an LED test light to check for coil control.
Attach the test light to battery positive and then attach the tip of the test light to the center pin of the connector. When cranking, the LED light should flicker (it's faint / hard to see). You can also check if your tachometer is moving off of 0 when cranking or use a scan tool to check for an RPM signal. If you have an RPM signal, then the crank sensor is OK.
Thanks so much!!
Hi.... ok so im fixing my grandmothers 2000 cabrio with the 2.0l engine one problem... no spark coming from coil... checked the 3 pins that connect to the coil... the 2 outter ones have power and ground... just the center one which should be the signal one that the ECM grounds isnt getting the on and off signal when cranking the the engine and testing it with the test light to power(12v) so i reached the conclusion that it could be the CKP or the hall effect on the distributor......one thing... how could i pinpoint which one of the 2 it is... or can it be many more culprits like the ECM, Knock Sensor, A Relay or fuse...... I'd really appreciate the help thanks
Hall sensor in the distributor is not needed for the engine to start/run. Most likely the crankshaft position sensor is no good. Does the check engine light come on when you turn the key On? If no, then the ECM is not powered up. Some cars had a #3 relay (marked 109) that can cause no ECM operation. If your car does not have a relay in spot #3, then don't worry about the relay.
***** ok when you say #3 relay is it from left to right on top of the fuses under the steering wheel? because my check engine light is not on.... so you are telling me that the ECM is not powering up... because of this relay?
Yes, possibly... #3 is the 3rd relay from the left, in the second row of relays above the fuses. I'm about to finish lunch and go back to work. Will be able to help more after work tonight. If you have a scan tool, check if you can communicate with the ECM.
***** thanks appreciate the help ill be on later to ask for help haha
there is no relay on #3......
Hey man is the triger wire is supposed the be grounded with key on or not?
Listen to:
2:40 to 3:27.
It does flash when cranking but when i put the key on it stays grounded is it normal?
And i get battery voltage and ground to the outer pin of the connecter so i know its good
If it flashes when cranking, that's all that matters. Depending on where / how the engine stops, I guess it could either stay on or off.
Have you checked timing belt condition? Have you verified cam & crank TDC alignment? What is the actuall issue you are having? When did the issue start?
Was the engine running and it died? Or it just doesn't start all of a sudden? Year, make, model, which engine? Have you checked for spark? How? Different coil? The more info I have, the better I can help.
Ok so i bought the car it was cranking but no start so i then started diagnostic i saw th engine speed sensor is new timing belt is relatively new the okd one was in the trunk coil and distributor are original. Original diagnostic was no triger signal from ecu so i bought a new ecu and now when i plug the led between middle wire and power wire the light is constantly on no matter how much i crank the engine but i did start to flash after i replaced ecu so thats great but still no spark so now im testing the coil. Omh test looked fine but with key on i put voltmeter at end of coil wire from coil to distributor and i get battery voltage there
What if the lights were not blinking from the outer ones? Just the one on the right? The car will not crank
+Jose Salazar If it will not crank (starter turns engine)... look for a starter / cranking problem. The light can't flicker if the engine is not turning / cranking from starter activation.
Another mk3 here with no spark from coil
Any ideas?
ive done or checked this
fuse and fuel pump relay good tes light on when cranking
coil is sealed and dry
ignition control plug outers in test light in b+ turn on
middle one wont fliker when cranking
cps reads 932ohms in 2-3 terminals but nothing on 1-2 or 1-3 terminals (this is not clear to me)
No relay on #3 position
Alarm is ok
cleaned ignition and hall sensor no signs of moisture plug is ok
fuel pump is working and fuel pump relay closes when cranking
Still no start and no coil spark
Im missing something?
+Johnny Gonzalez Just finishing work... will get back to you once I am at home.
What kind of voltage is the crank sensor putting out when cranking? should be about 2vac if it's good.
+Thomas EXOVCDS ill check that and let you know,h0w can i test the cps? im really worried because im searching the web and every person with an mk3 having the same issue after spending maybe Hundreds the car never start!
+Johnny Gonzalez 2 of the 3 wires are signal wires... the third is a shield (grounded). Attach your meter to battery negative and back probe the sensor wires one at a time.
On a 20vdc scale, you will see 1/2 of the ac signal. To see the full ac signal... you need to attach both your meter leads to the two signal wires and have your meter set to ac.
A 2.6Vac signal will show up as 1.3vdc
Anything less than 2Vac when cranking (IIRC) will result in a no start / spark.
+Thomas EXOVCDS i will test,i let you know,thanks!
Ok so I have a 97 Jetta 2.0. Cranks, has spark, and have fuel pressure. I had it running and driving for few weeks after I bought it, then one day I was going for a quick spin around the block 1/4mile. Randomly died And hasn't restarted. Right before it died I was accelerating hard and as soon as I let off gas the motor turned off. I had it restarted one time after I tried every possible thing. I finally decided to drop the catalytic converter cause maybe it was clogged and it started few tries later. BUT IT WASN'T A CLOGGED CAT because I went to drive it around the block again and car died literally in same spot. Could it be a Bermuda Triangle issue or is that only with planes. JK. But now the car won't start.cranks and It has spark, fuel pressure, new plugs and wires. One thing I noticed was when I hooked up a disconnected spark plug to a connected spark plug wire the spark didn't seem strong or maybe injectors weren't firing. What does the www(WholeWideWorld).think?
+Cody Runyon Some of these vehicles have an ECM power supply relay... relay spot #3 (second row of relays above the fuses, third one from the left). The relay usually has a 109 on the face of it. If you have such a relay, it can cause the engine to stall or not start when it acts-up. The next time it does NOT start, turn the key ON and check if the check engine light is ON... if it is NOT on, then the ECM is not awake and it could be due to the relay. The most common cause of no starts with these mk3 VW's: Ignition coil, crankshaft position sensor, 109 relay, fuel pump. Not in that order. If you have spark, then you should have injector pulse... if the spark is weak... probably a coil issue or high resistance in the spark plug / coil wire. If you don't have spark... crank sensor (maybe). If you have spark & injector pulse... bad fuel pump or timing belt.
Thomas EXOVCDS thank you for the knowledge. It's obvious you know what your talking about with vw. Also when key is in on position the pump doesn't prime. But if I crank it for a second or less I can hear the pump and there was pressure when I used a pressure Guage but it was from harbor freight and didn't last and I don't trust its accuracy. But when I unhooked the return line off the rail it def seemed like pressure was good. I tried jumping the fuel relay #12 I think and turned key two seconds after and didn't start but pump worked. I did the ignition switch test you mentioned in a diff video and all the lights stayed in when cranking. Now will that work or have you encountered a car with a bad ignition switch but lights stayed on? I will try the other test you mentioned in next few hours and get back. Again thank you.
Ohhh I follow you now. It HAS to be one or more of those issues you stated in order to get it to at least turn over. Well I just cleaned up all the grounds under the battery mount. So I check to see if cel was on and yes it is. I still don't hear the pump prime unless I jump the relay. But even when it did run I'm positive I never heard it prime cause I bought the car as a non runner and that was the second thing I check after plugs. It ended up being the coil ground when I first bought the car and ran great for few weeks. Then it didn't. So when I dropped the cat I forgot to mention I replace the dis. cap too and booming ran until it didn't 1/4mile later. I'm beginning to think it is spark related. Would it still run with a faulty coil. I have three used coils. I tried them all. I noticed when the previous owner had a new thermostat in vehicle along with new plugs. The old plugs had grease caked on them. But like I said it ran good no temp issues.
+Cody Runyon Fuel pump prime is irrelevant as long as the pump runs when cranking. Check the ignition coil by manually triggering it with jumper wires. Once you know that the coil is good, then you can continue with checking the rest of the system (control of coil).
+Thomas EXOVCDS ok I got good spark now and I think I narrowed it down to injectors. I don't think they are firing. I pulled the intake manifold two weeks ago and clean the injectors up and to test them with a ohm meter 15.8-16ohm and did a voltage test and they all made that clicking sound like when testing a relay. What would you do next?
yes the car has airbags but I have not had it scanned. I dont have a scanner and can t drive it any where to have it scanned. is thre any other way to dianose without scanning, otherwise I will have to tow it several miles.
from the damage description, I can't think of anything "engine wise" (wiring or sensors) that would cause a no-start after the accident... aside from airbag module being the cause. I could be wrong about that though. Let me see if I can find some info about the airbag module & crash strategies. In the mean time, look for someone with vag-com / vcds in your area... via this link:
www.maptive.com/ver3/VCDS_Locator
my 1997 vw jetta 2.0 manual just stopped working while turning down the road. cranked after charging the battery then never turned on. any idea
Starter is turning the engine when cranking? Does the battery light & oil light stay ON while cranking? Does the distributor rotor turn when cranking? Do you have spark? Do you have fuel / flow / injector pulse? Could be a number of things.
not all the way sure. this girl is selling it cheap because she cant figure out whats wrong. the fuel pump,starter,relay, have all been changed. they say the the starter engages but no start. they tried a push start no start
If the engine is turning and the timing belt is OK, crank shaft position sensor, ignition coil or fuel pump. Those would be my initial suspects.
valuable information. signed up to your forum
hmug tv Thank you!
Okay thank you I'll let you know and thank you for the help
Let me tell you what all started with this had a water leak it overheated filled it back up and got it home replaced the radiator then found the water pump went to crap replaced that then wouldn't start replaced all the ignition stuff no check engine light and timing belt is spinning haven't checked the altnator
+M Thomas No check engine light with key on? Then the computer is not turning on.
In need of some help i got a 95 VW cabrio that's not giving me no spark is changed the ignition switch and coil I put in a brand new cam/crank sensor brand new distributor and starter and still nothing somebody help me please
Not sure why you changed the starter for a "no spark" condition.
Also not sure how you are checking for spark (so i can't tell you if you are doing it correctly) .
Have you verified that the cam, crank & distributor are "in time"?
When you turn the key to ON, which lights in the dash come on?
With the key in the crank position, which lights are ON?
With a scan tool connected to the vehicle, do you have communication? Any fault codes? Post a video on your channel so that I can see & hear what is happening when you are trying to start the engine.
hey I got spark and fuel but it still wont crank could it be my cps sensor ?
+alex murphy There's a difference between cranking (starter is operating) and not cranking (no starter operation). If it is not cranking, how are you getting spark? What year / model & engine size?
+Thomas EXOVCDS its a 98 Wolfsburg jetta 2.0 aba 5 speed
+alex murphy So is the engine cranking / turning but not starting or is the engine not cranking / not turning? If it does not crank, have you tried roll starting it?
+Thomas EXOVCDS I check out your other a3 jetta vid I think its my ignition the light die every time I turn the key and yes it cranks bUt no start
+alex murphy Yeah, sounds like ignition switch. Leave the key ON, transmission in neutral and activate the starter with a jumper wire... engine should start. or apply pressure (left, right, up, down) to the key while cranking.
I need some help again i got the car back running again park it iver night came out this morning nothing, i hook the test like uo to the coil and it lights up on blk but nothing on the center or the orange wire and it was just running fine yesterday plz help
To check the signal at the coil center wire, it is best to use an LED test light (attached to the positive post of the battery) to see the flickering. I still don't know if you TDC marks are ok. I have seen engines that had missing timing belt teeth, that caused the engine to behave weird (timing would change as the crank gear would sometimes slip when the stripped teeth go past). I have not seen a video of the engine cranking. Would be nice to see your test light testing, so I can see if it is done correctly. A bad ignition switch can cause no starts. Leave the key in the ON position. Make sure that the battery light & check engine light in the dash are on. Transmission in park or neutral. Jump the starter with a cable directly from the battery. If the engine starts like that, but not with the key... then the ignition switch is bad.
@@EXOVCDS I pulled the plug off the coil itself it lights up on the black but that's it and the car cranks using the key should I still try to start off the starter ??
I'm gonna make a video
@graysonwachter1643 yes, try to start with starter... leave key in on position. Coil plugged in.
@@EXOVCDS th-cam.com/video/rrV2GtxqiaQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=VaPq1bH9LGB4KI9R
Have a 97 2.0 gti wouldn't fire up so replaced cap,rotor,coil,and wires and still can't get it to fire up
Is the timing belt turning? Is the ignition rotor turning? Could be a bad crankshaft position sensor. Is the check engine light ON when you turn the key to ON?
yes it started.. why would it be running so long
+Ramon Esquibel Not sure... relay sticking, or some kind of electrical gremlin. As long as the pump "shuts off" when you turn the key OFF... it should be ok for now (but should be investigated further in the future).
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you for watching!
thank you Thomas, I will check the link, please get back to me
Didn't find any specific crash strategies / info... you can try disconnecting the module to see if is the cause of the no start. it is located below the heater box by the firewall:
forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4068545-Cant-find-the-airbag-control-module
all lights turn off and the pump it stays on for longer maybe 60sec
+Ramon Esquibel Watch this video: th-cam.com/video/fWYhYx8bMWg/w-d-xo.html and try the "jumper wire" method. What happens?
should I be concerned about it priming so long
+Ramon Esquibel Yes, should not run for that long.
#1: 196, #2: 189, #3 181, #4 180
wheres the fuel filter
\2.0 golf
Under the car by the gas tank... right hand side.
Sorry meant epc light on dash.
I'm currently at work... will get back to you later today / tonight.
Thank you
+Renee Pedersen Can your scan tool view ECM live data? If yes, does it show rpm when you are cranking? Does the tach needle move off of 0 when you crank?
Only have a standard ODB II space scanner. When cranking the engine the tach stays at 0
+Renee Pedersen it should wiggle a bit... if not, the new crank sensor might be bad.
Thank you!!
Thank you for watching!