Starting a Mk2 VW that hasnt run in 2 years?

I'm going to see a 87 Jetta that hasn't run in two years. Any tips a non-VW person should know to try to get it started? This is a 'ran-when-parked' situation.

Thanks!

Good luck.

Every "ran when parked" VW I've owned has left me upside down financially within six months. Oh, and they're just barely interference engines; it's about a 30% chance you will damage the valves if the timing belt breaks.

2 years in any state is a reliability streak for any V.A.G. product. Why mess things up?

This was a built, running rally car that the present owner bought, ran some more, and then stopped attending events. I guess I'm hoping because it isnt the normal reasons somebody would park a regular car I might have some luck

Or at least that's what his story is. A few miles drive is worth it I think.

I started my 1991 GTI 16V after it had been sitting for almost ten years.Some fresh gas, a good battery and away she went. Then I changed the timing belt, freshened the brakes, changed a couple of hoses and went for a drive.

DeadSkunk wrote: I started my 1991 GTI 16V after it had been sitting for almost ten years.Some fresh gas, a good battery and away she went. Then I changed the timing belt, freshened the brakes, changed a couple of hoses and went for a drive.

How did you go about changing the gas, Siphon? Do anything about the 'octopus'?

Usually pull the hose off the tank with a bucket under it, or the hose off the pump which will give you a little control(but not much). Don't worry about the dizzy at this point unless they have been tinkered with or sat with gas in them for ten+ years they don't really go bad. Problem is that when they have fuel issues people take the dizzy apart and give them a bad rap.

I wouldn't hesitate to start that car right up.

chandlerGTi wrote: I wouldn't hesitate to start that car right up.

Same here. I might throw some fresh gas in the tank. VW reliability didn't go sideways until after 1992.

Stock 8V MK2s are non-interference, 16V are. Hopefully the seller is well versed in the car having competed in it. The 'octopus' is the fuel distributor, don't mess with it until you are certain you will be buying the car. If it won't start you can trace the lines to the individual injectors to see if they are wet. CIS needs like 70 PSI to open them. If there is no fuel at the injectors you can loosen an injector line's banjo bolt at the fuel distributor to see if gas is making it there. If there is no gas at the distributor, check the pumps (one in the tank, one under the car by the passenger rear tire). The intank pump is an inexpensive unit, the main pump is $300.

chrispy wrote: Stock 8V MK2s are non-interference, 16V are...The intank pump is an inexpensive unit, the main pump is $300.

If the car has one of the factory "big cams" or an aftermarket cam of any kind, then that may not be true. My Mk1 GLI 8v was definitely interference and many 8v owners have bent valves at high speed in the past, it does happen. Also, when I bought a main pump for my 16v a month ago I saw that both 8v and 16v Bosch surge pumps are available for about $120 now. It's the housing that's exorbitant.

In reply to BobOfTheFuture:
I siphoned what I could from the tank, put in fresh and didn't worry about what might be in the rest of the system. I did have to cycle the key on and off several times to get it to start. The fuel pump would run for a few seconds but it wouldn't start until I had cycled the pump a half dozen times.

Did you buy it?

To SlickDizzy, fair enough on the interference. One of the housings is NLA (big diameter pump I think).

To DeadSkunk - I thought that's how they all started?

mrwillie wrote: Did you buy it?

Agreed to. I didn't have everything I needed to get it running, but the car sounds healthy. I'll be picking it up with a dolly soon. I'll post more info once its in my driveway.

Skunk, I was in a similar situation. I could hear both pumps (he had one on a switch) working, But it just wasn't quite getting it there. I need to do the siphon thing, bring gas (my can disappeared, probably the only reason I didn't get to drive the thing home) and It'll start. But with how crusty from sitting it is, I'm gonna just tow it and do all that at home.

I'm pretty excited. It's rare I find a rally car that I fit in

I love a car, covered in dust, in a garage. Its like opening a birthday present.

In reply to chrispy:

I've had three A2 GTIs and they were all very good cars.The CIS-E injection is reliable and they'll start easily, maybe not quite as quickly as current electronic injection, but better than most cars of their era.

Oh, I'm not knocking them, I like the boogers. My 87 Golf always took several tries before it started, hot or cold. That was a great car to learn on; I did all of the repairs/mods in my driveway using handtools and a Bentley. Had it come with a good title, It'd likely still be in my driveway.

Good luck, Bob! By the way, the technical forums on Vortex and the Motorsport section are pretty good places for advice and inforamtion. The MK2 section has tons of info but search before asking or you'll get your head torn off. Buy a Bentley manual, if it doesn't come with one, that covers the whole model cycle and you'll be set for repairs.

it's critical to the CIS system that you have no vacuum leaks between the fuel distributor and the manifold. It needs the vacuum to lift the plate in the airbox that controls the fuel flow through the fuel distributor.

Just as an update, the tow home was uneventful, and the car now runs great. I found a huge split on the bottom of the rubber elbow that comes out of the fuel distributor.

Bought a nice NOS one for $25 and she runs VERY well. Got into contact with the original builder, And seems like the car was a bit of a steal.

Thanks fellers.

I would suggest that since the piece right off of the fuel distributor split that you check the one that attaches to the throttle body very carefully. They are probably the same age and IME the throttle body one splits far more easily, although generally with smaller holes which affect how well it runs, as opposed to the fuel distributor end which tends to split with a big hole and prevent running or revving entirely. Also, idle screw o-rings are frequently overlooked vacuum leaks on these cars. Good luck.

Thank you! I'll check the idle screw O-ring. I checked out the throttle body boot, and it seemed pretty healthy, It may be a recent replacement.

Fantastic!

Gonna have to drudge this up...

Prepping for my first event as a Driver at STPR. I want to have a spare headgasket amoung my spares... Issue is this car has an ABA 2.0 block with a 1.8 8v head. Anyone on here familiar with this particular type of frankenstine?

I've found this gasket from TT but i'm suspicious. On top of all that, I've got no clue what timing belt is going to work...

I built that same engine ages ago. Timing belt needs to be Aba. Hg I used a 3a or 9a mls one I think they are the same. Dont use the aba one it leaves a big hole open.

Ok, help me out here. I'm very new to VW. wiki says 9A is a 2.0 16V. I use a different 2.0 16V headgasket with another 2.0 16V (ABA) block to fit a 1.8 8V head? That seems strange.

Edit: Scratch that. Says it right on the TT link: "Head Gasket for '90-'92 2.0 16v, 1.8L 8v head on Audi 80 "3A" or "ABA" block"