Please help!

[stevieb]

Car now been off the road since last summer - every time I get the thing back within minutes it gets returned to the garage with the same problem!

I know the mechanic has put in a lot of work several new carbs tried with a whole new air filtration system installed and maunual choke added.
And this time when I gave it a test run it took off like a rocket but then alas it broke - AGAIN!

So the problem is that it judders and cuts out. Takes several minutes to restart before dying again a couple of hundred yards along the road.
Like I said - the carb has been replaced with new air filtration system and all new filters. Fuel tank only recently replaced. Fuel lines completely traced and no rust to be found. It's driving me and the poor mechanic crazy.

So please I'm begging can someone help me?

(sorry about lack of commas but that's another thing which refuses to work!)

[ianaudia4]

Where are you mate?

[stevieb]

Hey buddy.
I'm in Glasgow.

[filmidget]

You have ruled out electrical problems I assume? ie Failing coil/ignition amp/hall sender?

[stevieb]

It's been in the hands of the mechanic since I'm absolutely no use with these things but I would presume he has ruled out all the obvious sources.

[Nate]

are you in aa/rac? next time you take it out and it dies, call them to get a fresh pair of eyes looking at it?

[MikeH]

If he's replaced the carb with more than one good one, and you've still got the problem, then it's almost certainly NOT the carb.

If you want more specific help, you really need to give more info. Can you try to find out from the mechanic what he's tried so far - for example:
- changed the distributor / coil / ignition amp (TCI Unit)
- checked the timing
- checked the mixture
- checked the fuel pump

[stevieb]

Thanks Mike, I will try to find out as much as possible and then post.

Stevie

[hyperdrinky]

I would also check the lobe that the fuel pump is activated off. The fuel pump is pressed by a cam in the engine. If this is worn then there will not be enough fuel going through the system and the car will stall.

Easiest way to test on these cars is temporarily fit an electric pump. There is a return feed on the Scirocco so you can leave it running all the time if you need to and not worry about over-fuelling the carb.

I also agree with Mike. Check the Distributor. I have gone through two of these as the aftermarket ones don't seem to be up to the job and Volkswagen have stopped selling them. Take off the distributor cap and check the play in the distributor shaft, and that the arm itself does not spin. I had the same thing previously where the arm had worn and was striking the points with more force than wanted. As a result the plastic lug stopping the arm from spinning partially snapped. The car would run fine when just pootling around but would then just die whenever I accelerated away, usually down dual-carriageway slip roads.

James