Power loss, questionable mechanics.. WTF?

[amalventano@sc.rr.com (Allyn)]

note: low pressure at fuel distributor may have been caused by stuck open
injector.
first, get some $ back from that shop or tell them to fix it right. it should at
least run better than it did when you brought it to the shop, especially after
$500. at least its firing on all cylinders now.
second, get someone else to check compression.
hth
Al

----- Original Message -----
From: "ian Butler" <ian@bluemoon.hplx.net>
To: <scirocco-l@scirocco.org>
Sent: Monday, December 09, 2002 11:47 AM
Subject: Power loss, questionable mechanics.. WTF?


>
> Usually I don't post asking what the heck is wrong with my car.  But since
> it's been at a mechanic for a week and a half, it seems a good option, since
> it has both them and myself stumped.
>
> For a long time (most of 2002) my '88 Scirocco 16v has had an odd jingling
> noise (like keys jingling in a pocket) around certain RPMs.  It gradually
> started losing power, and pinging at speed with a load (like trying to
> accelerate up a hill on the freeway.)
>
> A month or two after that, the muffler failed, and I took the opportunity to
> replace it with a Techtonics system (cat-back), the expensive sort with a
> Borla muffler.  It didn't help my pinging problem, and performance continued
> to suck.  That was my first $500 in the hole.
>
> I took the car into a VW dealer for a tuneup, "major service" they called
> it, for $400.  No obvious effect, so I went about replacing service parts on
> my own that they seemed to have failed to do.  This included air filter
> (K&N), fuel filter, oil change (Mobil 1), plugs/wires/rotor/cap, and
> ignition module (my stupidity -- it was the Hall sender grounding after I'd
> knocked the zippy-tie off its harness, probably there from the when the PO
> replaced the cap.) No obvious effect, other than being out $500
> more.
>
> A couple weeks ago the car wouldn't start at all.  I had it towed to an
> independent mechanic, and they replaced the starter (not necessary, but it
> was on its way out) and cleaned/flushed the fuel system.  There was low
> pressure at the fuel distributor, and an injector was stuck open and
> flooding the engine.  I wasn't sure I bought the stuck injector bit, but the
> guy does know CIS systems.  They also checked compression (135/135/135/50),
> ignition and valve timing, exhaust emissions, all within spec except
> cylinder #4.
>
> So!  I got it back Friday, $505 later, and drove it halfway home before
> returning -- the car wouldn't go faster than 45mph, and required about 3/4
> throttle and judicious clutching to get it to go at all from a standstill.
> Not exactly a solution to my previous low power condition, which was
> 70-80mph top speed!
>
> Any ideas what in the world is wrong with this car?  And, can anyone
> recommend a good metro Detroit-area wrench?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> ian Butler / ian@hplx.net
> '88 Scirocco 16v, '87 Syncro GL
>
>
>
>
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