random hard start problem

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

- my guess on the hard start while hot is either bad ground or heat soaked
starter. the scirocco ignition is quite picky, and wont spark without a minimum
specific voltage. you may be sitting right at the threshold, with hot starts
being just enough for it to not fire.
- the lack of spark explains your 'vapor lock' smell, as its just fuel you are
smelling.
- as for the random cut-out, i would check the ignition module (the thing that
drives the coil), or any other possible loose connectors/wires.
Al

----- Original Message -----
From: <FabricSign@aol.com>
To: <scirocco-l@scirocco.org>
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2002 5:22 PM
Subject: random hard start problem


>
> I have a late 84 Wolfsburg (with the small spare tire),
> and am having an intermittent stall and/or hard start
> problem that's drivin' me to distortion...
>
> Symptoms:
>
> Occasionally, after driving a short distance and turning
> the engine off, the car will not restart immediately -- it
> turns over and "tries" to fire up but won't.  However if I sit
> there for 5 minutes and then crank it, it starts right up
> as if nothing was wrong & runs fine.
>
> There is a smell when this happens, it reminds me of
> carburetor "vapor lock smell".
>
> And, *very* infrequently, the engine cuts out while driving,
> also after a short distance (less than a mile) with the same
> result, i.e. I coast to a stop, try to start it, no go, vapor-lock
> smell, then after ~5 minutes of waiting it starts right up with
> no problem.
>
> If anybody can help me diagnose this, I'd be grateful. Other
> than this random problem, the engine runs fine for days at
> a time.  I suspected a bad fuel accumulator at first, but that
> doesn't explain why a 5 minute wait would make it go away?
>
> Leo Miller
> Atlanta GA
> 84 wolfsburg, stock
>
>
>
>
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