[parkcityxj]

Today my GTI was acting all weird today. I've had zero problems for about the last 4000 miles or so (my daily) and today she starting acting up. Drove her around all am w/no problems, I stopped in a store and it was a little hard to fire up afterwords and there was a huge loss of power and it would barely stay idling and was making a backfiring like sound when letting off the gas. I stop, turn it off and problem is gone and every thing is back to normal.
I had to make a stop again and the problem reoccurred when I started it back up, I pulled over popped the hood, checked wired connections and for vacuum leaks and couldn't get it to idle normal. So I just drove it about 10 miles while it was acting weird.. I pulled over again, turned it off then on and the problem went away. It's driven fine since those two occurrences..
Any clues or suggestions what to look for next time this happens?

 

[MattyDVR6]

Re: My Wabbit was acting Wacky today..grr (parkcityxj)

sounds like you got a Wacky Wabbit. Is it a Racer?

 

[parkcityxj]

Re: My Wabbit was acting Wacky today..grr (MattyDVR6)

Quote, originally posted by MattyDVR6 »

sounds like you got a Wacky Wabbit. Is it a Racer?

She likes to pretend its a racer

. She daydreams about having a 16V Turbo one day.

 

[WackyWabbitRacer]

Re: My Wabbit was acting Wacky today..grr (parkcityxj)

My guess is that your fuel pump may be at "end of life". How old is the fuel pump?
The backfiring is normally a lean fuel condition which may be caused by vacuum leaks or a fuel pump that is not creating the correct System Pressure of 68 to 78 psi.
I was in SLC during June & early July. We could have fixed it then....

Cheers, WWR.

 

[eurowner]

FV-QR

I lost the hall sender in the GTi 1600 and the backfiring was a bit embarrassing.

 

[parkcityxj]

Comedy that Wacky Wabbit Racer answered to my Wabbit being Wacky. Thanks for the reply, did you get a chance to meet any of the VW guys here?
I had a feeling that it could be the fuel pump, it's a junkyard one w/unknown miles. I guess I'll throw one of my spares in the car in case I break down. Do fuel pumps progressively get worse or just stop on the spot?
I'm not too familiar w/the hall sender or ignition stuff yet. I do know that whomever owner the car before me got rid of the electronic ignition and I'm running points.
Thanks again for the replies!

 

[WackyWabbitRacer]

Re: (parkcityxj)

Quote, originally posted by parkcityxj »

Do fuel pumps progressively get worse or just stop on the spot?

Fuel pump will try to run as long as the both carbon brushes are making good contact. The normal "long life" failure is worn brushes and armature in the fuel pump motor.
Only saw one Mk1 (black primer '83 or '84 GTI) on the 215 loop. It had some decals on it.
Cheers, WWR.