Spider not starting, then starting, then not..

[das]

All,

Driving home from work Monday, picking up some good Chinese food for dinner.... Go inside and grab takeout. Back out to the spider and she doesn't start. So, had her towed to my house.

Now, I'm not a mechanic in any way shape or form.....

But I get home and check all the hoses and they are tight. Try to start her a few hours later and she starts up, sputters, then dies. I'll assume that indicates my battery, starter and alternator are all right then.

In doing a search, it would seem the next logical place to check is the fuel pump. Checked fuses and they are all ok. How do I check if my fuel pump is working? I had the in tank pump replaced last fall....other things I can check with my limited abilities before I take her in for a checkup?

thanks,

[DaveC]

I'm sending two sites for a VW L-jet manual. The first manual has a trouble shooting flow chart (non lambda).The other site has testing for components. Both are very useful. I had to download the individual pages to print properly. L-jetronic without Lambda
L-Jetronic with Lambda

I know its for a VW but other than a few components , the system is the same.

Dave

[John M]

Check the big hose for tears/cracks/leaks between the Air Flow Meter and the Intake Plenum. And check all vacuum hoses off the intake pathway.

Best Regards,
John M

[MrT]

When folks say, "no start," sometimes they mean the motor won't turn over and sometimes they mean the motor won't fire. How about you? I've had push starts succeed when the motor turns over but no spark. This occurs when the battery is low and not enough voltage remains when the starter current is flowing to get the ECU juice to make a spark pulse. But it sounds more like a fuel problem with the heat sensitivity and rough and intermittent running you report.

You can hijack the cold start injector to connect a mechanical oil pressure gauge and measure the fuel pressure. Or pull off the manifold vacuum connection to the fuel pressure regulator and inject a bit of hydrocarbon solvents into the plenum and see whether the idle smooths out. If so, then you have a fuel starvation problem. Hope this helps.

Michael

[papajam]

I'm with Mr.T on the description. In the auto repair industry, a ' no start' condition (aka - cranks, no start) means that the starter engages, the engine turns but it does not start. A condition where the starter fails to crank (turn) the engine is called, appropriately, a 'no crank' condition. Each condition has two completely different diagnostic procedures.

[das]

thanks all!

John, checked the hoses and they look good.

Michael/Jim, this is a 'no start' issue as it turns but doesn't start.

taking her in tomorrow to get it checked out as my abilities are taxed....

thanks!