1985 Golf MK2 GTI - won't start

October 25, 2021, 04:29:03 PM

Hello everyone. I'm a new member, just this minute joined.

I'm a member of the VW Audi Forum, as I have an Audi A4 and a VW T3 Camper, but I've joined here to look for some help for my nephew in England, who inherited a Golf previously owned by my sister.

The car is a very nice, red, 1985 MK2 Golf GTI, which, some time ago, intermittently failed to start. It was left with local mechanics for several days, but they were unable to find the problem, and returned it still running.
Shortly after this, it completely refused to start, and since then was left unused, parked in his garage for several months. A couple of attempts were made to start it, and it was found to start, but not continue running, if Easy Start or similar was sprayed into the inlet. There is apparently no fuel present in the inlet during cranking, which suggests that the injection system is at fault.
He knows very little about servicing cars, and wants to sell this one. He tells me it has always been regularly maintained and is in very good condition cosmetically. He knows the model is sought after, and potentially valuable, and will be more so if it is running.
I understand that this model has Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, but I don't know enough about this system to offer any help at this distance. I am familiar with the later Bosch electronic systems used on my Transporter, but this knowledge is no use for continuous injection with mechanically control.
Can anyone please recommend someone in the Hampton/Kingston area who is familiar with the injection system on this car, and would be able to diagnose and fix the problem, either where it is or after recovering it to their premises?
He's not looking for someone to rebuild the car, just to diagnose and properly fix the starting problem so he can honestly sell it as fit for the road.

Re: 1985 Golf MK2 GTI - won't start

Reply #1 – October 25, 2021, 04:55:58 PM

Hi and Welcome.

The K-jet system is fairly basic, however it's also very delicate. There could be various reasons the car won't start and I can't imagine any garage will want to get involved in diagnostics without an open cheque book.

There are few places left that even know what K-Jet is, and even if one of the old boys that works there still knows, most garages will have disposed of their testing equipment.

If it's been standing, sorry to report, but it's probably all knackered!

If moisture, (even atmospheric moisture and condensations is enough etc) has penetrated any of the system, which it will likely have as petrol will have returned to the tank and/or evaporated (or worse turned to jelly) the internal working parts of aluminium will have started to fur up, the brass parts will have tarnished etc.

There are service kits, but best left to the professionals if you don't know what you're doing.

KMI in Bedford https://www.kmipetrolinjection.co.uk/ can supply and recondition parts.

You can even ship all of the components to then for testing.

All that said, there are some basics to run through that might get the car going..... If you can get it to start/run then you'll be in a better place.

First is the fuel pump! there are 2, one in the tank, 1 under the car.

The one in the tank is a small £30 lift pump that starts the syphon to the main high pressure pump under the car. What tends to happen is the in tank pump fails, but the main pump carries on working, but under extra strain till it also eventually dies. The under car pump costs £150-200 and needs to be a genuine quality Bosch there's no point getting a cheap aftermarket one, they just done work.

Step one, check both fuel pumps are working!

For more K-Jet into https://www.vwgolfmk2.co.uk/clubforum/index.php?topic=114.0