# [SOLVED] VW Golf 1.4 1994 (III) wont start!



## Chiefhumble (Oct 26, 2011)

Hello! I was driving down to the mall last Friday (With my Golf III - 1.4L CL, 1992, ABD engine) and parked my car in the parking lot. When i came back 20-30 minutes later - the car wouldn't start. It was making normal sounds - like it just was about to catch. After about 4 hours of scratching my head, phone calls and browsing, i saw that one of the fuses was missing from the fuse board under the dashboard - so i connected it again and the car started.

That however that is not the problem. Yesterday i drove down to the mall again, but this time the car stopped right before the parking lot (while idling behind another car). I rolled the car into a parking spot and tried to start it again. It didn't start, but it made the same sounds at last time (normal starting sounds) - like it was just about to catch - but this time it started for about 1-5 seconds a couple of times.

This time i expected the fuse to be out again - so i looked down on the fuse board under the dashboard again, but all the fuses where there, and none of them where burned (Checked them with a multimeter too). I called my father and his friend, and they figured out that the engine had sparks (they took out one of the spark plug cables, put a screwdriver in it and turned the key - we had sparks). They then opened the air filter (i think) and dropped a little gas into it, turned the key, and the car started for a second - but died again.

The conclusion was that the engine didn't get enough gas somehow - so we opened a little panel back in the car, that revealed the fuel pump, we turned the key, but heard nothing (if it was meant to make a sound).

What is wrong? Is it the gas pump, or is it the gas pump relay? Or is it maybe something else? Please help me, gods of auto mechanics!


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## octaneman (May 13, 2009)

*Re: VW Golf 1.4 1994 (III) wont start!*

Hi Chiefhumble


Volkswagens have 2 fuel pumps one as a primer inside the tank, the second one is the main outside next to the fuel filterbehind the gas tank. When the primer pump gives out the engine produces a hard start condition. Turn the key and listen for the sound of the pump, if not you should be able to hear the fuel pump relay click on off. Try swapping the relay with a known good one, if the primer pump doesn't run replace the pump.


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## Chiefhumble (Oct 26, 2011)

*Re: VW Golf 1.4 1994 (III) wont start!*



octaneman said:


> Hi Chiefhumble
> 
> 
> Volkswagens have 2 fuel pumps one as a primer inside the tank, the second one is the main outside next to the fuel filterbehind the gas tank. When the primer pump gives out the engine produces a hard start condition. Turn the key and listen for the sound of the pump, if not you should be able to hear the fuel pump relay click on off. Try swapping the relay with a known good one, if the primer pump doesn't run replace the pump.


I've recently found a good part car which is the year newer than mine. It has the same engine size and power, but the engines doesn't look quite the same. I took out the fuel pump, and it looked pretty much like my old one. Do you think i can use it? 

And another question, where is the fuel pump relay located? Maybe I can change mine with the one in the part-car? Thank-you for the reply btw!


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## octaneman (May 13, 2009)

*Re: VW Golf 1.4 1994 (III) wont start!*



Chiefhumble said:


> I've recently found a good part car which is the year newer than mine. It has the same engine size and power, but the engines doesn't look quite the same. I took out the fuel pump, and it looked pretty much like my old one. Do you think i can use it?
> 
> And another question, where is the fuel pump relay located? Maybe I can change mine with the one in the part-car? Thank-you for the reply btw!




Yes you can use the pump as long as the connectors are the same , as for the fuel pump relay its rectangular in shape located in the fuse/relay box on the drivers side kick panel.


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## Chiefhumble (Oct 26, 2011)

*Re: VW Golf 1.4 1994 (III) wont start!*



octaneman said:


> Yes you can use the pump as long as the connectors are the same , as for the fuel pump relay its rectangular in shape located in the fuse/relay box on the drivers side kick panel.


I checked the fuel-pump relay, and it worked like a charm. I grabbed the fuel pump from the part-car today, gonna try to install it tomorrow! Im gonna check the cables to the gas pump with a multimeter tomorrow too (To see if there is a connection).


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## Chiefhumble (Oct 26, 2011)

*Re: VW Golf 1.4 1994 (III) wont start!*

Works like a clockwork now! (knock on the table)

It was the pump!

Thankyou so much for the help octaneman!


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