1988 Golf GT starts when it wants

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Wed 4 Feb 2004 20:57
1988 Golf GT starts when it wants - snownskate
I have an unusual problem maybe someone could help me with:

Every once in a while (once a week at worst) my Golf won't start. It turns over fine and sounds ok but just will not catch. If I let it sit for approx. 24 hours it will start again. I have not noticed any time when this seems to happen more than another. Please help as this is very frustrating to not be able to rely on my car for daily transportation.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions/fixes!
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Wed 4 Feb 2004 21:14
1988 Golf GT starts when it wants - steveo30
bit difficult to say with out looking...the blue temp senders fail and the ecu relay can play up too

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Wed 4 Feb 2004 21:30
1988 Golf GT starts when it wants - Civic8
Is it a problem that seems to occur mainly in damp/wet conditions.not enough info to say what it could be.but be inclined to look at HT leads/distributer/coil before anything else.as said not enough info?
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Wed 4 Feb 2004 23:44
1988 Golf GT starts when it wants - snownskate
"Is it a problem that seems to occur mainly in damp/wet conditions.not enough info to say what it could be.but be inclined to look at HT leads/distributer/coil before anything else.as said not enough info? "

That is one of the only patterns I have seen with it, also when driven hard sometimes.
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Fri 6 Feb 2004 08:06
1988 Golf GT starts when it wants - thebouncingbunny
a mate had a similar problem.turned out to be a dodgy connexion.theres a cable connection that goes in by the distributor cap(as its not my car and it was a while ago i cant be more specific)try giving that a wiggle
my mate was telling a few of us this frustrating tale of how he had to get a diagnostic bloke out who opened the bonnet went straight to this connection tweaked it-bingo! started !
the same thing happened to one of the other guys the next week so sounds like it could be qt common
worth a try,bunny
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Sat 7 Feb 2004 10:16
1988 Golf GT starts when it wants - GGH
The ignition/starter switch body cracked on my Golf which would turn the LT side of the coil off.I sometimes had to drive holding the ignition key in a working position until I replaced the switch.
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Sat 7 Feb 2004 17:15
1988 Golf GT starts when it wants - SjB {P}
... 1988 Golf GT starts when it wants ...

Phew, it was a relief to read what your problem really is GGH when I opened the thread. For a moment I thought you meant you came down for breakfast in the morning, and found that the car had been for a drive by itself in the night! ;-)

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