Save my polo running probs scrap yard looking viable...

[Dan_UK]

Hi guys nice to find a club you dont have to pay for!

Right the saga.....

Found a nice looking 88k polo genesis, not knowing anything abou tthe models and all that. I have always been told VW's are bullet proof (nieve maybe) anyway car from the garage was in pretty mint condition needing a good polish. Started first turn of the engine purred like a kitten drove sweet as a dream. Sold for £350 me big grin with this silly little car and banging my head on the roof every speed bump in the road.

Car had been sat for a while (dunno how long ) but had only covered 3000 miles per year for last 3-4 years. May off been sat 6-12 months as to pass the MOT it needed new brake calipers at the front and a new battery.

A week later i went on a long drive 200 mile round trip, a few days later started to start up a bit rough. Rev it a bit and the problem cleared, a few more days later putt putt poof lots of steam out of my exhaust presumed head gasket gone (coz it had been sat for long time ?) anyway Ive done heads before engine looks pretty basic lots of room to work on it ect...

Done the gasket myself put it all back together head looked ok so didnt get it skimmed. Now the cIar wont start very well if i do get it to start it wont tick over so I read up on internet forums and learned a bit about the engine learned a bit as well I have ended up replacing every sensor on the engine lambda, hall sender, blue coolant one new plugs leads new dizzy cap and the sensor thats in the dizzy housing and im still losing the good fight. I've checked the compression on each cylinder and they all seem fairly even. I dont get any steam when i manage to keep the car running pulsing the acelerator with my foot. After a bit of tweaking the dizzy cap i managed to get a tick over but it was really low around 400 rpm. When i touch the pedal it chokes up and normally stalls. I have tried to drive around the block and it goes ok for a few yards then loses all power engine sounds all wooly then will backfire and kick in for a few more yards. Examine teh plugs and they are all black and sooty so its running super rich.
Ive checked pipes and hoses no finds there anyone have any ideas what i can try next I dont want to scrap the little happy car but its looking that way.....

Sorry for long post but thought it might help generate some ideas and solutions.

oh yeah its a K reg genesis AAv engine,

And the search facility on this forum is pants, i did look through thet first 5 pages but didnt find anything so started a fresh post.

Thanks in advance for anyone who helps by posting

[steveo3002]

id recheck the cam timing , and set the ign timing with a strobe light...dont just fiddle with it by ear

and yeah they are fairly bulletproof for a old cheap car...still need maintenence though

[alexperkins]

As steve said, Id do the same.

Also recommend posting it on polo3.co.uk as theres a much stronger appeal for the mk3 polos on there - here has moved on to the newer ones moreso!

[Dan_UK]

Is it a mark 3 I was told its a inbetweener a 2.5 lol, so theres nothing in the ECU that could be like a stored code or anything? I've had the battery off for a week and then tried again to no avail. Timing sounds viable on the ingition side the cam timing is defo spot on. When cranking the wheel with a spanner it is very stiff at one point does this just mean very good compression? Will have to get a strobe light going to hard to get the car to tick over enough to set it up though. Thanks for advice will let you know when ive had a play.

[alexperkins]

lol what year was it made? The ECUs on these cars dont store many codes - only significant problems like fuelling etc would be stored but they automatically clear out anyhow so its pretty useless

[LeMeph]

youve got the firing order wrong fo sure!!!!

[alexperkins]

firing order is 1 3 4 2 for reference

[volks-tek]

Have a look at the large wiring connector plug that you will have disconnected the feeds the injection unit and oil pressure switches etc, it is possible to get this upside down, they still start and run really rough. assuming that the timing etc is ok.