My first car: GTi MK2 16v

[330Tractor]

Hi guys

So my dad recently bought me my first car.
It's a 1992 Golf MK2 GTi 16v.

I would appreciate it if I could get advice,
My alternator belt snapped a month ago, and the car couldn't start, we hooked it up directly on the battery with jumper cables via my dad's tractor and tried firing her up like that, since then she has been idling at 3500 rpm constantly.
We replaced the belt, cleaned the injectors, as well as the spark plugs, replaced the intake gasket and it's still idling so high.
Could it be that the management system was damaged or the tuning went out when we jumped the car?
(Management is a Dicktator STD)
I was referred to a "Panic-Mechanic" on bmwfanatics.

Thanks in advance.

[marzbars]

Is the tractor not 24v?

[330Tractor]

Is the tractor not 24v?

What i mean with tractor was a 330D BMW (Diesel), my bad.

[PapaJo]

Panic will sort this out for you. Tell us where are you located.

Was all running fine with no issues until belt snapped? You may have reseted the map on Dicktator, but that would have caused all settings to go to default and then would not have started. Doubt that this is the case for you as you said it starts, but idle high.

Was the distributor moved in attempt to restart your car. If so, the timing trigger point was offset and causes the high idle. If distributor was moved, start the car and loosen distributor holding bolts and turn it so that idle drops down to around 950rpm. If motor and idle is fine and starts, you fixed it. Be sure to mark the current position of the distributor to move it back to that position in case it does not solve your problem. If all that fails, contact Panic.

[330Tractor]

Panic will sort this out for you. Tell us where are you located.

Was all running fine with no issues until belt snapped? You may have reseted the map on Dicktator, but that would have caused all settings to go to default and then would not have started. Doubt that this is the case for you as you said it starts, but idle high.

Was the distributor moved in attempt to restart your car. If so, the timing trigger point was offset and causes the high idle. If distributor was moved, start the car and loosen distributor holding bolts and turn it so that idle drops down to around 950rpm. If motor and idle is fine and starts, you fixed it. Be sure to mark the current position of the distributor to move it back to that position in case it does not solve your problem. If all that fails, contact Panic.

Yes she was working fine, no we didn't touch the distributor when the incident happened. We did when i just got the car, we cleaned it a bit and even after that it was fine?
I will go try adjusting it later on.
She is going in for a tune next week, so hopefully i can solve my problem.

I'm located in The West Coast (Western Cape)

[PapaJo]

If it was cleaned only and untouched, it is mostlikely something else. Have you checked for vacuum leaks? Is there an idle screw on the throttle body?

[UDC]

Sounds like it's sucking air or the throttle body butterfly is open too much and not returning

[panic-mechanic]

Yup well the guys have covered most of the basics. Check for vacuum leaks - see if the throttle idle stop screw maybe self adjusted as they do come loose or move. There is also a idle air screw if it is still using a K-jet style throttle body. Brass coloured bug screw on the throttle body. Turn it in(clockwise) and see if the idle drops.

[330Tractor]

We have checked for any leaks, nothing. Even took the throttle off and kept it close with my hand, and only then she idles fine?
I had 2 mechanics look at it, and they couldn't find the problem. So it must be with the dicktator then?

[panic-mechanic]

No if it still idles with your hand over the throttle hole you definitely have a vacuum leak. Take a picture of your setup.
How does the brakes feel? Maybe a little hard lately? Remember there are several place where a leak can be.
Even a small tear in the brake booster diaphragm can make a vaccum leak. A slight leak around any injector can cause it etc etc etc.
but it definately must die when you close the throttle body off completely.
Put water in a trigger bottle and spray it around the injectors for instance. If the idle drops or it stumbles you know you have a leak there.

[MarshallGTi]

Panic to the rescue

[330Tractor]

No if it still idles with your hand over the throttle hole you definitely have a vacuum leak. Take a picture of your setup.
How does the brakes feel? Maybe a little hard lately? Remember there are several place where a leak can be.
Even a small tear in the brake booster diaphragm can make a vaccum leak. A slight leak around any injector can cause it etc etc etc.
but it definately must die when you close the throttle body off completely.
Put water in a trigger bottle and spray it around the injectors for instance. If the idle drops or it stumbles you know you have a leak there.

Hope that helps. i'm gonna go get a trigger bottle and spray about everywhere now. The brakes was bad when I got the car, and when it was in neutral ( car still on ) and went I rapidly push the brakes, the car revs a bit. this was all before the alternator belt snapped.

[UDC]

spray one area at a time so that you will know where the problem lies
from the pics, the 5th injector location, the breather pipe that goes to the WUR/air box seems to be open

[MarshallGTi]

Looks like theres no vacuum line on the pressure regulatr at the end of the fuel rail as well...

[UDC]

yes looks like the alternator belt knocked it off when it snapped, but that pipe looks too thick to be a vacuum pipe

[330Tractor]

spray one area at a time so that you will know where the problem lies
from the pics, the 5th injector location, the breather pipe that goes to the WUR/air box seems to be open

I'm sorry, the 5th injector? Where is that located?

[330Tractor]

I sprayed almost my whole engine bay, and it didn't even lower it by 1 rpm....

[UDC]

under the fuel pressure regulator, also why is there no vacuum line on the fuel pressure regulator

[Howie-WP]

Bigger issue, seems like the battery is missing !!!

[PapaJo]

There is a small pipe inbetween no 1 and 2 intake runners. The breather pipe connects to that, the breather on the block and on the airbox. Did you check there if it is connected to the small pipe on the intake.

[PapaJo]

Block the open pipe on the 5th injector (facing the distributor).

OP is using an aftermarket FPR at the air filter side.

[panic-mechanic]

yeah you have a huge leak sitting right at the end on the intake manifold on the left where the idle motor would usaully sit. You have to block that port off. Then yes there is a vacuum pipe take off between runners 1,2 at the bottom that must be blocked off.
But that one that is sitting basically under the FPR is the main issue.
Add a vacuum line to the FPR with a T- to one of the ones coming from the back of the manifold. it makes it easier on the injecors to tune for a nice idle.

[amstel18]

Panic will sort this out for you. Tell us where are you located.

Was all running fine with no issues until belt snapped? You may have reseted the map on Dicktator, but that would have caused all settings to go to default and then would not have started. Doubt that this is the case for you as you said it starts, but idle high.

Was the distributor moved in attempt to restart your car. If so, the timing trigger point was offset and causes the high idle. If distributor was moved, start the car and loosen distributor holding bolts and turn it so that idle drops down to around 950rpm. If motor and idle is fine and starts, you fixed it. Be sure to mark the current position of the distributor to move it back to that position in case it does not solve your problem. If all that fails, contact Panic.

Yes she was working fine, no we didn't touch the distributor when the incident happened. We did when i just got the car, we cleaned it a bit and even after that it was fine?
I will go try adjusting it later on.
She is going in for a tune next week, so hopefully i can solve my problem.

I'm located in The West Coast (Western Cape)

Well you being on the west coast puts you close to one of cape town's finest...

https://www.facebook.com/Maranoux/

Maranoux is on the forum, but not very active. He know's lot's when it comes to VW's

[330Tractor]

So this weekend i fiddle around with my distributor and the rotor broke, i replaced it but now my ignition timing is out. How do I adjust/tune it so my car can start up again?

[330Tractor]

yeah you have a huge leak sitting right at the end on the intake manifold on the left where the idle motor would usaully sit. You have to block that port off. Then yes there is a vacuum pipe take off between runners 1,2 at the bottom that must be blocked off.
But that one that is sitting basically under the FPR is the main issue.
Add a vacuum line to the FPR with a T- to one of the ones coming from the back of the manifold. it makes it easier on the injecors to tune for a nice idle.

That is already blocked off. Old photo sorry.