96 jetta stalled and will not start, weird?

Was driving it at 55 mph, and the car just died! It won't start, and we
disconnected the batterie and then reconnected it, and now the alarm keeps
going off. Got any ideas? Thanks!

vwlemonpop wrote:
> Was driving it at 55 mph, and the car just died! It won't start, and
> we disconnected the batterie and then reconnected it, and now the
> alarm keeps going off. Got any ideas? Thanks!

Three things will keep it from running. Compression, fuel and spark.

Spark is easy to check. Find a dim or dark space and remove a spark
plug put the wire back on the using an insulated tool, touch the threads of
the plug to the engine block while someone turns the engine over with the
key. You should be repeated bright blue sparks.

I'll let someone else comment on fuel, I got lost on gasoline engines
when they get rid of carburetors.

If compression is an issue, you should notice a different sound when you
turn the key to try and start it. (sudden compression loss is often a
timing belt.

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled, vwlemonpop wrote:

>Was driving it at 55 mph, and the car just died! It won't start, and we
>disconnected the batterie and then reconnected it, and now the alarm keeps
>going off. Got any ideas? Thanks!

Insert the key in the door and rotate to the unlocked position to
stop the alarm.

Then try to figure out why you lost power from the alternator
circuit. Is the belt driving the alternator in good shape? Does the
Alternator turn?


Charge the battery with a charger. Does the car work until the
battery dies? That would be a charging problem. The alternator is
the most probable candidate, if the belt is turning the alternator.

Maybe the timing belt broke, take the cover off (should be held in by clips,
black plastic cover on the edge of the engine block... left hand side most
likely).

Does it try to crank over?
"vwlemonpop" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> Was driving it at 55 mph, and the car just died! It won't start, and we
> disconnected the batterie and then reconnected it, and now the alarm keeps
> going off. Got any ideas? Thanks!
>

Remove the distributor cap and see if the rotor spins when cranking the
engine over. If not, it's timing belt time!

"vwlemonpop" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> Was driving it at 55 mph, and the car just died! It won't start, and we
> disconnected the batterie and then reconnected it, and now the alarm keeps
> going off. Got any ideas? Thanks!
>

In article outautos.com>,
vwlemonpop > wrote:
>Was driving it at 55 mph, and the car just died! It won't start, and we
>disconnected the batterie and then reconnected it, and now the alarm keeps
>going off. Got any ideas? Thanks!
>

its time for your coil to die. in A3 cars they die around 60.000 miles,
at least down here. ALL A3s I know have had their coil replaced around
tht mileage.


--
Eduardo K. |
| Freedom's just another word
http://e.nn.cl | for nothing left to lose.
|

That stall happens all the time at least for me.
Panic at first, then found the trick: You should
carry a can of WD40 and spray it on the battery
connector, group connect from coil to engine,
distributor cap, and lot more. Then start the engine.
It works for me all the time. I had many stalls on
the wet day, heavy traffic highway or the up ramp.
WD40 has never disappointed me.



Eduardo K. > wrote in message >...
> In article outautos.com>,
> vwlemonpop > wrote:
> >Was driving it at 55 mph, and the car just died! It won't start, and we
> >disconnected the batterie and then reconnected it, and now the alarm keeps
> >going off. Got any ideas? Thanks!
> >
>
> its time for your coil to die. in A3 cars they die around 60.000 miles,
> at least down here. ALL A3s I know have had their coil replaced around
> tht mileage.

If you know where to spray the WD40 then why not just remove the
connections, clean them with an abrasive and/or some contact cleaner until
the metal shines like new, apply some anti-corrosive electrical grease to
the connections (only where applicable, shouldn't need it on plug
connectors) and then tighten everything back up again.

You should get another few years out of a cleaned connection, instead of the
couple weeks/days you might get with WD40.

Stalling on wet days - find a better insulator to water then VW did, one of
my friends is crafting an under-car sheild for his A2 Jetta TD, much like
the A4's have.
"John Sayor" > wrote in message
om...
> That stall happens all the time at least for me.
> Panic at first, then found the trick: You should
> carry a can of WD40 and spray it on the battery
> connector, group connect from coil to engine,
> distributor cap, and lot more. Then start the engine.
> It works for me all the time. I had many stalls on
> the wet day, heavy traffic highway or the up ramp.
> WD40 has never disappointed me.
>
>
>
> Eduardo K. > wrote in message
> >...
>> In article
>> outautos.com>,
>> vwlemonpop > wrote:
>> >Was driving it at 55 mph, and the car just died! It won't start, and we
>> >disconnected the batterie and then reconnected it, and now the alarm
>> >keeps
>> >going off. Got any ideas? Thanks!
>> >
>>
>> its time for your coil to die. in A3 cars they die around 60.000 miles,
>> at least down here. ALL A3s I know have had their coil replaced around
>> tht mileage.

Is this a 2.0 engine?
Actually replacing the bad component, or repairing it, is a better and safer
thing to do. Hate to have it stall on you when you are making a left turn
across traffic! 8-o
Ign coils can be sealed sometimes with epoxy if they are good otherwise.
Spark plug wires, caps and rotors should be changed.
JMHO
later,
dave

"Rob Guenther" > wrote in message
...
> If you know where to spray the WD40 then why not just remove the
> connections, clean them with an abrasive and/or some contact cleaner until
> the metal shines like new, apply some anti-corrosive electrical grease to
> the connections (only where applicable, shouldn't need it on plug
> connectors) and then tighten everything back up again.
>
> You should get another few years out of a cleaned connection, instead of
the
> couple weeks/days you might get with WD40.
>
> Stalling on wet days - find a better insulator to water then VW did, one
of
> my friends is crafting an under-car sheild for his A2 Jetta TD, much like
> the A4's have.