Volkswagen Jetta Will Not start

[Joseph Franz]

I have a 1995 Volkswagen Jetta GLS and cannot seem to get any fire from the Coil. It has new coil, new rotor button and cap, new wires, crankshaft position sensor. The coil is getting fire but is not regulating fire.

Topic

[jeremy]

same problem with me, just hope someone can shed some light on this problem

[kevin]

why all those parts replaced? did you touch distributor? did you break hall effect sensor inside distributor? check for any broken ground wire

[Thomas]

The OBD1 engine is notorious for electrical gremlins. Trace back around through your ignition system with a multimeter. Make sure you have the correct resistance through plug wires, coil pack as well as timing.

Just as a quick test, place your test leads on either the left and center, or right and center of the distributor connector. Have someone crank the engine over and verify you’re getting signal from the distributor and mainly the hall sensor.

Couldn’t hurt to check the timing of your intermediate shaft as well. pull the cap of with the engine set AT TDC not 6 degrees before (triangle on the flywheel/flexplate at crank)

hope this helps

[Jamie]

VW has no more electrical gremlins than any other car of similar age. Most mechanics argue VW does things differently but really they all work the same way. Granted Ive worked on mainly VW cars but there isn’t any difference in how they fundimentally work.

In your case I would check two things first. 1 with a multi meter check the two outside wires on the hall effect/speed sensor wires for voltage. Needs to be close to 12v. If you have no voltage you need to check that the Ignition control module is functioning. You said you have a new engine speed sensor so I wouldn’t bother checking it for function. I would check the ICM instead. Its usually bolted on top of the ECU. Pull the harness off of it and check that its getting voltage via the pwr and grd. Grd is always brown in a VW. Pwr will be red or red with black stripe. If you have power there check for continuity between the module end of the harness and the center wire of the engine speed sensor. It will be the same color. Also check for continuity between the ICM ground on the harness to the battery negative. I like to check resistance on grounds like that. Too high it wont work.

If you have good power and wireing to and from the ICM go to a wreckers and find a used one to try. They’re cheap as nails. If that doesn’t fix it I would try the coil again. In VW espessialy they are notorious for lasting forever, to the point where people forget they wear out too.

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