Hello Hopefully some of the knowledge on this forum can shed some light on my cars engine problems? My golf is a 90 gti 8v and after taking the engine out to fix the clutch and paint and clean the engine and gearbox, i made the foolish mistake of not unplugging the ecu before i turned the key, the solenoid clicked and nothing. After tracing it to the earth to gearbox i got the starter to spin. It then didn't start and smelt of petrol and the injectors stayed on. So trawled through here and figured it was the ecu. Got a new one and it started but sounds like an old diesel (sounds like really noisey tappets)! It sounded so bad i turned it straight off. When i turn it over by hand with no plugs in cylinder no1 sounds like there is no oil in it as it literaly squeeks! Oh and the oil light flashes. I took the sump off and the oil pump sounded a bit clunky when i turned it by hand but the gauze was clear. when i looked up at the pistons no1 was dry, whereas the other 3 wet if that makes sense. i just wonder if the petrol in the oil after the ecu issue was dislodged something and blocked an oilway? It was fine before i took it off the road to fix the clutch. It has literaly only run for a minute since i got it going again. I have ordered a new oil pump, but not sure what next. there was a bit of gunge around the pump and bottom end are there any oilways i can see to check, underneath the car? Would an oil flush treatment work just on the starter? Oh and the original clutch issue turned out to be a 3 mainshaft seal in the gearbox weeping oil onto the clutch plate and now i have a potentialy buggered engine. You gotta love old cars!
You took the engine out to replace the clutch? If so, how long was the engine sat? Just my theory, but is possible that if no oil was in the sump, or the pick-up was not submersed then the oil pump may need re-priming. This could also explain the low oil indicator.
No i had to replace the clutch but thought whilst i need to take it apart i will take it all out and clean it all up and paint it as i've wanted to do it for years. The engine wasn't sat with no oil in, once i new the ecu was ok i dropped the oil. i did put about a litre in and turn it over on the starter to try and clear out the old oil/petrol. do you think thats why the oil pump wont pick up as i need to re prime it? thanks for that i hope your right and i haven't wrecked my engine
