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Topic: 1991 16v GTi - Splutter/Delayed Revs (Read 450 times) previous topic - next topic

1991 16v GTi - Splutter/Delayed Revs

Hi. I'm new to this and not especially mechanically minded.  Can anyone help with a question on starting my car.

When I first start the car from cold, it seems to almost shudder into a start.  Sometimes it takes a second attempt.  It's never not started but it seems almost like it won't! Then when its running, and cold still, I will try to rev it a little and it will almost stall, splutter a little, and then pick up revs.  I notice there's a little white smoke too.

Once its warmed up and I'm driving away, it seems to disappear and behave quite normal.  No smoke, no delay in acceleration etc.

Any thoughts on what this might point to?

It's a 1991 16v GTi, in original working order.  Maybe a bit of an oil leak although it could be old oil in the bay rather than new.  The oil looks good and clean, but the coolant looks lumpy and cloudy which I wonder if it needs a good flush.
 

Re: 1991 16v GTi - Splutter/Delayed Revs

Reply #1 –
From the description sounds like a head gasket leak, water seeps in to cylinders hence white smoke and splutters, it then gets burn't off and runs clean, lump cloudy coolant would support this

Re: 1991 16v GTi - Splutter/Delayed Revs

Reply #2 –
Thank you….I did wonder about that. Although I was surprised as apparently the head gasket and lots of other work was done in 2020.

I guess I’ll need to get that properly checked out then!

Re: 1991 16v GTi - Splutter/Delayed Revs

Reply #3 –
Being a 16v, this runs in k-jet continuous injection system (CIS) this is heavily dependent on correct fuel pressure at all times to run smoothly.

There’s a link in my footer ( on desktop - doesn’t show on mobile view) to k-jet resources on here. Within that section is a troubleshooting chart.

What you described could be the WUR (warm up regulator) which adjusts the fuel pressure depending on engine temp. If the car runs fine when warm this suggests you wur is not operating correctly from cold.

Only real way to test is with fuel pressure testing equipment, anything else becomes pure guess work and could send you off down a rabbit hole if you start randomly fiddling.

Re: 1991 16v GTi - Splutter/Delayed Revs

Reply #4 –
Quote from: lee.godber@gmail.com on
Thank you….I did wonder about that. Although I was surprised as apparently the head gasket and lots of other work was done in 2020.

I guess I’ll need to get that properly checked out then!

As Eddy says it's a guess but one that's easy checked with minimal work with an Engine compression tester, you can buy them for sub 20quid and at least if it comes back ok then you can rule it out and start looking elsewhere