ok i know im a honda guy and all but when you were driving it when you got on it did it accelerate or did it feel like you lost power as you got on it more?
ps what year vw is it
its a 98 jetta 2.0 8v 5spd
When i was driving it the first time it died, i was only idleing and it drove fine up until that moment.
When i was driving it the second time it died, i was doing about 5mph and it died, also was find up until that moment. I tried to give it gas, but it just died…
As for tonight in my garage, the 2nd i even go near that gas pedal the car dies…Just a little blip an it dies…Unless i can get it into the 6krpm range, then i can hold it there for a little bit but the 2nd i let off it, she dies. Im stumped beyond belief. I want to start replaceing some grounds here and there but dont know what to replace it with gauge wise, plus id like to use different grounding spots aswell maybe or MORE maybe not sure. Its so wierd, everyone i talk to says its a wiring issue/mostly ground issue. But if the car started, and i took that ground off (the one i thought was bad), then why would it stay running? Plus other vdub guys have taken that off and it runs fine. Im stumped, sorry for the long/randomish post…
ok i know this sounds really really like super hero gay but your cat might be pluged cause my friend had a vw and his shit did the same thing
VW’s are famous for M.A.F’s check it if you can bro even if its the secound time
checked MAF w. volt meter, all good.
hmm catylic converter… maybe just unbolt it and let it run off the header only to see how it is…
Ummmm…bad coil
ruled the coil out. I want to replace this ground from he valve cover to the body, not sure on what gauge to use and maybe theres a better spot to ground too? Doesnt make sense that a little ground like this would throw the whole car off… If the cat was clogged, wouldnt i be getting o2 readings out the wazoo?
try a new ground wire from the valve cover…it may be green rotted
yah im going to give that a shot, what gauge should i use? or doesnt it matter?
i know you said your MAF has power but it may not have signal so hook that ground back up and unplug the MAF start the car and if it still dose it odds are its your MAF
nope, i know how to test a MAF to show its working properly. this guy has the best DIY Page for my style car:
http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/Campingart/jettatech/maftesting.htm
and thats how i know my MAF is good 
you can clean the maf easy…
stick it in a ziploc bag with pure isopropyl alcohol, and shake. let it dry and reinstall.
it seems more like a coil from your symptoms, but if they’ve been checked i’d try other places. if i didn’t work until 2 am i’d look at it. if you need my power probe lemme know.
well im fresh outta ideas for ya…if i have any more ill let ya know
The big round connector that bridges the engine harness to the fuse box harness. The twist lock one, remove it and check the wires in it. If not are you sure that coil is good? Those a-3’s are known for what your describing and it’s usually always the coil.
kevin and danny brought a coil, but i dont remember them testing it. Maybe ill snag that from them and give it a shot… I did take the coil off and check for cracks an what not. looked 100% perfect. Whats the reasoning for the shitload of codes on vagcom when danny pulled it up…? What would cause that… When the car does start for its short period, there is NO CEL… So i guess thats good? ha
Did u check the big connector? I asked u about.
yah forgot to mention it, yes i took that apart looked inside it and didnt see anything out of the ordinary. Trying to get ahold of kevin to snag a spare coil to test before i go spend 1-2 hundred on a new one. At least i could rule that out if thats it…knowing my luck it wont be something that simple
once again kevin hooks me up w. random parts, got a spare throttle body,MAF,Coil(has cracks, but its bone dry) and an ECU (might work, might not depending on if the #s match up)… hopefully tonight i figure something out…
tonight i tried:
coil - no go
throttle body - no go
maf - no go
ECU - no go
what the fuck