testarossa_td

The TPS can fail anywhere along its travel.
The click test is just a basic test.

There are more detailed (clarks I think, and on rennlist) electrical tests you can perform, I think at the DME. I am pretty sure you have to have someone actuate the throttle plate while you measure the signal...etc.

danny951

yeah, and i know these cars will require some self-service now and then and I like fixing problems, but I think I'm just gonna take it in again and have Don look at it. I just know I'll get pretty frustrated tracking this down, espescially cramped up in the floorboard testing dme readings and whatnot.

At least I'll have some extra money each month to spend on things like this since I don't have the near $600 payment for the GLI.

alengyel

Guys, a common problem with the turbo cars is the TPS fouling due to oil from the TB. My car did the same and I fixed it with a new TPS. I cut the top off the old one to see what the problem was and to get an idea of how it worked. It was full of engine oil from my leaking turbo. To test, pull the TPS and insert a Q-tip in the shaft hole and look for oil. hope this helps, good luck.

J Chen

Put your finger into the intake of the AFM.
Give it a light push just to check if the barn
door is moving smoothly.

danny951

well now the car just won't start -- guess i'll have it towed to my mechanic... i can't find anything wrong and have looked at all the suggestions here. i appreciate the help though.

J Chen

Hi Danny,
Can't remember the name but theres two sensors
near the firewall that is mounted just above the
flywheel. Check that the connector is o.k.
When that sensor is not connected properly or
has gone bad, the car will not start. Also check
that it's mounted tightly.

JDeitz951

Once I hit a nasty bump and stalled, restarted then ran until next time I hit a bump, it would stall breifly then recover. Eventually found a loose relay in the relay box was bouncing out of the socket on the bumps then dropping back in after. Check it out. DME relay would prevent starting too.

danny951

hmm.. i had meant to check the relays, but forgot to while looking at everything else and just being defeated so i'll check them out when I get home -- that would make sense.. something got bounced loose, that's for sure.

about the two sensors.. do you have a picture?

JDeitz951

They are called the speed and reference sensors (I think). They are 2 identical sensors, positioned diriectly above the flywheel at the back of the engine. Hard to see. They each have an inline connector about 12 to 18 inched up the cable. The connectors are mounted to a bracket just behind/under the no. 4 intake runner. That is where they plug into the DMW harness and it is there you check for looseness.

chapstic951

J- you beat me to the punch. I had this exact same problem last year....frustrated me beyond belief. A $150 tow ride home and hitting the renn-guys up pointed me in this direction. Low and behold, the top sensor had disconnected itself from the wireing harness.

...hope all is well with your Jetta situation Danny.

danny951

I checked all the relays and they are in place. I started up the car and it idles just fine, but if I try and give it gas, it bogs down and starts to idle rough, like it's flooded, for a while until it can recover... I *feels* to me like it's not getting any air. I'm gonna rip the intake a part and see if there's anything weird going on there.

The jetta is still at the impound awaiting the other parties insurance to check it out. I hope to God they total it cause I hate thinking about messing with repairs and a jacked up frame. It will never be just right if they try and repair. My wife's the real victim here.. it's her summer vacation (school teacher) and she's stuck at home with a broken foot.