96 gti

[terrydavi]

I need help bad!! We picked up a 96 GTI where the motor was taken out and put back in for failure to start. Out of the water it starts great, right up. revs up nice, as soon as we put it in the water, it won't go above idle. When you try to give it gas, it dies. Any ideas on what we did wrong?? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance.

 

[salmonkiller01]

was the engine rebuilt? Have you done any compression checks yet, if so post the numbers and we can go from there.

 

[terrydavi]

140

It was not rebuilt, teh guy just took it out or apart and left it. We put it back together. We did a compression check, the numbers were 140 each cyl.

 

[timmyboy76]

did you go thru carbs?

 

[salmonkiller01]

:agree:
Sounds like carb problems, Leaking needle and seat or badly adjusted. Try setting your low speed screws at 1 1/4 turns out from closed. Theses are the adjusters with a pin thru them on the bottom side of the carbs, hard to reach but can be done, then set your high speed screws on the top of the carbs(usually have plastic cover on them) at 0 turns open (closed). These are the factory settings and should atleast narrow down your troubles.

 

[terrydavi]

we didn't go through the carbs. We will do that next as well as adjust to the factory settings. Thanks and I will say what happens.

 

[terrydavi]

ok, we did the adjustments back to the factory setting, and no change. Any other suggestions? We are going to check the carbs I guess when we pull it out of the water, but don't know where to go from there.

 

[timmyboy76]

take them apart and clean them w/ carb cleaner..