vw polo 1996 - Car got wet and won't start, can't locate fault vw

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Thu 15 Dec 2011 18:45
vw polo 1996 - Car got wet and won't start, can't locate fault vw - Tom 81

Hi,

the car is a vw polo 1996, was driven through an unexpected puddle and stopped. It started working again but died completely a day later.

The problem is with the ignition system, a spark is jumping from the coil to the nearest point it can find. HT lead is fine and a new distributor cap and rotor have been fitted. Also plugs and leads are reasonably new and look in good condition. Not sparking on the plugs.

Also tried drying obvious electrical points and spraying with wd40....

Any advice would be welcome and appreciated!!

Thanks

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Thu 15 Dec 2011 20:29
vw polo 1996 - Car got wet and won't start, can't locate fault vw - injection doc

A faulty rotor arm & or cap would cause the coil to arc across.

I trust that the rotor arm is rotating when the engine is cranked ? something easily overlooked ?

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Thu 15 Dec 2011 22:58
vw polo 1996 - Car got wet and won't start, can't locate fault vw - bathtub tom

>>a spark is jumping from the coil to the nearest point it can find.

It may well have ploughed a convenient furrow of least resistive path and on its' way created a better path. I've cured that sort of problem by removing all the respective parts and after a thorough cleaning, sorted it.

An application of Holts Dampstart (a sort of lacquer - can you still get it?) after cleaning can convince the electrons to go the desired way.

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