Questions and Answers

Volkswagen Golf Has No Power Q. Dear Autorepair, 1987 Volkswagen Golf CL 1.6 litre. Having just been given the above car, I am concerned that the engine seems to have no power. It starts and runs fine, if a little hot, but has a 0 to 60 mph of about two days! As I have a very limited knowledge of engines, there may be an obvious answer, but please could you give me some advice as to where to look for, or how to fix the problem? Ben

A. There are many factors which could be causing low power with this car, mal-adjusted timing, clogged injectors, low compression, bad valves/valve timing, worn spark plugs, spark plug wires, and other faulty ignition components. I would start with the basics first to determine if the engine was worth tuning up.

Run a dry and wet compression test, if your readings are good then proceed with a tuneup, new plugs, wires, cap and rotor, air filter, and set the ignition timing. Additionally, based on the age of the vehicle a thorough inspection of the timing belt is critical.

Pull the upper plastic cover and check for telltale signs of wear: cracks, glazing, dry rot, a simple technique to verify the tension is to grasp the belt in the middle of it's longest exposed point with your thumb and forefinger and twist it. If you can twist it more than 90°, the belt needs re-tensioning or replacement.