Came to fire the car up after it had been stood for 3-4 days over Christmas and it wouldn't fire. Engine turned over fine to start with but just wouldn't fire. Fuel gauge wasn't registering anything so I figured I'd run it pretty low before Christmas so maybe I'm out or it had evaporated or something. Bunged 5 litres in and the fuel gauge has moved to just over empty so there should be enough now, but it still won't fire. Battery went flat so I jump started it off the other car but still no joy. Is it possible that I've got an air lock somewhere? I took the air filter cover off (1.05l single point) and it looks like I can see fuel squirting from the injector although it doesn't smell particularly petrol-ly. If I crank the car for 5-10 seconds and cut the ignition it sounds like its firing slightly (you get a couple of quiet coughs and the engine seems to kick over a tiny bit) but it never fires and smoke/fuel vapour gets kicked out of the inlet manifold around the injector. Anybody got any ideas? I've not got any WD40 at the moment so haven't been able to squirt any over HT leads or in the dizzy cap etc, and I've not checked yet if I've got a spark from the plugs as it was cold and dark! What's the easiest way to check for a spark? Pull the plugs out one at a time and watch?

I had exactly the same problem with my polo, same model and engine, and found it was damp in the ignition circuit and a bad coil earth.

I used some spark testers first to see if i was getting a spark (these look like plastic spark plugs, that go inbetween the ht lead and spark plug, you can pick them up from halfreuds etc for a couple o quid) took apart all ignition connections, wiped them clean and dry, and bolted down the earth lead from the coil.

Worked for me.

yeah saying bout the earth leads an old gti that i used to own had starting troubles so i removed all earth straps and cleaned up alll the connectors before putting them back and it helped a bit

Got it started in the end. Managed to snap one of the HT leads off in the dizzy cap whilst spraying WD40 everywhere so I replaced the cap, arm and leads. Once I'd got the firing order sorted (school boy error) it struck up fine. The earthing strap from the coil is a bit crap really so that'll be the next thing I try if it happens again as I'm not sure I've located the issue, but at least I've got it started!

I've had issues with my girlfriends mk3 today i cant get hers started either. Have you checked the battery voltage? Just measured the girlfriends and its 11.2v so i think her battery is knackered. Older polos sure like to test you don't they!

I put a new battery in it a couple of months ago so I know it wasn't that! Worried that by flattening it I'd have knackered it but it seems to be charging fine now its back up and running.