MK2 golf doesnt like the cold

my girlfriends MK2 1.3 really doesnt like starting in the cold, it turns over fine but wont fire for about 20 seconds, and when it does it sounds awful untill it has warmed up and stalls when trying to pull away.

i know the pooburg carbs are shite, and have thought a manual choke may help. ive got one on a 1.6 mk2 rocco, would that swap over ok?

also, should i be looking to change the plugs, leads, dizzy cap etc?

any help will be great as im worried its going to let me down!

its the pooburg, mine was s**t in the winter, started most of the time but ran horribly lumpy/cut out when letting it idle and powerless till it was warm, even new plugs etc didnt sort mine out, i think it was just the pooburg freezing, should try and get a small webber for it

ive just read on VZI that it is often the coolant temp sensor, but this was referring to a GTI so not sure if its applicable here.

me dont know, i also had trouble with my thermostat sticking that made it run super s**t all the way to spring fest 09 early in the morning when it was cold, but was perfectly fine on the way home when it was warmer, just an idea

thry run worse when they dont have the warm air feed pipe that blows/sucks hot air from the exhaust manifold on to the carb

this is on 1.6 etc but maybe the same for a 1.3.

it should be a bit of flimsy tubing

Yeah its got that, but it has a few holes. Will get that sorted and see how it goes, surely that's only beneficial when the engine has warmed though?

not sure mate.

just in converstaion with different people about carbs freezing, ive just heard that when this pipe is in place its supposed to be a lot better

mine ran fine with out them pipes

some times the heater in the bottom of the manifold doesnt work and itll cause freezing in this weather.
Check its plugged in and there is power to it !!

I may have one if you need it.

billybug wrote:

mine ran fine with out them pipes

apparantly they just run better with them

they do run loads better, when i had my jetta(now mikes) the original carb used to freeze up all the time without the warm up pipe.

You have to run the hot air feed otherwise as said earlier you will get carb freeze and it will guzzle fuel...