need help with fixing cold start lever and possibly cable also

[momin]

Long story short, I broke the cold start lever know on my 1997 jetta mk3 tdi.
After breaking that I kept a thin nosed pliers to pull the cable out for starting the car in cold days.... one day I pulled the cold start cable enough that it was not going back to its original position.

When the car went to mechanic for some repair I asked him to fix this also. He said he fixed that! I got the car back and on driving back I realized the cable had been slid back to its original position but the timing was still advanced. The car used to idle at 600-700 rpm smoothly, now it is at 1100 rpm.

I tried to find DIY's to fix this issue but no luck so far so I decided to post here for help. Thanks in advance...

 

[VWWV]

If you look on the engine block side of the injector pump (that's the thing with all the metal fuel lines coming out of it) you will see a lever into which the advance cable used to attach. The cable would cause the lever to rotate either towards the passenger fender side or the driver side of the fuel pump depending on the handle position in the cabin. I don't remember but I think the cable has a bend in it that holds it to the lever? Unless the cable is broken, it should be a simple fix.
On second thought, the end of he cable might be attached with a screw clamp? Again....a simple fix. Might require a bit of adjustment....mine did.

 

[momin]

Thanks! intend to look at it on the weekend and get back!
Cheers

 

[bigtom111]

I had one of those on my diesel Rabbit years ago but I never used it. I could never see that it made any difference in or out.

 

[Vince Waldon]

You have an IDI engine (as opposed to a TDI engine) and will probably get a better range of answers from a IDI-specific forum.

www.vwdiesel.net seems to be the place IDI folks hang these days.

Having said that, R&R is fairly straightforward... the cable unbolts at the pump end with the screw clamp as previously posted and then is pulled thru the rubber grommet in the firewall. Don't have any pictures etc, but someone at www.vwdiesel.net may have.

 

[KLXD]

I noticed a difference if it was cold. I always left it pulled out.

Prolly static timing had something to do with how badly it was needed.

 

[momin]

Does make a huge difference on my mk3 in those cold days

 

[Windex]

When I had my IDI Mk3 Golf - yes it certainly made a difference on cold starts when the temperature was below zero. Started more easily and idled louder.

 

[oilhammer]

Long story short, I broke the cold start lever know on my 1997 jetta mk3 tdi....

No you didn't. TDI doesn't have any cables. You have an IDI engine, code AAZ.

However, that cable should have two adjustments, one in the car at the dash and one on the pump. I know the Bentley manual should have the procedure in there for that, I can look later if you need more specifics. The adjustment at the dash makes the sheath shorter or longer, where as the actual cable adjustment at the pump is what adjust how far the lever goes. It does two things, it both idles the speed up (1st detent) and advances the timing plus further idle increase (2nd detent).