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I got this 1987 VW Golf with a 1.8L 8V engine and an automatic trans. It has 146,000 on it, includes 2 broken motor mounts. The issue is that after the engine warms up, if you put the trans in drive it wants to shut off unless you work the throttle slightly. Reverse is no problem though. If the engine shuts off it can always be restarted and runs fine otherwise. No misses, no coolant loss, no sputtering no black smoke, basically a good running little buggy otherwise. In checking grounds and vacuum lines, they all are fine, it seems to be electrical in nature, as I said, only when the engine is warmed up and the trans is placed in drive does it give an issue like it wants to shut off and at times does. What do I look for?

Tim Martin wrote:, includes 2 broken motor mounts. The issue is that after the engine warms up, if you put the trans in drive it wants to shut off What do I look for?

Is this the Golf wid CIS injection? If it is look for a busted airboot.......

liljoe wrote:

Tim Martin wrote:, includes 2 broken motor mounts. The issue is that after the engine warms up, if you put the trans in drive it wants to shut off What do I look for?

Is this the Golf wid CIS injection? If it is look for a busted airboot.......

Yes this is the Golf with the CIS Injection.

Yer talking about the air boot where?

i believe the air boot mentioned is the one that feeds the intake from the air filter box. they have a habit of cracking and when it opens op (when put in drive) the mass air flow sensor fails and causes a stumble or stall. the broken motor mount is a major contributor to this. the break has to be after the mass air flow sensor.

A torn and rotted through air inlet connection is exactly what I found. How could I not think of that initially? Must be old age creeping in.

Now to find one of them.

sometimes i can't see the forest through the trees either. i've looked for my flashlight using it to look in dark recesses in vehicles

Are we past the half century mark in age?

My first car was a 53 chevy..and it werent as old then as my 92 ford is now...yea I passed the over 50 a bit ago

Ok. The fix for this sick VW was a new air intake boot and 2 motor mounts. It now starts and runs like a champ - as good as this little 1.8L can.

Thanks for the ideas guys!