I have a 96 volkswagon jetta,the car was running fine until one day steam from the radiator fluids were coming thru the ac vents. So I rerouted the two hoses from the water flinge that run into the firewall which I think is for the heater into each other.now my car wont start but only starts with a jumpstart.could it be electrical in the dash have gotten wet from the radiator fluids from the heater hoses

SOURCE: running fine then wont'nt start

You will have to pull a spark plug out to check that you have spark when cranking the engine,while you have the plug/s out do a compression test to determine health of engine and wether it is in fact giving compression,eliminates other potential faults if compression is good.If you have compression(around 140 ish)and introduced fuel and it wont fire up it only leaves electrics as the fault.3 major engine requirements to run Fuel,Compression,ignition.When checking spark at night is best as you can easily see wether you have the correct type of spark,Blue and if its quite you will hear the spark as well.Your fault is consistant with ignition module,coil or lack of power to ignition.Faulty modules will give a spark but its too weak to ignite fuel and the spark will be yellow in color.Let me know how it goes.Good luck

Paul W

• 404 Answers
• Posted on Jan 04, 2009

SOURCE: 1996 jetta runs very rich

Hi!
From your brief desription I feel maybe the problem is located elsewhere, however to start helping with your request you could possibly purchase some intake cleaner, there are quite a few on the market that vary in cost. I have had fantastic results with (Hot Shot Power Boost) it is a tall aerosol can not too expensive and you spray it sensibly directly into to your intake manifold or down the throat of Carburated Engines whilst running on tickover.(Follow instructions fully)
Another way is to use additives in the fuel but this is time consuming and takes forever to achieve results, finally you could remove the whole intake system and clean it with solvents in a parts washer?
I feel the main reason possibly is Engine Breathing, when an engine wears the bores and piston rings allow gasses to pass into the crankcase therefore pressurising the engine slightly, this forces oil out of any weak area's and mainly from breather pipes such as into air intake.
Maybe a good engine oil flush and quality oil replacement with filter might help but in the long run you'll have to live with it.
If when warm you take the pipe from the engine to the Air filter off does is blow blueish vapour? if it does then you could filter it away from the intake to save clogging.
Good Luck!
Hope this FixYa's problem?
Paul 'W'

SOURCE: 96 jetta treck wont start ( radio written SAVE )

I will work with some assumptions here.Your radio has a hole in each corner of it.Use nails and insert into the holes.GENTLY pull radio out and there should be a sticker on the body of the radio with a 4 number code.Write it down and put the radio back into the dash.Hold the scan and mode button in at the same time and the word SAFE will go away.Now,your station preset buttons are the keyboard.Push the #1 preset repeatedly until the first number in your code is displayed.then on to 2 for the 2nd and so on.After you put in your 4 number code,hold in scan and mode again and in about 2 seconds,tunes!!!!!You might get lucky and call your local vw dealer with the VIN of your car.They might have your code on file.Will save you a lot of trouble as the radio is not easy to remove.
best of luck!!!

SOURCE: smoke from the vents after upper heater hose replaced

Smoke through the vents indicates a heater core issue. If you are losing coolant and / or getting coolant inside the car (check the floor boards) this would tend to confirm a heater core. Best of luck to you.

SOURCE: I have a 1999 VW Jetta that keeps running hot. I

Is the cooling fan comming on?
It must.