Looking for some ideas here. My niece's 2001 Golf 2.0 NA 5 spd manual has an intermittent won't-run condition. On Tuesday, it just died while driving at ~30 mph on a city street, and it would crank but not fire. She got help pushing it into a parking lot, and when I got there 6 hours later to look at it, it started and drove fine. Today, it died again sitting at a traffic light. After getting it towed to my house, it fired up again for me a few hours later.
A few months ago, there was a rough running problem and a misfire code. I replaced the spark plugs and it seemed happy. A month or so ago it ran rough and showed the code again, so I replaced the coil pack, and again it seemed happy.
There are no codes with the new problem. I'm guessing it's the fuel pump, but it's hard to diagnose that when it runs again a few hours later.
Anyone have any ideas of what to look for or how to make the failure permanent so I can find it?
First two things that come to mind is the fuel pump and the crank/cam sensor. Might have to put a fuel pressure gauge on it and go for a long ride.
Not sure anymore but VWvox use to be a good source of information at one time.
Paul
Thanks. I was thinking fuel pump, the new coil pack, or a sensor. The coil pack is the only thing that seems likely to have an intermittent problem, but it's new. I don't know anything about the sensors. Are they prone to intermittent problems? Are fuel pumps?
I may have to try the fuel pressure gauge. Hopefully there is a convenient Schrader valve.
Bad ignition switch, electrical and mechanical parts.
I'm going to toss my hat in the ring for a bad ignition coil. Keep in mind that I have no direct experience with Golfers, and I didn't even stay in a Holiday Inn last night! 
The reason I don't think it's the coil is they tend to just die, but this one might be a walking wounded. As for the fuel pump and crank/cam sensors they tend to be more prone to these kind of shenanigan.
YMMV
It appears to have been the crank sensor. Thanks for the suggestions.
Ugh, it died again this evening. So much for the crank sensor diagnosis. Now to get the car back to my place to try again.
I’m already so tired of this car...
When it dies, what happens when you try to start it? Does it spin over at all? Any thing at all? What happens when it does start? Time passes only? Any issues with odd dash lights, radio inoperable at times? Is there an alarm system on it? Any previous body damage?
In reply to vwcorvette :
When it dies, it then cranks just fine, but it doesn’t fire. The first time, it fired up normally after sitting for about 6 hours. The second time it started a couple hours later after it was towed to my place. The third time, it hasn’t started again yet but there hasn’t been an opportunity to try after a half hour or so after it died. So far it hasn’t thrown any codes at all.
The car is pretty beat up with the last incident being a bump at the left front which tore off the side marker light. There aren’t any other goofy electrical issues, and there are no aftermarket electronics.
Sounds like a fuel supply issue. Clogged filter at the fuel pump/trash in the tank?
Check the wiring and fuse block on top of the battery. Often they overheat but don't blow. Could be losing contact after time then dies. Car sits then contact is regained? I'm at a bit of a loss on this one.
When you turn the key to the "on" position (not "start") can you hear the fuel pump ? Every VW I've owned you could hear it run for a few seconds and then shut off. If you can't hear it find the fuel pump relay and jiggle that to see if the pump reacts.
So last night while I was trying to drive it home, it died on a freeway offramp. After a tow home and dinner it started again but fortunately died 10 minutes later while idling.
Its easier to check spark than fuel so we started there, and no spark. Poking around the coil I replaced a few weeks ago, I found that I could push the control connector a noticeable amount farther together. Lo and behold, spark was back and it ran. We drove it some last night and a lot more tonight, and I’m hopeful it’s fixed.
Now I’m crossing my fingers. I guess it’s my fault for not doing the coil swap well.
sounds to me like a bad anti-theft security system.
most of those systems cut either fuel or spark when then proper chip isn't around so that the car won't start but will spin over. It could be malfunctioning and causing the car to cut spark/fuel/injectors etc as soon as it looses the signal. then later cranks back up once the security has reset and is working again.
happens all the time on 97-05 fords......... maybe VWs too?
