Buying a 95 TSI that has a problem, help me dignose it please.

[Turbo_Joe]

OK, I bought a Black 95 Talon TSI today, super great shape, 100% stock, some girls car. She said she was driving it last summer and she came to a stop light and it died and was hard to start. She was able to eventually get it started though after a while. She also said it became hard to start in the mornings & she would have to allow extra time in the mornings to get it started for school. Well her dad just parked the car and bought her a new one. It has been sitting sense last summer. I personally have yet to pick the car up though. I'm going to get it this weekend. I was wanting to go ahead and get some ideas on what the problem might be. This car is in perfect shape but it does have 150,000 mile on the clock. I feel it was still well worth the $500 I paid for it being a good clean unmolested 2G DSM turbo car with nice black paint, new tires, and perfect interior. So if any one has any ideas what I should check for when I go to get it started please let me know. I cant wait to get it running and do a good tune up and detail it out with my Zaino products. Then I can begin modding it or sell/trade for my real dream DSM, A 1st gen AWD 5 speed Talon/Laser/Eclipse... Thanks guys...

 

[tommy260]

First off congrats on the purchase. You need to start off by replacing your plugs, plug wires, timing belt, and anything else that may have been neglected. As for the startup problem do a boost leak test and see what happens. Do all of that and let us know what happpens.
PS. If you find an awd you want and need to get rid of the 2g quick let me know

 

[Vandal]

Unfortunately that can be symptomatic of many different things. Check the obvious first. Compression, fuel pressure, boost leaks, CAS, etc and see if you can get any codes off the ECU. Twice I've had that problem with different results. Once it was from a head gasket that went bad, without the telltall white smoke. Not associating that with a gasket issue, I kept driving it, until I noticed exhaust boiling in the coolant reservoir. Second time, it was a ground wire that deteriorated.

Point is, you'll have to go through each step to narrow it down.

 

[98mitsuGSX-SD]

Good job on spotting a hell of a deal. That's about all I got. It's so vague I can't really recommend anything until you dive a lil deeper into the problem.

 

[Turbo_Joe]

Hmm, did a compression test and it seems I have no compression, like 40 psi.. ha.. I forgot to hold the gas down to open the throttle body for the turbo to blow in but I figure it should still be over 40 psi. Let me know if I should check it again with the TB open. I figure I would just detail it out, clean up the leather, take the crappy peeling purple tint off, Zaino that thing up to a nice deep shine then maybe sell it as is needing a head gasket for like $900-$1200 or do you think I should go ahead and break it down and through a 1G head on it with a big 16g, new timing belt, FMIC, 3" gm maf set up and a 3" turbo back exhaust. What would you do, I cant decide because my real passion lies in a AWD 5speed car that I have yet to acquire. Hmmm...thanks..

 

[mygsx2120]

1. Fix the car and then sell it, should be able to get some good money.
2.Change the headgasket yourself, if you have tools and some time you will be able to get plenty of help from us.
3. Forget the 1g head, more trouble than it's worth especially if you don't plan on keeping it. The 2g head is better imo anyway.
4. You should get $4-5 grand out of it, that's enought to find a nice 1g awd. Hell, I could sell you mine.