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4K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  tatsu 
#1 ·
My wife's '96 Jetta GL 2.0 has been having some problems lately. I think I've fixed part of the problem, but still having some power issues.

At first, the car would stutter really bad. It wouldn't die, just seemed like it was gasping for air and wouldn't accelerate. Hooked it up to Vag-com and it was getting a P0103 MAF code, along with a bunch of misfire codes (P0300, P0303, P0304 I think). Cleaned the MAF, put it back in, cleared the codes, and drove it around without any problems for about an hour before it started stuttering and having the same problems again. This time I got only a P0102 MAF code.

Got a new (used) MAF out of a wrecked 97 Golf, cleaned it, installed it, drove it around and had the same stuttering issues. This time though, the MAF code didn't come back, only the misfire codes.

The very next day, I tried to drive it again without doing anything from the day before. The car ran great! No power loss, acceleration was great, no codes.

This morning I decide to drive it to work. All in all it went pretty well, but the acceleration I could tell wasn't all the way where it should be, especially going up hills.

Do you think that it suddenly worked because the engine needed to just be cycled a few times after the new MAF was put in? What could be causing the lack of power still? Spark plugs? Coils maybe?
 
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#2 ·
Im going out on a limb, But hows the distributor cap? is it on tight? I washed my old 96's motor once and moisture got in it and it ran like crap until i dried it out. Misfire codes and all. Moisture getting in the cap would cause this. Check it out and let us know.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I actually just did that. The contacts weren't in the best shape, so I cleaned them all off with a little sandpaper and put it all together again (they didn't want to make that back clip easy!). Took it out for a test and didn't notice any change. I think I'm going to try new spark plugs next.

The main problem ended up being a bad Cat. Had it replaced today and it's running great. Took it home and replaced all the spark plugs and wires and it seems nice and smooth now and at full power.
 
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