[Vwdiesel] 1.6L cold start-idle speed?

[Smith, Michael]

Car is an old $100 86 Golf I hauled home a few weeks ago. I am doing some
repairs on it before taking it to the garage for inspection.



I was monkeying around with my cold start knob (at the pump end) and didn't
find any difference in idle speed moving the mechanism back and forth about
3/4" in either
direction.  Keep in mind, car has sat over 2 years and everything is very
rusty/crusty.  The knob in the car doesn't really do anything as the cable
is gummed up and the
mechanism @ the pump is all cruddy.(return spring not working...if there is
one)  I sprayed copious amounts of WD-40 and similar sprays at it, but it's
in bad shape, and hard to get to.

In any case, idle speed doesn't seem to change.  My best guess is that it's
@ about 1/3-1/2 setting. (Ie: equivalent to the knob being pulled out about
1/2 way)

Car seems to start fine @ 32'F/0'C..........will running the car with the
knob out 1/2-way all the time hurt anything?  Will it be worse on fuel?


Mike in NB,Canada