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I am posting this in General so I dont offend the air cooled forum police...lol To make this short, does anyone know whether a 2001 golf GTI will run or start with the crankshaft position sensor unhooked....I will explain later....
Yancey
I don't know about a 2001 Golf...but my 1999 Jeep Cherokee will only "crank" (not start) if the crankshaft position sensor is not plugged in. I had the "privilege" of replacing the crankshaft & camshaft position sensors about 2 years ago. I do know that when the crankshaft position sensor is failing...that the engine will run...but will sporadically/randomly stall, and leave you stranded in some very inconvenient locations...but will start again after a random amount of time! 
- Nick
I believe that vintage VW needs the crank sensor, but not the camshaft (hall in distributor). It will run fine with the hall sensor disconnected, but needs the crank signal to start.
I believe you guys are right....I will explain now....A customer DROVE his Golf in and wanted me to check it out because it would die once in a while and sometimes when he started it it would sputter around a bit and then run ok.....I didnt find anything wrong but when he went to leave it would not start at all.....after he left the car with me I looked at the crank sensor and the wire to it was missing a section of wire about 4 inches long, like it had been cut in two places....there is NO way it could have have happened at my shop and I cant say how long it has been cut....(a little twilight zone music here) So thats my story, I have a new sensor ordered and will let you know what happens after I install it.
Yancey
OK, heres the deal.....I replaced the crankshaft position sensor and it started right away and ran good, I heard from a trusted source that the car would RUN the way the sensor wire was cut, but would not start, the wire was long enough to get caught in the cooling fan so I assume it got caught in the fan and was severed while he was driving to my shop...a VERY good bit of luck for the customer as it saved him a tow bill, lol
Yancey
Thanks for the update Yancey. That is an interesting detail...that the car will run but won't start with the crankshaft position sensor wire broken/cut.
So maybe if you could install one of those old manual engine cranking handles (like on an old Model-T Ford)...then the owner of the Jetta wouldn't need a new sensor...they would just need to crank it manually! Ha ha. 
Of course the install of that manual crank would cost a lot more than a new sensor!
- Nick
I forgot to mention that the engine CRANKED but wouldnt start I am sorry I forgot to add that tidbit of info, lol
Yancey
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