1986 1.8 CABRIOLET FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS
 

If this is not the proper place for this question will someone please inform me where to put it?

I let my Cabby sit for 4 years without even starting it. Bad, I know. Decided I wanted to go back to driving it but had a lot of fuel injection issues. Got it running fairly well for a couple of months and the fuel distributor died. Replaced that and now it runs like a scalded cat, when I can get it started. Very hard to start, in fact if it sits all night I have to release the fuel pressure on the line that runs from the center of the distributor to the drivers side of the warm up regulator. With that line cracked loose it starts right up. If it sits for just an hour or so during the day it will start but stumble badly for 3 or 4 minutes and then will recover and run just fine. I have tried 3 different warm up regulators. All from boneyards, but sure hate to buy an expensive rebuilt one if that is not the problem. I sure hope someone here can point me in the right direction. Sorry for the long winded post. Should be the last one this long. A picture of the line I have to loosen is circled and an arrow is pointing at it if I attached the photo correctly.

Mark

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RE: 1986 1.8 CABRIOLET FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS
 

Hi,
Are you talking about the added air for start regulator, or the cold start injector?
There's a big difference.
Earl

RE: 1986 1.8 CABRIOLET FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS
 

I'm talking about the WUR that is bolted to the block right next to the spark distributor. But I may also be having trouble with the cold start injector. It there any way to force it to spray a shot of fuel? I did not get an e-mail notification of your answering me, so that is why it took me so long to reply to you.

Thanx,
Mark

RE: 1986 1.8 CABRIOLET FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS
 

Do you have a service manual? If not, get one.
You can remove the cold start injector and put it in a large clear glass with the fuel line attatched, take the high tension wire from the center of the distributor and ground it, then have someone crank the COLD engine while you observe the injector.
Earl

RE: 1986 1.8 CABRIOLET FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS
 

Earl, first off thank you for your reply. I am leaning away from it being the 5th injector. It starts in the morning after sitting for about 12 hours with about 90 seconds of continuous cranking. But barely runs for about 3 or 4 minutes and then finds its idle and runs just fine. During the day after sitting for as little as an hour it will start up right away, but do the same, barely running for another 3 or 4 minutes. I can't find any vacuum leaks, it really runs quite well, but seems to have lost 4 or 5 mpg in the last few weeks. I have just had a new fuel distributor installed. The Vdub shop that did the work explained that it does not start right because it needs the warm up regulator. I do not have the money for another regulator. I have tried 2 from boneyards and find it hard to believe all 3 are bad. But why does releasing the pressure off of the warm up regulator allow it to start perfectly and go right to the correct idle. It is a real mystery to me, Someone must have an idea of where to look. Do you agree that the cold start valve (5th injector) will have nothing to do with it when the ambient temperature is 95 degrees and the car has only been turned off for 30 minutes?

RE: 1986 1.8 CABRIOLET FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS
 

Hi,
If it runs rough after grinding on the starter that long, it sounds like it's flooded?
Never step on the throttle when starting! I have no clue, other than to prove the tech right or wrong by replacing the regulator???
Earl

RE: 1986 1.8 CABRIOLET FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS
 

might be bad injectors
did you run any fuel cleaner?

RE: 1986 1.8 CABRIOLET FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS
 

About a gallon of it over several tanks of gas. Including that real high dollar stuff by Chevron. Tecron, I think it is.

RE: 1986 1.8 CABRIOLET FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS
 

I am really disgusted now. It has lost 7 mpg, down from 30 to 23 in the last few tanks of fuel. Now today I discovered that at 6500 rpm it is as if the key is turned off, just like the rev limiters used on race cars. But it also does not have the balls it used to have either. I am sure all of these problems are related and are something simple that no one can find. I very seldom have run the rpm up that high in the years I've owned it, but it never has shut off like that before. It was doing everything better when I first dug it out of the field where it sat for 4 years and all I replaced were a few leaking fuel lines and the battery. Now, about 1500 dollars later, needless to say I am in a real bad mood and trying to quit a 48 year old 3 pack a day cigarette habit too. No fun at all. http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/confused.gif

RE: 1986 1.8 CABRIOLET FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS
 

I've since learned that the fuel pump is designed to shut down at 6500 rpm, so that's one thing I have working correctly, but here's what I hope is the best news of all.

I do believe I (WE) fixed the damn thing. I don't know if I posted that I had found a vacuum leak, the one on the rear of the intake manifold that goes to the vacuum advance and 2 other spots. Well, it dawned on me that the import repair shop that charged me 523 bucks to replace my fuel distributor set up the air/fuel ratio with this vacuum leak. Real stupid of them, right? They will hear from me on this. I adjusted it properly today with the vacuum leak repaired and after sitting for a little over 2 hours it started perfect. No stumbling at all. Before my adjustments today if it were to sit for just 10 or 15 minutes it would start hard and stumble badly for several minutes. The proof will be in the pudding in the morning but I'm pretty confident that I got 'er boy!! Thank you kindly for all of your help and I sure hope I can return the favors somehow as I learn more about this little toy. If I do not post with any complaints in the morning then everyone can assume that it's fixed.It is not only starting like it's supposed to, it's running great too.
Mark http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/smile.gif http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/wink.gif http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/cool.gif