TheSamba.com :: View topic - New to 914

Wed Apr 10, 2013 7:06 am

New to working on 914's, been doing beetles for a long time.

Helping a friend tune up his '71 with the 1.7 motor. Currently, two red lights on dash are flashing every time I turn the key on - left side, top of dash panel, one has a little "B" label under it, the other has no label (although maybe they're the same light, just takes up two sections of the indicator panel, don't know).

Motor cranks, does not start. No sound of any cylinders firing. He drove it to my place yesterday, left it outside, and now I can't get the thing started and he's on a 5-day work shift out of town, so he's no help to me.

Tried a bit of starting fluid in the air intake, not a single sputter, just the starter motor turning over and over.

Any thoughts? Are these lights linked to something that might prevent starting? What do they mean, and why would they blink with the key in? Any thoughts on where to start with the starting issue?

Thanks for any input :-)

Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:02 am

The two section light "B"is a single warning for brakes. There is a switch at the back of the handbrake lever controling this lamp and another switch at the brake master cylinder for the dual circuit which also can put the lamp on at failure.
Release the handbrake and check that switch first.

No this lamp should not prevent the engine from starting. Since the Engine does not respond to the fluid I would check the spark next.

D-jet or carbs?

/Lars

Wed Apr 10, 2013 1:38 pm

D-jet

Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:20 pm

Update to situation - motor was flooded to the moon. Had to put a jump box on it and hold the throttle down and crank for ever to get a sputter. Finally did get it started, ran for a bit. Started on the tune up, after it sat for another couple hours, exact same thing - had to crank for ever to get a sputter even, acted like it was flooded again.

Not knowing really anything about this fuel injection system, is there any way it could be flooding every time the motor is shut off, or when the key is turned on, or when ???

Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:31 pm

I would first check the Cold start valve.
The best source to D-jet info is at pbanders site:
http://members.rennlist.com/pbanders/djetparts.htm#troubleshoot

There is a Troubleshooting Table there and LOTS of other info.

Please let us know how it turns out, thanks.

/Lars S

Thu Apr 11, 2013 6:40 am

Hmm, looking at that troubleshooting table sounds like that could be the source, will try checking that. Where is the switch located?

Thu Apr 11, 2013 7:08 am

The Cold start switch is just under the Cold start valve.
The valve is only activated when the starter motor operates AND the Engine block is cold (thermo switch closed).
It could be that the valve is faulty/leaking/stuck open or the thermo switch does not break the circuit even if the block is not cold. Its easy to disconnect the wire from the switch but to see if the valve is leaking you will have to unscrew it.

/Lars S

Thu Apr 11, 2013 4:01 pm

The D-jet is a pain... there could be lots of issues with it. its old! i fought with D-jet on my '70 and i finally gave up and went with a single carb... fixed the problem.

i would start with fuel... make sure its getting it.

vacuum is the next thing.... with the d-jet. its leaks from everywhere, and d-jet relys on it.

Thu Apr 11, 2013 9:44 pm

broomhandle wrote: The D-jet is a pain... there could be lots of issues with it. its old! i fought with D-jet on my '70 and i finally gave up and went with a single carb... fixed the problem.

i would start with fuel... make sure its getting it.

vacuum is the next thing.... with the d-jet. its leaks from everywhere, and d-jet relys on it.

Yes the D-jet CAN be a pain, but it dont have to. Most issues can be handeled quite easy there are tons of help to get on the net ...and a proper D-jet will give you a wery safe start, good cold running, quick throttle response and most hp per gallon (aftermarket injection systems not counted). Also some people (like me) like to keep their cars close to original.

If you ask the question at the biggest resource (www.914world.com) you will have about as many against as for D-jet...

I dont thing lack of fuel is a problem for this car since the engine was flooded.

There are a lot of D-jet step for step manuals out there theese are from Bowlsbys great site:

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zTN_Man04.pdf
http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zTN_Man13.pdf

/Lars S

Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:37 am

i agree. D-jet can be great. and FI is better MPG/HP

my exp with D-Jet, i had 2 70/71... 71 was fine. and the 70 was just a mix of tons of parts... so i took it off. i kept fixing all the leaks and seals etc... it never ran right.

i have 2 sets of D-jet and brand new rebuilt yellow injectors if anybody is interested.... haha

i currently have no running 914's... :(

Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:06 am

The first thing to check if a djet car is flooding or really rich at start up is the CHT sensor as its bad. $20 part that tells the ECU the engine temperature. A bad one means "Full rich" and it will barely start as the engine floods unless you hold the throttle wide open turning it over and then it runs like crap as the mix is too rich.