Author |
Message |
elsyr Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2008 Posts: 270 Location: North Florida
|
Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 4:52 pm Post subject: Engine reinstalled - now stalling out |
|
|
Well, we finally got Brunhilde ('89 Carat) and her engine reacquainted, with all of the plumbing and wiring reconnected, and today was the big day to refill her fluids and start her up. Well, she starts, but she doesn't STAY started. She'll run for a few seconds, and sound GREAT (as good or better than she sounded before her heart surgery), then die out. She also does not respond properly to opening the throttle ... the response is very sluggish. My mechanic buddy who's been helping me with the work says it has every indication of fuel starvation, which is very curious. She never had a problem with her fuel system before (it was the coolant system that caused me grief), and I've replaced all lines, the regulator, the filter, etc.
Anyway - anybody have any thoughts on what could be causing this? Is there something in the ECU that needs to be reset after a long battery outage? Am I missing somethign ridiculously obvious?
Thanks,
Doug _________________ '89 Carat "Brunhilde" |
|
Back to top |
|
|
wbx Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2005 Posts: 1254 Location: Monterey, CA
|
Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 6:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Is the AFM plugged in? (Something I seem to always forget to do)
Is the timing set correctly? Where is it set at? _________________ '84 Westy (first owner).......but my daily driver has pedals
My "perspective" mantra:
A Volkswagen Vanagon is just a material thing,
As such, it is of the earth,
And if i need to, I can let my Van go. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
elsyr Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2008 Posts: 270 Location: North Florida
|
Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 4:39 am Post subject: |
|
|
Yup - everything is connected. The timing should be good - we set it at 5 before TDC using the notches on the pulley. It also doesn't sound when it's running, like the timing is off. That's what's so weird - when it runs it sounds perfect. It just doesn't run for long. I'm really wondering if my new pressure regulator is defective. I think we may swap the old one back in next and see what happens.
Doug _________________ '89 Carat "Brunhilde" |
|
Back to top |
|
|
BillM Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 1381 Location: Stonington,CT
|
Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 6:30 am Post subject: |
|
|
Start with the basics:
Make sure all your grounds are good and in place like the transmission strap etc.
Verify that that everything is plugged in and just don't assume. Wiggle each connector at the afm,distributer,temp2,etc.
Then verify fuel pressure and delivery
Check for spark
If still won't run you need run the meter down the ecu connector following the trouble shooting guide that's available online. Even if you know you replaced or checked a componet already verify it again with your meter. It may seem time consuming at this point but I think it will lead you in the right direction. Plus this is stuff every vanagon owner should know how to do. At least your in your driveway and not along the interstate somewhere.
Bill
Zetec turbo |
|
Back to top |
|
|
wbx Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2005 Posts: 1254 Location: Monterey, CA
|
Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 8:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
elsyr wrote: |
That's what's so weird - when it runs it sounds perfect. It just doesn't run for long. I'm really wondering if my new pressure regulator is defective. |
I have to second what BillM is saying - troubleshoot. The solution is there somewhere. The FPR is super easy to test by just hooking up a gauge to the the fuel line test port.
Do you have the bentley manual? _________________ '84 Westy (first owner).......but my daily driver has pedals
My "perspective" mantra:
A Volkswagen Vanagon is just a material thing,
As such, it is of the earth,
And if i need to, I can let my Van go. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
elsyr Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2008 Posts: 270 Location: North Florida
|
Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 11:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
Yup - have the Bentley and we're going to guage the fuel pressure tomorrow. I was hoping that there was something painfully obvious I was just missing, especially since fuel flow was never a problem before the engine came out. That said, given that everything has sat for damned near a year while the engine got rebuilt, who knows what might have changed.
Doug _________________ '89 Carat "Brunhilde" |
|
Back to top |
|
|
wbx Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2005 Posts: 1254 Location: Monterey, CA
|
Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 12:37 pm Post subject: |
|
|
A couple more questions:
After the engine dies after a couple seconds, does it fire right back up again?
What happens if you unplug the O2 sensor? There isn't much that happens in the couple second range, but the O2 sensor going closed loop is one of them... _________________ '84 Westy (first owner).......but my daily driver has pedals
My "perspective" mantra:
A Volkswagen Vanagon is just a material thing,
As such, it is of the earth,
And if i need to, I can let my Van go. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
elsyr Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2008 Posts: 270 Location: North Florida
|
Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 12:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
wbx wrote: |
A couple more questions:
After the engine dies after a couple seconds, does it fire right back up again?
What happens if you unplug the O2 sensor? There isn't much that happens in the couple second range, but the O2 sensor going closed loop is one of them... |
Yup - it does indeed fire right back up again. We'll take a look at the O2 sensor as well. Having stripped the engine down to the point of replacing the connecting rods and built it back up from there, it is (to say the least) off-putting to have it start then stop like that, but we'll get it figured out. On the plus side, it DOES run at least a little.
Doug _________________ '89 Carat "Brunhilde" |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Captain Pike Samba Member
Joined: December 30, 2003 Posts: 3341 Location: Talos IV, Piedmont Arizona
|
Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 12:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Double check the brake booster line. _________________ LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
.....................All Current....................... |
|
Back to top |
|
|
ajdenette Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2009 Posts: 768 Location: Hope Valley RI
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
elsyr Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2008 Posts: 270 Location: North Florida
|
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 6:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
ajdenette wrote: |
Sounds like a major vacuum leak i had a similar issue with i did the clutch on my subyaru |
Well, we didn't hear anything that sounded like a vacuum leak, but that of course doesn't mean there isn't one ... hopefully the fuel pressure test will tell us something.
Doug _________________ '89 Carat "Brunhilde" |
|
Back to top |
|
|
BillM Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004 Posts: 1381 Location: Stonington,CT
|
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 7:51 am Post subject: |
|
|
Doug,
I dont know if you will hear the vacumn leak right away. Double check that your boot from the afm to the throttle body is on good. Take a look at the brake booster as suggested earlier. Do you by chance have your fuel lines on backwards? As silly as this stuff seems it has happened to the best of us. Good luck with the engine today. Dont let it get you down,make it motivate you!! Dont be afraid to step away if it frustrates you and regroup your thought,have a beer,smoke a bong,drink a cup of coffee what ever mellows you out. Let us know what you find.
Bill
87 Westy
Zetec Turbo |
|
Back to top |
|
|
elsyr Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2008 Posts: 270 Location: North Florida
|
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 7:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
BillM wrote: |
Doug,
I dont know if you will hear the vacumn leak right away. Double check that your boot from the afm to the throttle body is on good. Take a look at the brake booster as suggested earlier. Do you by chance have your fuel lines on backwards? As silly as this stuff seems it has happened to the best of us. Good luck with the engine today. Dont let it get you down,make it motivate you!! Dont be afraid to step away if it frustrates you and regroup your thought,have a beer,smoke a bong,drink a cup of coffee what ever mellows you out. Let us know what you find.
Bill
87 Westy
Zetec Turbo |
Too funny - having the fuel lines on backwards was the first thing we checked. I also checked that I'd put the new fuel filter in in the right direction. Both were right, but were they not, it would not have been the first time we've done something goofy.
Doug _________________ '89 Carat "Brunhilde" |
|
Back to top |
|
|
VW Fanman Samba Member
Joined: November 26, 2010 Posts: 93 Location: deep denial
|
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 8:46 am Post subject: |
|
|
elsyr wrote: |
Too funny - having the fuel lines on backwards was the first thing we checked. |
How's that possible? I ask because I just changed the fuel lines on mine. _________________ What have I gotten myself into? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
elsyr Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2008 Posts: 270 Location: North Florida
|
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 8:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
VW Fanman wrote: |
elsyr wrote: |
Too funny - having the fuel lines on backwards was the first thing we checked. |
How's that possible? I ask because I just changed the fuel lines on mine. |
We might have had the supply and return from the tank reversed.
Doug _________________ '89 Carat "Brunhilde" |
|
Back to top |
|
|
VW Fanman Samba Member
Joined: November 26, 2010 Posts: 93 Location: deep denial
|
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 8:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
elsyr wrote: |
VW Fanman wrote: |
elsyr wrote: |
Too funny - having the fuel lines on backwards was the first thing we checked. |
How's that possible? I ask because I just changed the fuel lines on mine. |
We might have had the supply and return from the tank reversed.
Doug |
Ah... from the tank. Got it. Thanks. _________________ What have I gotten myself into? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
wasserbox Samba Member
Joined: April 08, 2008 Posts: 533 Location: Durango, CO
|
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 9:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
Is the fuel pump running after the initial key-on pressurization? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
jpwerks Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2009 Posts: 56 Location: Pacific Grove,Ca
|
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 7:07 pm Post subject: engine stalling out |
|
|
VACUUM LEAKS !!!!! _________________ 81' single cab 1.8T Syncro (converted)
85 Vanagon 1.8T
55 chevy
2008 330i BMW
2000 jetta 1.8T
2004 Golf 2.0 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
svxcarat Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2009 Posts: 127 Location: San Francisco
|
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 7:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
wasserbox wrote: |
Is the fuel pump running after the initial key-on pressurization? |
good idea |
|
Back to top |
|
|
jimbelmont Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2008 Posts: 83 Location: Encinitas CA
|
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 7:57 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I had a very similar problem with my rebuild. Turned out I did not have the distributor installed deep enough into the case to fully engage the distributor drive shaft. It would start, run really rough at anything off idle, then die. I fiddled around with the distributor thinking it was timing when "thunk" it dropped lower into the case. Ran perfect after that. Something to check. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|