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Burning Lean? Rich?
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drs1023
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PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 8:47 am    Post subject: Burning Lean? Rich? Reply with quote

I've torn VW engines apart for 4+ decades, and this is a first for me. The picture shows number 3 & 4 pistons from my 1641 which sees limited duty as a woods buggy. Road miles is under 50 and woods time is probably 20 hours total over the last 18 months or so. The engine has an Engle 110 cam, SVDA electronic and a main jet sized 130. New Mahle 87's installed as well. When I put it together, it had all new valves, guides, springs, keepers, etc., Golden Eagle .010/.010 crank, balanced rotating assembly within 1 gram between all cylinders. I always expected it to run smoother and wrote the roughness off to the cam. I never saw any oil smoke from # 4, but it appears to either be running very lean on one cylinder. 1 & 2 are similar to # 4. The plugs all appear to be from a rich mixture. (no pic) Compression is 120 # + all 4 cylinders. I didn't see anything in the dual port intake to stop up # 3. Whattaya' think?
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Glenn73
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PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 9:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks like you were only truly running on 3 cylinders.
If you had all 4 firing #3 would be covered in carbon too.
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jlex
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PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 10:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bad plug or wire leading to that cylinder that prevented detonation? Distributor cap look okay?
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drs1023
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PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 10:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

18 months ago, I installed new wires (generic 8 mm silicone), cap (generic, yellow and cute), Bosch coil, and NGK plugs. I am running the coil from a ballast resistor, but that's recommended to keep from frying the electronic ignition. I realize that's long enough for something to go bad, but there are so few miles on the engine, I am assuming all OK. I hooked up my spark tester, and all 4 wires are firing when the engine is running. I did this a few months ago to find a bad e3 plug I installed. (overpriced mistake). I put the NGK's back in. If I am missing a cylinder, those other three really are working great. Being about 500 pounds lighter than a beetle, this thing will MOVE!

I tore the engine down due to low oil pressure. I think I should have had the engine line bored before first assembly. The oil pressure drops close to nothing (electric gage close to "0" and light stays on @ 900 rpm) when hot even with all new bearings, pump, DOPR springs and plungers, etc.
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