Have Spark, Have fuel (injectors squirt) but no start.

[LotharB]

I have had my 1990 Vanagon 2.1L Digifant injection since it was new. Always did not own wrenching. I am at 245000 miles. The other day it just stopped running. I called AAA and had it flat bedded home. I checked the usual suspects, Hall sensor, distributor ECU, coil,fuel pump. In fact over the years I have accumulated spares, so all the above were changed out (one at a time so I do not add other problems).

Fuel pressure is 37 PSI.
Have plenty of spark...right at each spark plug.
Injectors have a nice pulsing cone spray.
Timing is correct.

I checked all the DC connections at the ECU connector, injectors and the temp. sensors resistances, including the hall sensor and the OX sensor. Everything checks out per the Bentley manual.

Everything checks out, but it does not start. When I crank it over, once in a while you hear slight ignition like it does have some life, but never really fires. Also when cranking you can smell the gas, like it might be too rich, which is why I started at the temperature sensors.

As there is spark, and fuel, it must be too rich to fire. Fuel is clean, with no water in the fuel.

One more caveat, while doing the trouble shooting, Once when I tried to start it, it fired right up, and ran and idled perfectly. But by the time I walked back to the engine it stopped, and the same no start symptom.

Everything checks out, but still no start. Must be something I am missing. Any help would be appreciated.

[DanHoug]

you're on the right track! first thing i'd do is change spark plugs or at least burn them off with a propane torch in case they are gas fouled.

-dan

[djkeev]

I too would suspect plugs.

Dave
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[WestfaliaMike]

when was the last time you changed your fuel filter? Bad fuel? Did you fuel up prior to the problems?

[E1]

All grounds okay?
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[Wildthings]

Check to see that the vacuum line to the FPR doesn't stink of fuel. If the diaphragm in the FPR is busted it will cause an extremely rich condition. A shorted sheath on the coax for the O2 sensor will also cause the engine to run very rich.

[crazyvwvanman]

I'm not far away, I could probably take a look.

Mark

[Jake de Villiers]

Have you tried a new ignition switch?
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[LotharB]

[bobbyblack]

Failing coil, perhaps.. I had one intermittent like that on an older VW, strangely not dead in the water, but would do some running and die

You have the Vanagon Syndrom pigtail, or have done the mod to the airbox?
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[MarkWard]

Can't account for why the engine quit, but trying to start an engine that has working injectors that won't start, will aggravate the no start problem. Each attempt to start sprays raw fuel into the combustion chamber. Essentially flooding the engine. It will begin to wash down the rings and they don't seal as well, battery voltage drops and your cranking speed slows, low battery voltage contributes to poor fuel pressure and weak spark. Sparkplugs also don't like getting wet.

So, the suggestion to replace the spark plugs is a valid one to get you running again. While they are out, with the fuel pump disabled, crank the engine to "dry" the cylinders out. Put in the new plugs reenable the fuel pump and my guess is the engine will start. Then you can go about trying to figure out why it quit on you.
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[LotharB]

Thank you Samba members. Did not have time in the last few days to look at my van. After reading the Samba input above, I decided to go back to the very basics, as I had everything required to have the engine run, but it did not.

First thing I did was to remove the distributor cap, hit my remote starter button to make sure it actually did rotate. It did. Lined up piston #1 to make sure timing as O.K. When I looked at the rotor, it was 180 deg. out? I have been working on VWs for decades and never had that happen. I think the distributor must not have been locked all the way down. Rotated the rotor back in it's original slot. Van started right up! I set the timing, and runs perfect. Now to put everything in the engine compartment where it belongs

Thanks guys!

[Wildthings]

[LotharB]

Actually, this was my mistake. About 1,200 miles ago I installed the distributor, but had it 180 deg. out. But as you were noting, it "caught" good enough on the dog gear to work.......at least for about 1.2 K miles, then it popped back to where it was supposed to be. Live and learn.