My first tow - ABA won't start [still not solved]

Paulbeard · Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 7:32 pm Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

OK, bone-tired as I am but curious nonetheless, I took another run at this. Meter ranges were set as the expected readings indicate.

According the above testing process, it looks like the primary circuit is OK, reads within spec, but the secondary fluctuates around some low numbers (not in the thousands) and then zeroes out.

√

SyncroButter · Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 9:01 pm Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

Double check your engine grounds... I only say this because I know you just replaced your transmission, and trans is the location of one of the two factory ground "braids" so possible it wandered off somehow.
_________________
Grant
In the stable: 1986 Syncro Westfalia/Bostig, 1989 Doka Tristar, 1974 Vespa Rally 200, 1973 Vespa Primavera 125, 1963 Solex 2200, 1938 Buick Special
Gone but not forgotten: 1989 Porsche 944, 1973 Standard Beetle

Paulbeard · Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 9:17 pm Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

fxr · Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 7:56 am Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

Paulbeard · Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 6:03 pm Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

Well, I was half right when I said I had fuel. The pump and injectors were working but the injectors weren't in the head… Shocked

They weren't pointing up when I found them, this is just for narrative purposes. But they were all disconnected.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

The rail is held in place by the rubber seals at the injector(?). Not sure I like that much. Would a backfire or three push those out? Not great to think of my attempts to start with the injectors dumping gas all over…

And here are the duff plugs I pulled. It was a job getting those broken electrodes out of the wires.

It runs, though. Badly, but it runs. The coil is toast. I checked it again and as before the secondary shows all kinds of values before ending at 1 (out of range) or 0. Neither are in spec.

So the correct plugs (these replacements are not what I pulled out: should have done that first) and a coil are needed now. The plugs I bought don't go in as far. These BP6ET ones seem hard to find. FLAPS doesn't let me look up by part number, insisting on matching my vehicle (not ideal with an engine swap). So Amazon got the sale on a similar set of NGKs.
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

dhaavers · Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 7:46 pm Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

Wow...your rig is chock full of odd issues. Never heard of the last three of these...

(Nothing personal...just sayin.) <shrug>

- Dave
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

Paulbeard · Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 7:51 pm Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Benign neglect by the PO, age, and my own lack of understanding are all factors. Who owns anything long enough to wear out the ignition coil these days? We'll fix this stuff and go on to the next thing.
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

dhaavers · Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 7:58 pm Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

^^^ Indeed... "Git 'r DONE!" & see you out on the ROAD!

Cool

- Dave
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

Paulbeard · Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:00 pm Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

kamzcab86 · Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:18 pm Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

Paulbeard · Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:23 pm Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

BKR5EGP is what I have on order…so that should be alright.

This has been quite an adventure. I'm really glad this happened less than a mile from home vs 100 miles and a ferry trip away…
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

kamzcab86 · Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:28 pm Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

Abscate · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 4:16 am Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

tjet · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 4:35 am Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

Paulbeard · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 6:35 am Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

The coil may have been at the root of all this but the broken plugs were all my doing. I suppose some new wires are in order as well. The fact this has happened before (though not as severely as this) is puzzling.

Shaking my head at how much worse this could have been, either in severity or just timing.
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

jberger · Samba Member Joined: November 17, 2003 Posts: 2476

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Those plugs were already broken inside when you went to yank them out. I’m 99.9% sure.

J

Paulbeard · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 7:09 am Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

danfromsyr · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 7:45 am Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

your fuel rail should be bolted/secured down. else YES it can pop out from a back fire (caused by plug/coil issues)

also maybe a good time to replace the injector rubber seals. it's a easy place to get a vac leak that will impact driveability.

might want to ask the TIICO guys what they use to secure their rail, but really anything that exerts a little down pressure for the injectors into the seals would suffice. a stiff strap of metal from the threaded holes in the intake should work.

Paulbeard · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 6:04 pm Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

Pulled the old coil today…I suspect it's OG, unmolested since the day this rig rolled off the assembly line.

The upper 10mm screw on the bracket refused to come out, spinning merrily, while the bottom one was fine. I was able to undo the retaining bolt (8mm) that tightens the bracket and pull the coil out that way.

It's always something.
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

Paulbeard · Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 5:43 pm Post subject: Re: My first tow - won't start

The hits just keep on coming…

New coil and plugs arrived today. The coil went in but the plugs (BKR5E) did not…the terminal can't be unscrewed as on the BR6ES ones I had, so finished swapping BR6ES ones in. Turns out all four of the old plugs were broken. WTF would cause that?

Got it started but it was very rough, strong smell of unburned fuel, high idle (about 1500). It let it run for a minute and then stopped it. It refused to start again. Can you flood a fuel injected motor? I didn't test the coil beforehand but since it started once, I'm assuming for the moment it's good.

Anyway, that's the state of play. Not sure what to look at next.
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs


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My first tow - ABA won't start [still not solved]
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