New to late Bays, many engine pics and problems, help needed!

[KTPhil]

OK, first time really diving into a late bus engine, but I am helping out a friend who bought his recently, and we are trying to get it running.

Bus is a later '76 Westy, California, automatic. Prior owner parked it, passed, family is selling. So history really unknown. It had sat for several years.

It cranks, and barely starts if we play with the timing and/or use starter fluid. It seems to be running dead rich, spewing vapors out the tailpipes, and even dripping gas from the left side heat exchange/muffler flanges, which are loose.

We used electrical tape and corks to seal up the worst of the vacuum leaks (like the S-pipe from the air flow sensor to the throttle body), at least so we could start it and see how she runs. Other than the rough running, backfiring, and raw fuel vapor spewing out, it sounds good... no knocks, clunks, etc. So we are trying to get it running enough to get it moved, then to a smog check (ugh, Cali requires it for '76-up), and then good running. Only light surface and body seam rust, so it seems worth trying to save her.

I spent a few hours going over FAQs, and searching threads relating to my suspected problems, but I still have questions. I am familiar with the D-Jet, but L-Jet and the Type 4 style motors are both new to me, so sorry for dumb questions or missed obvious issues, but here goes...

I couldn't find the engine number, but for the VIN range, it's probably a 2.0. Let's start with the top and rear views of the whole engine bay, if that helps (you can click on them twice to enlarge):

Lots missing, like:
- EGR hardware
- Decel Valve (so we routed/plugged hoses to solve massive vacuum leaks this caused)
- vac can on distributor, so probably a 009
- cover on AF sensor (we dropped a cardboard piece on it yesterday but it was open when we got it. By the way, the harness is unplugged in the photo, but that's just because we had the assembly out to tape up the leaks; we did plug it back in!

Not looking to make all right just yet, just answer why it is running so rich. So let's look closer.

Wire on left side I am guessing should go to TS2 (head temp sensor).

On D-Jet this will make it so rich it will not run.. Same here? Maybe this is our prime suspect?

Another failing item is the air flow sensor... it's missing the plastic top, and the fingers are not reaching the circuit card!

I verified this both visually and with a VOM at both the ECU connector and the air flow sensor itself. The fuel pump cutout works, but clearly none of the other pins will tell the ECU anything except "infinite resistance." Does this make it rich, or some default A/F mix, or ???

Minor PO hacks include air filter mount/return spring. I expect the present location for the spring is actually for a missing air filter box hold down clip?

Here is a photo of the other end, which looks wrong as well, since it sometimes binds there (and the missing EGR hardware... what's missing, and what's available?)

Looks like the accel cable barrel is installed wrong... I see where it looks like it should go, but the cable was too long for that. I'm guessing the PO bought the wrong cable, and this was his workaround?

Lastly, how do you time this thing without a scale?! PO made paint marks, probably TDC, but no way to do this with any precision. No top peephole, either.

Any other observations and suggestions are welcome!

[tommu]

You need a scale to time it properly. Unless that EGR is blocked off at the plenum you’re going have a huge vacuum leak there. I’d say you really need to properly fix your vacuum leaks before you do anything else. Smoke test is your best bet here.

You’re also missing the PCV oil breather and you have no carbon filter. You’re going to need to spend money on that engine to pass smog. No getting around it.
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[timvw7476]

Two things before you do anything else.
1, Foam perimeter gasket around the engine. If you run it on the road in the
summer heat in CA, you will want the engine compartment sealed from the
heat of the exhaust & heat exchangers.
2. The fuel you describe as leaking from the loose exhaust, you also need to
buy around sixteen feet of fuel line, the kind that holds 30-40 psi fuel pressure.
The old hardened brittle lines are a death trap for that 2.0 engine. Swap it all
out before a burn-down occurs.

[aeromech]

Stop!

If you continue like this you’ll probably burn up the engine. There is so much wrong that you’ll need to pull the engine and gas tank. Then reseal the engine and replace all the missing parts and bad rubber like the S boot for sure. There are no short cuts here. This one will be a long and expensive fix. Doing it without a run stand is going to make it all that much harder. Sorry but I know all this from experience
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[ivwshane]

As mentioned, the EGR at the very least needs to be blocked off and I'd imagine that goes for the breather box.

You can get the needed vacuum hoses from most of the venders if you want to go cheap. Personally I'd purchase replacement lines from a seller here named geebee.

If you haven't done so yet I would head over to ratwell.com and check out his vacuum line article, he's got a lot of pictures to help make it easy to see what parts you are missing.
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77 westy 2.0 FI
69 ghia coup 1600dp
70 single cab

[KTPhil]

Thanks, guys, all good suggestions! The caution about gas and vacuum leaks is understood; I've been preaching that for the Type 3 D-Jet literally for decades.

So we visually checked all the lines for leaks, tighten loose clamps, and made the list to replace the lines. I like the Gates Barricade hose and proper FI clamps (not band clamps), but for the next few trials, we'll live with the old stuff.

But right now I'm okay with a fragile, duct tape and chewing gum approach that will last long enough to determine the health of the engine. We haven't even done a compression test yet! And the richness makes it impossible to run for more than a few seconds, even to set timing better if I had a scale. Can one be printed out and bonded to the outer fan, at least long enough to get a calibration and paint mark? Is there template for these somewhere?

We need to get it to run long enough to make it a few miles on city streets, to get it to a place the engine could be pulled. No way it can be done where it is now. Once moved, pulling it is logical and I'm sure we will find more to clean/fix, and of course the job is way easier on the bench or stand, not bending my aging back into the compartment. This year Bus doesn't have the removable apron like my old split, but we'll manage. When it's out we'll straighten the tin and fit the foam.

As I understand it, the EGR is closed at idle, so I'm still chasing the super-rich root cause elsewhere. Maybe we can fashion an easy block off plate, or at least remove the linkage so it stays closed like at idle.

Reading here, I've convinced myself we need to get out a mirror and find TS2 and get it hooked up. Even grounding seems to be a better setup than an open lead, so next chance we'll try that.

Anyone seen an AFM (if that's the right acronym, airflow ) with the contact fingers not touching like that? They are all equal, and don't look like someone bent them crudely. I also have to think if the cover was off, the grit has ruined the wiper contacts and PCB material. I'm sure he'll need another unit.

So we are still figuring out what the story is for this engine. A few old removed and new spare parts tell us he may have been chasing this problem himself, and that's why it was parked.

Again, thanks for the once-over. We'll get there, and this gives us some priorities.

[Abscate]

Get a tow to the engine out. That’s one isn’t running soon

The AFM resistance tracks are completely gone, you might get it to idle but you won’t be driving it with that AFM
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.ssS!