Problem with 90 Carat

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I have been away from Vanagons for a while (but you always come back to them, don't you?).

I'm trying to get one back on the road and scratching my head over it.

Wife loves it, so it's important to get this operational again.

Details:

High mileage 90 Carat, 2.1L w/Auto Trans.

I have compression in 4 cylinders 3/4 side is excellent (150psi), 1/2 side is low (90psi), but not enough to be causing this.

New plugs

Good spark

Excellent plug wires.

Good fuel pressure (new fuel pump, 2 filters, I put gauge on the system to make sure), I have ~40psi with no pulsing.

I am not firing on 3&4. I have 10x checked firing order. Prior to being parked, it ran fine then all of a sudden barely ran/started. I had fuel system problems (fuel tank issues, since corrected).

I suspect an injector ground or something similar, but am not sure where they are nor how to test (I do have the big Yellow Bentley, but wanted guidance from the Samba first). I used to know this stuff but have forgotten it in the last 5 years.

It will come back fast, but I need some expert guidance to get me back on the path.

TIA

John
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[morymob]

Good spark?.is that to 3 and 4? If so pull injectors off that side, hold them3-4 inches from a piece of cardboard and have someone crank for a couple sec at most and u should see spray pattern. U need gas,spark and compression = fired cyl.

[Terry Kay]

Pull the injectors on those holes and take a look at the spray patteren.
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T.K.

[[email protected]]

there is no spray on 3/4 injectors.

Now I don't know if there is a block resistor or ground somewhere for 3/4 like on the earlier FI, or if there is a common corroded connection somewhere.

1/2 side works, 3/4 side does not.
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[SyncroGhia]

Check the voltage to the injectors at the plugs and fault find from there.

You could also swap the injectors over to check that it's not an injector fault.

MG
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[[email protected]]

both injectors bad at same time? unlikely.

I will keep at it and report back.
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[funagon]

There's a fuel injection relay in the black box above the coil. if it fails I would expect that no injectors would fire. So I would suspect the wiring. in your van. Also look at a Bentley for tests on ECU/injection function. Sorry I can't be more helpful but I'm on the road without a Bentley or a Vanagon.
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1990 GL 7-passenger
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[[email protected]]

I checked and the injectors are getting 12V. I haven't been able to check the ground signal, my V-meter is almost dead.

I also swapped ECUs (for grins) since I had a spare, and no improvement.

I don't have any spare injectors, I threw some away trying to clean up this Sandford & Son similarities I have had around here. Thinking of where I can scrounge some.
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[Volksaholic]

Hey John... aren't you a Salt Lake or No. Utah boy?

Anyway, you've confirmed that you've got power to the injectors, but I don't see that you've tested the spray pattern as was suggested. Could be that they're plugged. You might not have spare injectors, but you certainly have 2 that are working on the other side. Swap them and see if the problem stays with the cylinders or the injectors. Best of luck... my wife would have hated my Splitties and Bays, but she loves the Wolfsburg!

Paul
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1988 Wolfsburg Edition, 2001 Subaru EJ251

[[email protected]]

yeah I'm in Salt Lake. Want to change them once, so I'll try to acquire some so I don't have to change them 2x LOL.

I'd be a pisser if that's all it was, I will report back my findings.
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[Volksaholic]

Well, I scrapped the 2.1 in favor of a Subie 2.5 and had the injectors (as well as other parts) kicking around until last week... otherwise I'd let you give them a try. They're in Quebec now... hopefully bringing another Vanagon closer to it's new life!

I can't recall if we've met at the swaps back before I dumped my aircooled collection. I may have met your brother at the DI in Sandy, pawing through a stack of LPs. At least I think I remember him saying his brother started or ran Aircooled.net. I was looking at a stereo system for the garage, but they wanted to sell it as a unit with the turntable & speakers... then I noticed this guy with a stack of LPs in his lap and asked him if he wanted to split the cost. Worked well for me... hopefully for him too!

Paul
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1988 Wolfsburg Edition, 2001 Subaru EJ251

[[email protected]]

LOL, that would be Jim (the black sheep of the wife's side of the family).

I will probably borrow the injectors from my Turbo Syncro (don't want to so Subi for Ground Clearance reasons), I am going to Megasquirt that thing and will put new injectors on it when I do.

I had extra injectors less than a month ago, but threw a TON of stuff out trying to lean out a bit.

[Volksaholic]

[[email protected]]

ok I got chumped.

I put 2 used injectors on it and it runs normal again! I've never had a clogged injector, let alone 2. So I feel stupid, I was convinced it was a wiring or electrical issue. Oh well, education is never ending isn't it?

now I have to replace the blown out Water Distribution piece just forward of the engine (that looks like fun), and I'll be able to drive this again. One of the items I threw out was (surprise) one of these Water Distribution Pieces.
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[Rocky Mountain Westy]

I will sell you a stainless tower and S hose for $85 if your inerested. Let me know
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The Splitzgauer build (when I have time to work on it and update the thread)

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=497133

[hdenter]

How old are the fuel lines? Two injectors on one side makes me think that something, either dirt or rubber, went down the fuel line and plugged both. Might want to flush or replace the lines.


Good Luck,

Hans
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'79 triple white convertible bug
'84 sunroof vanagon
'85 weekender

[SyncroGhia]

Good to hear it's up and running.

This happens to me too... I forget to look for the really obvious things and end up looking daft..

So long as it's fixed, who cares
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