Stranded on the highway right now and need help - solved

[tootype2crazy]

I was just heading down the highway with engine turning at 3500 rpm. As I approached a hill I pressed the pedal down and started to lose power. I pulled over and shut it off and tried to restart it. It will run for a few seconds and die. I thought I was out of gas so my wife brought me some. I filled it up and it still will just start for a few seconds and die. Could it be vapor lock or am I looking at a tow home. Its a 2 liter with 79 federal fi. All vacuum hoses and wires are in place. Help please!
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[addison5429]

Ive got a 70 and mine does this if you floor it up hill. I believe it is a vapor lock. When it happened to me I took the fuel line off the carb let the gas in the line out into a container put the hose back on and it started right back up.
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[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate2-9652.png]Click to view image[/URL]

[tootype2crazy]

Bus
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[Wildthings]

Fuel injected engines do not get vapor lock as a rule, the pump can cavitate if the filter or tank outlet is clogged though. Try shorting to ground the wire running from the ECU to the TSII sensor. If your engine starts running fine, your TSII sensor is bad.

[tootype2crazy]

I tried grounding the ts2 but no change. I also took off the fuel pressure test hose and when I turn the engine over fuel comes out, but not when the key is in the 'on' position. I tried unplugging the vacuum from the pressure regulator and plugging it, no change. I tried jumping terminal 86b to 88a on the duel relay, no change. I just put a used coil on yesterday, would it behave this way if the coil were bad?
_________________
air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[busdaddy]

[Wildthings]

Remove and reinstall the wiring plug on the AFM

[tootype2crazy]

I got it towed home. The guy didn't hook it up right and it almost fell off the flat bed. Got a new dent and a ripped off bumper. This just isn't my night. I tried removing the afm plug and reinstalling, still just runs for a second and dies. I will really dig into it tomorrow. I suspect something is up with the fuel pump or the pressure regulator. Fuel pressure tests will tell more.
_________________
air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[tootype2crazy]

With the AFM top off and the key on, when you push the wiper on the AFM and it releases that ground on that copper prong, the fuel pump should run, right? Mine doesn't. I think I recalled testing it this way when I installed the system. Would this mean the double relay is at fault?
_________________
air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[WhirledTraveller]

Yes, the pump should run when you move the wiper. This is almost certainly your problem. Could be the double relay, or the wiring harness perhaps, or maybe a ground.
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1977 Westy, Automatic. Big Valve heads, CS Cam.

[Wildthings]

You should have 12V on one of the contacts in the AFM (the movable one I think?) when you have the key on. Once you open the flap in the AFM you should have power on both contacts.

On the double relay, you should have power on both terminals 88a and 86b when the flap in the AFM is held open.

[busdaddy]

[tootype2crazy]

I am out to check that now busdaddy. Thanks for your thoughts.
_________________
air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[tootype2crazy]

Well I fixed it, $75 and a new dent later. The little prong that contacts with its ground inside the AFM wasn't working. I only figured it out by sticking my test light probe inside the AFM on a few spots. I noticed when I stuck the probe in between the prong and its ground the fuel pump would run (with the key on). So I was like dang, there's the problem! I cleaned up the contact and put some dielectric grease on it and bam, it started right up. I wish I could have figured out that simple 1 minute fix on the highway.
_________________
air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[greenbus pilot]

[busmania]

If driving a bus daily, you really should consider AAA or other club. I get 4 tows per year. Use it one and it pays for itself. I just used it the other day when my single cab left me stranded. I'll bet AAA would make them pay for that new dent too. Nice job fixing it.

[Jockomo]

Seriously, make that idiot pay for your dent.

The one time I had my bus towed, the guy screwed up my bumper.
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'75 Westy with '78 2.0L engine.

[tootype2crazy]

Well the idiot is definitely going to pay. I drove the old bus today and I could hear a distinct exhaust leak getting louder and louder. By the end of the day it sounded like a freaking straight pipe. I get home today and look under the engine and, much to my horror, depression, anger and desire to kill someone, the main body of my passenger side heat exchanger is completely broken away at the pipes going into the head! I can't even describe in words how incredibly livid I am right now. I feel like throwing my laptop across the room. I JUST TOTALLY RESTORED MY HEAT EXCHANGERS LAST NOVEMBER. (See my thread on it) Now the passenger side one is a useless piece of trash. At least I think it is:

What do you think? There are some really skilled welders around the corner from my house. Should I try to have it repaired? Or should I get another one and restore it as I did this one?
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[tootype2crazy]

Bump
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[WhirledTraveller]

Sadly I think you're right, the heat exchanger is trash. I don't think welding is a viable option, for one thing I'm pretty sure those pipes aren't regular mild steel.
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1977 Westy, Automatic. Big Valve heads, CS Cam.