Confused over engine

[Jay-C58]

I don't know if anyone has ever experienced this before but yesterday I had an issue with my '77 2.0 FI Westy that has me scratching my head.

I recently had the points and fuel filter changed before a camping trip. Ran fine on for the 700km round trip journey. On Sunday, we decided to clean all the bug guts off the and clean the top which has be getting kind of grimy.

When we were almost finished I decided to go for a ride around the block to ensure all the dirty water drained off the top. Went around 3 blocks and on the way home it started bucking and bogging down a little. Got to my back alley, almost in the garage and the engine died. Wouldn't start and we had to push it in.

Later that night I was checking over some of the more simple things (vacuum and electrical connections and spark at the coil and the plugs) and everything checked out. If I tried to start it after sitting for an hour or so, it would fire for a second, die, and then would fire again until it sat.

Today I picked up a fuel pressure test kit as I thought it could be a fuel pump issue. When I got home I thought I'd try to start the engine and wouldn't you know it, it fired right up! I let it run for a while and revved it to see if it would stall but it seems ok.

I'm a little hesitant to take it out right now for fear of running in to the same issue. Any advice/comments/words of wisdom would be appreciated.

[white74westy]

Have you checked the gas/gas tank for contaminants yet? Any rust or water?

[SGKent]

did you buy gas when you got home? I am thinking the same thing. Sounds a bit like water in the gas or the fuel filler cap leaked when you were washing it. Also - did you spray the engine and get it wet?

[Jay-C58]

I filled up with gas about an hour and a half from home on our return trip but everything seemed to be running fine after that.

I didn't spray the engine but it could be possible that some water got in through the air vents. Leaky gas cap could be a possibility as well.

I haven't checked the gas/gas tank. What would be the best way to do this?

[Wildthings]

Drain some fuel into a glass jar and let it settle. If you have water sitting on the bottom, you have found your problem.

You might also remove your distributor cap and clean the insides well with a clean rag or a paper towel.

[busdaddy]

It'd be worth 2 minutes to check the point gap too.
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[Jay-C58]

Thanks for the tips. I will check the fuel for water and the point gap tomorrow after work.

[Randy in Maine]

While you are in there cleaning the electical connections at the battery and starter and the double relay, clean the ones for the Temp Sensor II (including the wiring harness connection).

[Jay-C58]

Well, checked my connections again today and they were all good. Checked points and they were a little tight so I re-set the gap. Everything else with the distributor looks good.

I decided to take it out for a quick drive and everything worked good. I'm starting to think that either something in the engine got wet or I maybe flooded it.

Couldn't get to check the fuel for water or rust today, but I will get to it when I have more time. I'm just glad it's running.

[Jay-C58]

Argh, it happened again! Finished cleaning the exterior outside the garage making sure not to get the engine compartment wet. Went to pull back in the garage and I rolled backward down a 4 inch ridge from when the dirt alley was graded. Engine immediately died and wouldn't start. We were able to push it back in to the garage where I left it for 45 minutes and tried to start again. Engine fired and ran for 1 second, died, and then wouldn't start!

I'm thinking it must somehow be flooding since it seems to get better as it sits I just don't know why. When it was in the shop the mechanic did mess with the idle a bit. It also always needs to warm up quite a bit before it will run good. If you try to drive it without warming up (which I did) it is very sluggish.

So frustrated!!

[SGKent]

TSII ?? Loose wire at TSII??

[Jay-C58]

The wire to the TSII is a little worn and frayed. I moved it around a little but didn't make a difference. I just don't understand why it fired up after just sitting overnight last time. I didn't do anything to fix it, just checked a few things. It's getting late now so I'll leave it until morning and see what happens.

[Wildthings]

Sounds to me like the engine is running very lean, and will not start unless it is cold enough for the cold start valve to fire. Have you actually checked the resistance of the TSII sensor from the plug on the ECU? That is where I would start along with cleaning the FI grounds one more time. You should also check the resistance of the FI grounds through the plug as the ECU. Did the mechanic lean out the idle? Maybe you should try turning in the screw on the AFM a full turn and see what happens, after checking the TSII and the grounds that is. Keep track of your turns so you can put it back where it started.

[SGKent]

[nodrenim]

I would check vacuum and electrical connections at the distributor, might want to check all vacuum hoses on each end for cracks. These things can drive you nuts till you find the problem. Just my 2 pennies. Good Luck!