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Mathew Zelezen Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2004 Posts: 547 Location: Graeagle, CA
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 11:12 am Post subject: Cylinder #3 suddenly not working. |
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I started the van to drive home after work last night and it sounded like I was only running on 3 cylinders. Rough idle and poor acceleration. It was after midnight so I limped the 2 miles home and poured a bottle of Heet into the tank thinking/hoping there might be some water in the gas.
This morning I tore into it and discovered that the exhaust pipe from #3 was cold while all the other pipes warmed up.
Maybe its a bad spark plug I thought. Switched the plugs between #3 and #4 with no change.
OK, maybe its a bad spark plug wire I thought. Switched the wires between #3 and #4 with no change.
Then I removed the valve cover to make sure all the valves were opening and closing and everything appeared to be normal.
This is a 3 year old motor with tons of new parts installed in June 18' in preparation for a cross country trip and up until now the only issue I've had was a wheel bearing failure in South Dakota and a failing coil which was replaced in Fort Collins.
I'm guessing the next step would be to swap the injectors?
I'm getting fuel to that side of the rail since #4 is chugging right along..
Anything else I should check that my little brain is missing? _________________ 87 Syncro Tintop
~Rocky J Motor
~Steedle Trans
Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: It might have been. |
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crazyvwvanman Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008 Posts: 9937 Location: Orbiting San Diego
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 11:24 am Post subject: Re: Cylinder #3 suddenly not working. |
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compression test |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22670 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 11:25 am Post subject: Re: Cylinder #3 suddenly not working. |
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Inspect cap,rotor, and plug...you’ve done plug already.
Run compression on plug #3 while out
Fuel injection last. _________________ .ssS! |
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Zeitgeist 13 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009 Posts: 12115 Location: Port Manteau
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 11:26 am Post subject: Re: Cylinder #3 suddenly not working. |
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Make sure that injector plug is getting a signal, and check the resistance value of the injector itself. Try swapping injector plugs between #3 and #4 _________________ Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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Mathew Zelezen Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2004 Posts: 547 Location: Graeagle, CA
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 11:34 am Post subject: Re: Cylinder #3 suddenly not working. |
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Thanks all for the suggestions.
I'm currently on assignment and don't have my compression test kit with me (space in the van was limited so not all my fun tools made the cut) but I'll check the injector plug first for signal and then swap the injectors and report back. _________________ 87 Syncro Tintop
~Rocky J Motor
~Steedle Trans
Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: It might have been. |
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Mathew Zelezen Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2004 Posts: 547 Location: Graeagle, CA
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 1:05 pm Post subject: Re: Cylinder #3 suddenly not working. |
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Found the culprit!
I wasn't getting a reading from the plug for cylinder #3 so I took it apart because I could see a little bit of corrosion.
Luckily I had some of these connectors handy from when I remade the engine wiring harness last year.
Cut back some of the wiring and crimped on a new pair and it fired right up.
I'm going to go thru and check the other three injector plugs and use some dielectric grease to prevent further corrosion.
Thanks for all the help! _________________ 87 Syncro Tintop
~Rocky J Motor
~Steedle Trans
Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: It might have been. |
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Zeitgeist 13 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009 Posts: 12115 Location: Port Manteau
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 1:23 pm Post subject: Re: Cylinder #3 suddenly not working. |
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I had that same level of corrosion on the coolant temp plug. It broke off inside the boot. _________________ Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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Mathew Zelezen Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2004 Posts: 547 Location: Graeagle, CA
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 1:26 pm Post subject: Re: Cylinder #3 suddenly not working. |
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Is Vaseline similar to Dielectric grease?
I have a tube lying around from a recent windshield install. _________________ 87 Syncro Tintop
~Rocky J Motor
~Steedle Trans
Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: It might have been. |
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T3 Pilot Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2011 Posts: 1507 Location: Deep South of the Great White North
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 1:49 pm Post subject: Re: Cylinder #3 suddenly not working. |
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Good quick solution...
You should wait to get a tube of silicone / dielectric grease because it will seal up the connectors better. Vaseline will melt in the heat and run out. Careful not to loose track of the rectangular silicone gaskets inside the female end of the plug they are hard to find... _________________ 1988 Vanagon
The most important part in every vehicle is the nut behind the wheel...... |
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Mathew Zelezen Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2004 Posts: 547 Location: Graeagle, CA
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 2:02 pm Post subject: Re: Cylinder #3 suddenly not working. |
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Will do.
Thanks for the heads up T3 Pilot! _________________ 87 Syncro Tintop
~Rocky J Motor
~Steedle Trans
Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: It might have been. |
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E1 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 6565 Location: Westfalia, Earth
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 9:20 pm Post subject: Re: Cylinder #3 suddenly not working. |
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It's almost always a simple fix. _________________ ‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman |
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