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jimmyleeds
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2021
Posts: 4
Location: Denver, CO
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 Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 7:43 am Post subject: ‘83 Air Cooled not starting at altitude |
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Hey all. New to The Samba. Moderately mechanically inclined, so excuse me if I describe something wrong. Drove my 83 air cooled Westy from DC to Denver last week and now it won’t start at altitude. Never had this issue before, or ever on the trip either.
Ignition kicks in and starter rolls, but engine doesn’t turn over or kick on.
Things I’ve checked - battery charged, gas in the tank, AFM set to lean mix for low oxygen.
Any thoughts? Storing it in a very small garage so I hope the air isn’t too stuffy when trying to start. |
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pathao
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2012
Posts: 291
Location: Montreal, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:05 am Post subject: Re: ‘83 Air Cooled not starting at altitude |
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| jimmyleeds wrote: |
| ... AFM set to lean mix for low oxygen. ... |
I do not understand what you mean by this but you can play with your timing (lose distributor and maybe counterclockwise 10 minutes or so).
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9717861
(if you have a FED, I do not know how this plays out with the CAL)
_________________
1982 AC P27 - 2.0 FI FED - 091 - BA6
English is a second language to me |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50348
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:47 am Post subject: Re: ‘83 Air Cooled not starting at altitude |
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| jimmyleeds wrote: |
Ignition kicks in and starter rolls, but engine doesn’t turn over or kick on. |
If the starter is spinning the engine, then the engine is turning over, while I presume that if the "engine doesn't kick on" it means that when it is being turned over by the starter it is not firing and starting up. |
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jimmyleeds
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2021
Posts: 4
Location: Denver, CO
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:51 am Post subject: Re: ‘83 Air Cooled not starting at altitude |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| jimmyleeds wrote: |
Ignition kicks in and starter rolls, but engine doesn’t turn over or kick on. |
If the starter is spinning the engine, then the engine is turning over, while I presume that if the "engine doesn't kick on" it means that when it is being turned over by the starter it is not firing and starting up. |
Got it. Again, sorry for the lack of terminology. The engine is not firing or sputtering at all. Just the starter sound. |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50348
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:09 am Post subject: Re: ‘83 Air Cooled not starting at altitude |
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| Does the exhaust smell of raw gas when the engine is being cranked? If so disconnect the CSV "cold start valve" and see doing so will allow the engine to start. Do verify that you have spark at the plugs. |
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jimmyleeds
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2021
Posts: 4
Location: Denver, CO
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:39 pm Post subject: Re: ‘83 Air Cooled not starting at altitude |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| Does the exhaust smell of raw gas when the engine is being cranked? If so disconnect the CSV "cold start valve" and see doing so will allow the engine to start. Do verify that you have spark at the plugs. |
Will give this a shot in a few! Any pointers as to how to disconnect the CSV? |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50348
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:23 pm Post subject: Re: ‘83 Air Cooled not starting at altitude |
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| jimmyleeds wrote: |
| Wildthings wrote: |
| Does the exhaust smell of raw gas when the engine is being cranked? If so disconnect the CSV "cold start valve" and see doing so will allow the engine to start. Do verify that you have spark at the plugs. |
Will give this a shot in a few! Any pointers as to how to disconnect the CSV? |
Just pull the plug off, noting that the clips that hold the plug to the CSV aren't all that user friendly. |
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jimmyleeds
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2021
Posts: 4
Location: Denver, CO
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 2:28 pm Post subject: Re: ‘83 Air Cooled not starting at altitude |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| jimmyleeds wrote: |
| Wildthings wrote: |
| Does the exhaust smell of raw gas when the engine is being cranked? If so disconnect the CSV "cold start valve" and see doing so will allow the engine to start. Do verify that you have spark at the plugs. |
Will give this a shot in a few! Any pointers as to how to disconnect the CSV? |
Just pull the plug off, noting that the clips that hold the plug to the CSV aren't all that user friendly. |
Nice, that worked. Set the AFM to run rich so that I don’t have to pump the gas pedal when it’s warming up. Do I just leave the CSV unplugged for the time being? |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50348
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 4:08 pm Post subject: Re: ‘83 Air Cooled not starting at altitude |
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| jimmyleeds wrote: |
| Wildthings wrote: |
| jimmyleeds wrote: |
| Wildthings wrote: |
| Does the exhaust smell of raw gas when the engine is being cranked? If so disconnect the CSV "cold start valve" and see doing so will allow the engine to start. Do verify that you have spark at the plugs. |
Will give this a shot in a few! Any pointers as to how to disconnect the CSV? |
Just pull the plug off, noting that the clips that hold the plug to the CSV aren't all that user friendly. |
Nice, that worked. Set the AFM to run rich so that I don’t have to pump the gas pedal when it’s warming up. Do I just leave the CSV unplugged for the time being? |
Yes, but if it gets really cold it may not start well. |
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