1978 Fuel Injection 2litre recently rebuilt engine problems on starting

As well as a carb kit ( 2 x carbs , manifolds , linkages , gaskets , nuts and bolts ) i also req. a new low pressure electric fuel pump which was about £40. I just made my old throttle cable longer with an old bike cable .

 

p.s. sorry to hear you feel bad about your van. no one said it was easy. if it was more people would use them. you always have highs and lows. once you get it running and go camping then you might feel better. the good folks on here will help you best they can.

 

While FI is a nightmare when it goes wrong if its been rebuilt and installed from scratch it shouldn't be a problem. It really isn't that difficult to follow or set up / install so maybe it's worth asking the garage if they have worked on FI engines before.

You'll be amazed at the number of garages that just say 'convert it to carbs' as they have no actual knowledge of FI and only know that their mate down the pub told them its nothing but trouble.

 

Oh and if you do go to carbs, you've got the £400 for the kit, you'll also need new fuel pump and filter and don't forget to add the labour to actually fit it.

I know exactly what position you are in as I was weighing up this dilemma just a few weeks ago. Spend loads on labour to try and maybe fix the FI or go to carbs and get it done once and for all.

I luckily found a good VW garage that knew all about FI, (the mechanic had FI in his), and we worked through it and it's now running well.

 

seriously change the fuel filter, maybe twice. i have had my van off the road for a few years, i put the engine back in and renewed all the fuel lines and the filter, the van started perfect first time ran perfect for half an hour ot an hour then slowly the revs drop and it cut out, it would start and run for a few seconds sometimes more sometimes less i pulled of the fuel lines and they were blocked solid, drained the tank cleaned everything put it all back together and it ran perfec once more, i drove to mot and around a little 20 miles perhaps then loss of power, would stat and run for a few seconds etc, just replaced the fuel filter today and its good as new once more, the filter was blocked enough to reduce the fuel flow but nothing to see in the filter i now have a couple of spare filters to change incase the problem re-occurs.

 

^^^ totally agree, I'm on my 3rd filter since I got the van. It's a cheap part and unless you have a crystal clear tank it does a great job of saving the rest of the engine from the crud in there...

 

Haven't been on the forum for a while due to illness, or anywhere near bus since last year for same reason, but in slowly getting back to it I have had the same problems as those in this thread, and wondered why the link in MadFrankie's post doesn't work anymore?

 

2012! Forums crashed about 4 times since then so must have been lost to the ether!

 

Before you start buying any Fi parts check out which set up you have as they differ from years ie 75/76 have a 6 pin AFM and late 76 onwards have a 7 pin AFM also the ECU has a different number of pins for 75/76 and then late 76 onwards. Ratwell has all this info. Have managed to find over the last two years a recon AFM and ECU units from american sites etc (now in the spares box just in case needed). Had similar problems to yours, one, was the fuel lines degrading and blocking the fuel filter, another was vac pipes split and the main vac pipe from the 'S boot' had come off. Good luck, keep us posted on progress.

 

Is the bus still at the garage?

 

Thanks once again for the advice Izzy, tbh can't remember as it's been a while since I stuck my head in the engine bay but will look out for the Pin numbers. Have changed all fuel lines and all breather pipes, but it starts ok then fades and stalls. Have changed all ignition parts and had injectors cleaned. Pump seems ok, but was going to replace fuel regulator next. Haven't checked air flow meter yet which the thread above highlights too. Will keep you informed. How's sunny Southend? Just got back from Rochford so don't answer that! I'll bring the bus over once I get the b.....going!

 

Thanks once again for the advice Izzy, tbh can't remember as it's been a while since I stuck my head in the engine bay but will look out for the Pin numbers. Have changed all fuel lines and all breather pipes, but it starts ok then fades and stalls. Have changed all ignition parts and had injectors cleaned. Pump seems ok, but was going to replace fuel regulator next. Haven't checked air flow meter yet which the thread above highlights too. Will keep you informed. How's sunny Southend? Just got back from Rochford so don't answer that! I'll bring the bus over once I get the b..... Going!

yeah thought that might be the case!

 

Sunny Southend!!!! Rochford is very soggy at the moment. Hope to meet up somewhere? we are at Battlesbridge vw show 25 june.

 

Have you followed the fuel injection trouble shooting manual?

There is checks you can do before buying parts, like the fuel pressure regulator.

 

Take the cover of the afm and turn to the left like the video .
The fuel pump should be running continuously.When you break the point systems in the afm. Botom right of the potentimter .
The pressure regulator is most likely good,
If you dont hear the fuel pump its your double relay .
Check the slide plate in the afm for wear .take photo for us of it
It a good quick check . Glue the cover back on right away after that ,
The afm is calibrated very lean from the factory ,gas quality and 40 years of medling with mixes.
A richer adjustment is a good idea for it ,either way.
If you lossen/crack the flathead screw in the photo and move the arm 1 millimeter to the left.
You might be suprised of the result,take apic. Of it before you mes with it,

 

I'm just back on the forum myself after a 'fallow' year due to no time, not sure why either but I'm sure I've got some of the files downloaded somewhere so I'll see if I can dig them out.

 

Cheers Frankie that would be great. I have been using this article which has been helpful: http://www.itinerant-air-cooled.com/viewtopic.php?t=7761.

 

Done, they all work again, a few had old TLB forum links but I've found the originals and re-done the links...the link you have put was already on the list, it's the one at the bottom. HIs drawings of the whole process have made my FI so much easier to understand!

 

Thanks Frankie, its probably me as has been a long day, but have tried the link in your 2012 which does not seem to work, am I looking in the wrong place?

 

Try this link...it's also in the how to section...

http://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/afc-fi-literature.9155/