I have had my kombi (a 2 litre fuel injected) for about 9 weeks now and over 6 of those it has been in the vw mechs with a mysterious starting (or should i say NOT starting problem). This is the third trip to the mechs now with this problem. Roadside assist who had to tow me yet again said all the electrics seemed fine and it could be a fuel problem as the fuel didn't seem to be getting through. It seems to be an intermittent problem as it has started ok even in the cold weather, well as cold as it gets here downunder!! The motor wants to kick over but it doesn't, the first couple of times it happened we put about a teaspoon of petrol down the breather (??) hose and it kicked over and went fine, but now it won't kick over, even the mechanic is unsure as what is causing the problem and he is slowly going through it all. I think i have a dud, i paid top dollar for the van and have spent over $4000 on it already!!!! Any help would be appreciated from you knowledgeable Englishmen!!! Thanx and cheers Jools
Have you checked all if the vacuum hoses, on the FI system there are quite a few. We had problems with our FI - it would start ok but not idle, it would run really lumpy and stall unless you pressed the throttle slightly. We traced all of the vacuum hoses back and replaced them, the faulty one was behind the air box which we had to remove to gain access to said hose. We have been trouble free since! If you look on www.type2.com in the library section, you will find a comprehensive list of information on fuel injection including a pictorial breakdown of hose layouts. Hth
Give me a bit and I'll be in front of my pc, (rather than on my mobile), and I'll give you a list of things to try.
They need to make sure the injectors are squirting and also that the cold start one is too. It sounds like a fuel issue so pump, filter, pressure regulator should all be checked. In the brochure section I posted up the AFC service guide (I can't link it on tapatalk) and it will give you an idea of what to test and how to test.
Right, first off here's a post I did with links to all the FI literature I could find, good bedtime reading: http://thelatebay.com/index.php?topic=10062.msg160559#msg160559 So, I'm going to assume you've done nothing and tried nothing, that way you can tick off what you've done. 1) Check the ignition system first. Often a non starting issue is blamed on FI when it's not the problem. So the usuals; ignition switch ok, starter and solenoid ok, coil and dizzy ok, getting a spark at the plugs, battery charged up? Etc etc etc 2) Check all the hoses, make sure there are no cracks and all are securely fixed on. 3) Get yourself a pressure gauge, it needs to be able to read over 35psi. Connect it to the fuel pipe on the left of the engine, find the injectors and there will be a metal rail between them with a small nut on the top, unscrew the nut and fit the pipe to the pressure gauge to it SECURELY, (you're potentially about to pump petrol up to the gauge and you don't want the pipe coming off and petrol shooting across the engine bay)... Get someone to turn the engine over while you watch the gauge, it should get to 35psi. If it does then you're getting fuel to the injectors, if not then you aren't... So if the reading is lower than 35psi: 4) You've got a problem with no fuel getting to the engine. This will usually be a blocked fuel filter, broken fuel pump or double relay not passing the current to the pump - or if you are really lucky all of the above! Get under the van and look at the fuel filter, does it look black and full of crap? Get a new one. Then move to the pump, get someone to start the engine, does the pump make a buzz like a electric toothbrush, put your hand on it - can you feel it vibrating? You should also see petrol swooshing around in the filter. If you aren't getting anything like that then I'd suggest your fuel pump isn't working. It will then either be a defective pump, defective double relay or the wire between the two. If the reading is 35psi: 5) You've got fuel getting to the injectors but no further or the starting process of the FI is broken. First check that the injectors are getting a current. Pull the wire from an injector, put a test light or multimeter on it and start the engine. If the light comes on / you get a current then great, if not then it's likely your double relay is broken... That should get you started for now, come back and let us know what the results are and we can go from there. good luck.
Well Frankie i have done nothing because i know nothing about motors etc etc, being a 58 yo pensioner challenges me a bit also! It is currently in the mechanics who is a vw specialist and he is a bit bewildered as to what the problem is, he put in one of those cold air thingys last time he had it but prob is still there!! I think there is also an idling problem. It has been at the mechs over 2 weeks this time ( has been there 3 times since i got it over 9 weeks ago). What really makes me angry is i paid $16000 for Frootloop and have already spent over $4000 on her!! Previous owner doesn't want to know about it. He claims alln was working fine before it got transported down to me!!!! Yeh right!! I have printed out what you suggested i try Frankie and i will give it to the mech and tell him to check it all out, but if he was a good mech he would have already done so!! he does have a good name around here tho. Thanx guys for all your help and i will let you know what happens as soon as i hear!! Cheers Jools
Hi, Seriously, do point one in the post above. My bus died and I spent days searching for the problem, checking all the FI, fuel pressure, resistances over the various terminals on the FI brain. In the end I replaced the contact points and condenser and it was fine! I had previously checked for a spark and saw one, but it was too weak. Get you mech to do the simple stuff first. Stuart
Well i wish i could find another vw mechanic but he is the only around here!! I might try a normal mechanic and see what he says!! Stuming i will try what you said! The van wants to kick over when i try to start it but it just doesn't happen!! getting more *******ed of by the day!! RThanx guys for all your help. I will let you know how things go. Cheers Jools
While I'd love to help keep a fellow FI on the road. Personally, unless money is no option, you might have to have a plan b and total up the cost to go to carbs. Then work out how much more you're happy to spend on labour trying to fix the FI. Tell the mechanic how much more time you want him to spend on FI then you reach it, stop. FI can be a really cruel beast as it does make you chase your tail sometimes. It will look like one thing but be something totally different. I'm happy to help and if you follow the steps above we should at least find out what is wrong but it's down to you on costs.
Hey all .. i finally picked up my kombi today after 3 weeks in the mechs. He replaced the power supply relay, condensor, fuel lines and pressure regulator and it is starting great and running like a dream, it even has more power!!!! Thanx guys for your help it was much appreciated!! Jools and Frootloop 8=)
