Gauge would tell if the pressure was reasonably close to what's needed for the engine to run.
eBay Item # 110099720959 ~$11 gets you (5) brand new gauges!
The blue spark alone may be a big step.
I didn't get the gauge, I decided, since I'd replaced everything else in the fuel system, I'd go ahead and replace the fuel regulator.
I unplugged the cold start valve, and the engine, with the new coil and retimed, wouldn't fire. I plugged the cold start valve in, and now it fires. It seemed to me that the cold start must be the only thing firing, so I retested the fuel injectors, watching more closely. I had someone else watch too. There is NOTHING, no mist, no drops, no general dampness, coming from the driver's side injectors. I assumed the injectors are either broken, clogged, or there is an electrical connection. Now, the only loose electrical connection is those two untraceable white wires coming down to no connections near the double relay.
It is reasonable to assume that the injectors are clogged with 15 year old residue, but this would not explain why the spark plugs were wet. I know you need to run the engine to clean spark plugs, or you need to take them to be cleaned professionally, or you need to replace them.
I guess my questions are:
A: How do I fully remove the spark plugs from the engine and the fuel rail without fuel going everywhere and syphoning from the tank.
B: Do I clean them or replace them. Individually they cost, remanufactured at RockAuto, about $30
I guess you meant injectors, not plugs :-)
If you pull the cold start out, that will relieve any residual pressure in the fuel ring. Should not siphon the tank.
If you get one injector out, you might try to test. Get a 100 Ohm resistor (maybe 1 watt).
----- 100 Ohm --------- +12V injector ----------------------- Ground
I think that should be sufficient to make the injector open. Blow thru it to check.
What Speedy Jim said! ;-)
Did you notice a white(?) wire on the neg. side of the ign coil? Check to make sure that is plugged in and the wire is not broken somewhere, since that should be for the FI and might help the ECM fire the injectors. Also I remember something under the back seat that gives power/ground to the ECM. I think it is some wiring that might corrode or fall off. Sorry but I do not work on these FI-bugs much anymore so my memory may not serve me well.
I looked through the Bentley manual and I couldn't find what the proper ohm resistance level across the pins on the fuel injector should be. I removed the fuel injectors from the driver's side. When I run Speedy Jim's test, I don't see anything happening. I've removed both the rubber seals and both the plastic needle covers. What shoud I be seeing?
as to "vwdoc1" I did connect the white coil wire to the negative side. So that part should be in order.
With pressure in the fuel ring, I was hoping that energizing the injector would make it squirt. (I could be wrong...)
When energized it should squirt if the injector functions and it is under pressure. You should hear a click and feel it open and close. You can also see the impulses (with a VOM) at the injector plug while cranking the engine if all is working correctly.
Did you check under the rear seat to see if all of the FI wiring is in place too? Good about that white wire on the ign. coil.
I have sometimes propped open the air flow box flap slightly to get the fuel pump to run and cranked over the engine to get them to start while troubleshooting.
Having fun yet? good luck!
I suppose I should update a little. I haven't posted because I went ahead and ordered some fuel injectors, but they took their time in getting here. I installed them sunday and the engine fired and ran. I thought I was on the home stretch.
Today I went back to warm up the engine and set the timing properly after having messed with it so much. I first ran the engine and wen't about my business, but then after about 40 seconds, the engine chugged some and died. I tried it again and it did the same thing. I loosened the distributor bolt and ran the engine, adjusting the distributor as I did so. When I adjusted the TDC mark to where the Muir book suggests, the engine chugged and died immediately. The place it works best seems to be about another 20 or 25 degrees to the left of TDC rather than 5 degrees.
I can keep the engine running by pushing down the accelerator. When I don't, the engine chugs and dies. I gather, from the help of a teacher, that the idle speed is too slow. But when I adjust the idle speed screw (the large flathead screw in the side of the intake shaft below the cold start valve, right?) the engine remains the same. this teacher also suggested that I go around the places on the engine where air might be leaking in and causing mixture porblems, i.e., the injectors, the vacuum hoses, and the intake hoses.
I did check all the vacuum hoses, and they are all connected. I have hose clamps on the intake hoses and they are solid.
This is on a different subject, but I thought I'd ask while I was here.
I bought replacement front shock absorbers to go inside the spring. I have a good spring compressor, and went to take off the two bolts that hold the strut to the wheel. I marked everything, and then I used a four foot bar on a ratchet to break the nuts on the bottom loose. To my dismay, the nuts broke off completely and now I have to figure out how to remove the bolts. Even after a good soaking in WD-40 and several hammerblows with a punch. The bolts are not moving.
Any suggestions on either of these items would be very helpful.
pardon my lack of experience .. but that sounds like a screwy dist ... is it vac or mech advance? ... and does the dist shaft have much play in it?
Are you sure you have the timing light on #1 spark plug, front of engine on your right side? The front of the engine is towards the front of the car. Are you sure you have the spark plug firing order correct and correct on the distributor? There is a mark on the distributor body to indicate where #1 terminal on the cap should be.
So are you setting the timing at 20-25 degrees AFTER Top Dead Center? Or Before Top Dead Center
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