86 Golf fuel/idle problem
metricwrenchturner
09-17-2004, 05:48 PM
I have a 1986 VW Golf (not the GTI) 1.8L Gasoline 4 cyl. 387k miles. It was sitting for about 5 years. It is still in good shape mechanically so I am trying to get it running. I wasn't getting fuel pressure to the distributor. So far I have replaced the fuel pump relay, in-tank transfer fuel pump, main fuel pump, fuel filter, and straightened a partially kinked fuel line near the pump reservoir. I drained the old gas and added new with a 1/10th acetone mixture (to dry any jelled crap in the system). Finally got pressure to the fuel distributor. I also replaced the 4 injectors and o-rings and the cold start injector. I ran a compression test and it's good. I was getting intermittent spark and found the distributor was shorting out internally so I replaced the worn plug connector and internals. New distributor cap, rotor, wires and plugs. The problem that I can't seem to find is that I am getting too much fuel to the cylinders and it won't idle. The plugs are fouling black and wet. I've changed the oil and filter twice so far (gas fouled). I thought that it was the fuel distributor (#3 was flooding) so I replaced it with one I got from the junkyard. (They're $4-6 hundred new, so I was trying to take a shortcut). The plunger was moving up and down smoothly so I felt it was worth a try. #3 isn't flooding anymore. But they're all flooding and need to be blown out when I clean the plugs to try again. I can get it running and it runs good at high rpm, just not on the idle end. I checked (per Chilton's) the motion and setting of the MAF. I also unplugged the idle air sensor and no real difference. On one of my visits to the junkyard I found a newer fuel pressure differential valve and pressure relief valve. I put them on and it runs alot better but still doesn't want to idle and continues to flood. I'm kinda at the end of what I can think to do. I'm hoping that someone on this forum may have a suggestion that I haven't thought of short of pushing it off a cliff. :-) Any help would be appreciated.
boschmann
09-17-2004, 10:54 PM
Have you looked at the coolant temp sensor in the radiator hose flange where it meets the cylinder head? Resistance should be 2000-3000 Ohms at 68F and go down to 200-300 Ohms at operating temp, 190F. Has the car been run or cranked with the grounds (especially at ECM) disconnected?
metricwrenchturner
09-20-2004, 10:30 AM
No I haven't checked resistance of the temp sensor but I will and will get back with you tomorrow. As far as I know none of the ground connections have been disconnected. Is there some way to test the ECM to make sure of its functionality? Thank you for your reply!
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