[T3] Endless Fuel Problems Not Ended...

[Jim Adney]

On 25 Jan 2011 at 15:54, J. Jonik wrote:

> -  It was 12.29 volts, not 12.6...measured at battery terminals both out of the car and hooked up.
>    Then, same check at battery when car running  13.50 v
>                                          --     and, when revved, 14.60 v
> -  That was yesterday.

Those look normal.

>     Today's tests---after a cold night::
>               key off, battery in car--  11.58
>               key on,                      --   11.41
>               car running at idle     --    11.41, then 11.67, with one spike to 12.00 v
>               Revved                     --    13.60
> What could have changed the readings?

Any chance that there's something in the car that's draining the 
battery overnight? Do you have a radio in there that has a digital 
display that stays on with the key off? Is there anything else that 
you've changed that might be drawing current all the time?

A battery that's below 12 V is seriously discharged.

Your readings seem to indicate a charging system that's trying to 
recharge a discharged battery.

Try charging the battery with the ground strap removed. Then let it 
sit overnight and see if its voltage is low again the next morning. 
If so, the battery is bad. If not, something in the car is draining 
it when it's connected.

If you understand the concept, you can set your voltmeter to read 
Amps and connect it between the minus post and the ground strap, and 
see how much current is there with the car off. It should be almost 
nothing. The normal draw is just the clock, which is almost 
insignificant, maybe 30 mA.

> -  Fuel Pressure test...smack on 29 psi...no changes, unless very
> minor, when driving around the block or revving. 

Okay, that's fine.

> -  How high can gas flooding of the oil bring the oil-gas level?   To
> the point of drowning the cylinders?  "Oil" level was up the dipstick
> over double the "fill" line.    Don't know how many miles since oil
> level was proper, and just oil.   Not over 100, or thereabout...about
> a month just around town. 

I don't know, but this sounds pretty extreme.

>   Car seems to be ok today...with nothing "fixed" or changed, except
> the oil.   But...it did feel like it needed a rev when first
> accelerating again after a stop.  Isn't that a symptom of Pressure
> Sensor problem? 

Sluggish? Could be any number of things, but you've gone over most of 
them, and fixed quite a few. There must be something else still 
hiding from you, or something you "fixed" wrong.

> --- Also, reading past posts....I have the 2-wire plug that USED TO go
> to the Cold Start Switch just taped up and out of the way.  BUT....I
> read something about how one of those wires...the one that went to
> Solenoid (terminal 50)...ought be grounded.   It's not, as far as I
> know. 

I think it should be okay just taped up.

> -  Haven't thought, lately, about return fuel line clogged or
> pinched.  Any way to check that?   Would car work if it was totally
> clogged or pinched shut?  

If that line was blocked, your fuel pressure would be WAY over 29 
psi.

-- 
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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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