[T3] Started after seven years, now what?

[Jim Adney]

Jacob,

To the list below, add one more test

Check the system voltage at medium rpm and with the battery charged 
up. It should be above 13.5 V at the battery. Ideal is 14.1-14.4. It 
will be ~1/2 V higher measured at the generator, or ~1/2 V lower at 
the fuse box.

The kinds of things that might go bad just sitting around would be 
the voltage regulator, the fuel pump, or water in the gas tank.

Jim

On 27 Aug 2012 at 14:20, Jacob Adam Schroeder wrote:

> Hi Jim,
> 
> I will try taking those measurements this afternoon and report back on my
> findings.  In the meantime, my year is 1972 and yes, FI.  It used to run
> fine 7 years ago, so I think it will be a matter of finding what has
> decided to bite the dust in the intervening 7 years of sitting in a
> garage/barn.  Or, finding something that was causing only minor problems
> before and that has now gotten worse.
> 
> Jacob
> 
> On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 12:58 PM, Jim Adney <jadney at vwtype3.org> wrote:
> 
> > On 27 Aug 2012 at 7:30, Jacob Adam Schroeder wrote:
> >
> > > The car still starts up (first crank, usually), but it is a challenge to
> > > keep it idling. It sounds like it is running on all 4, with the
> > occasional
> > > miss and the engine eventually slows down until it dies.  I can give it
> > > some gas, which works to warm it up.  If I give it just a little gas, it
> > > usually stalls out and dies.  If I floor it and keep the gas at
> > > mid-throttle, it revs nicely and idles just fine at that high RPM (no
> > > misses).
> > >
> > > After warming it up, I've had it idle for a minute or so, whereby I shut
> > it
> > > down myself.  I have got this to only occur once or twice.
> >
> > Remind us of the year, please.
> >
> > I'm assuming FI.
> >
> > A few things to check:
> >
> > 1) Connect a voltmeter between ground and the red wire that comes out
> > of the "firewall" and plugs into the fuel pump relay. It should have
> > no voltage on it when the engine is stopped, and should have 12-14 V
> > any time the engine is running. If you see that voltage drift down,
> > below 12 V, while the engine is running, you may have found your
> > problem.
> >
> > 2) Get a pressure gauge good for 30 or 50 psi. Connect it to the fuel
> > pressure test port on the engine, and watch it while the engine is
> > running. It should show a constant 28-30 psi any time the engine is
> > running.
> >
> > 3) With the engine running, gently push on the injector connectors,
> > up or down. Can you make the engine run better by doing this?
> >
> > 4) Pump some gas out of the test port, into a glass container, and
> > let it settle. Is there water in there?
> >
> > 5) If nothing else seems to help, consider sending the distributor to
> > me to be rebuilt. This may not help, but there are several things in
> > there that can go wrong, so knowing this part is good removes one
> > more variable from the problem. This costs $50, plus shipping and any
> > major parts, if necessary (usually not needed.)

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