Anyone good on fuel systems???

[Eddie]

Hi,
Got a Mk.2 16v KR.

Engine died whilst stationary in traffic over a month ago. 

AA man called, Ignition checked and worked fine, starter motor cranked engine fine.

However, Low fuel pressure from metering head to injectors, but good pressure to warm up regulator/ cold start valve.
car towed to local garage.

Garage found:
1. Poor compression across all cylinders
2. Fuel pump running like a bag of nails ( Their explanation, not mine)

Compression restored by injecting valve cleaner in to the head.
Fuel pump replaced and operating, good pressure to metering head.

Engine still would not start with the starter motor, but will start temporally whilst being towed. 

Next:
1. Fuel metering head replaced with 2nd hand one- no effect
2. Lift pump checked- working fine.
3. cold start valve checked- working fine.

The Garage phoned me today and said that there was also no pressure at the Inlet manifold and they were now stumped, and without taking the head off to have a closer look and costing me £££££££s they had nothing else to do.


So, if anyone has any advice that doesn't involve scrapping the car as i love it to bits and want to keep it going, please post it here. Or if anyone knows of a good VW specialist in the Gosport/ Portsmouth or Yeovil area that would be handy too. Cheers.

Eddie.

[DarnPB]

Check the cam timing has not slipped.

Pressure in the inlet manifold?? The only pressure you will get in there during cranking and running will be below ambient, unless you have a turbo. Do these guys actually know what they are doing?

[danny_p]

sounds strange.

lift the flap up when crancking see if it go then,   tho low compression resored by valave clean make me suspitious  adding pritty much anything to the cylinders will bunk the cr up by stoping leackage if it's tired.

don't count on 2nd hand k jet parts working  i had a mare with crap / broken parts for  the 6a . kr hybrid i was putting in mine till i got that pissed off i riped the enigne out and binned it and the k jet

[Eddie]

Sorry, forgot to mention the timing has been checked and is apparently spot on.
I don't have a turbo, it's a standard engine with a non- standard exhaust ( full stainless as a Big Badger took out the front box of the standard one and it worked out cheaper to have a stainless put in)
The exhaust has been fitted and running for about 300 miles before this problem started.

[Conker]

Am I right in reading that theres low pressure to the injectors?  Has this been re-checked following the pump repairs?

If the pressure to the injectors is low, they won't fire any fuel. There are little tiny filters on the metering head bolts, they could be blocked. Also, have you got aftermarket braided fuel lines going to the injectors? These have caused problems for other people in the past.

What about fuel relays, hall sender, dizzy, ignition switch, ignition control moduel, ecu?

It might be worth pulling an injector and seeing if you can make it spray fuel manually (have a search on here for a "How To")

What happens when it fires up when being towed?

[Eddie]

Fuel pressure checked after new pump fitted and the pressure has improved, but still low at the injector fuel line connection at the metering head. I'll suggest the pull an injector and check it that end and clean the small filters if they haven't already.

The fuel lines are standard, rusty and could probably do with replacing but don't leak.

Hall sender, dizzy, coil, HT leads all new and working fine.

ECU hasn't been looked at, but am i right in thinking it's a mechanical fuel system? If so how much trouble could a dodgy ECU cause, i.e could it stop the fuel system working all together?

As for the towing part, they said that was the only to get to fire at all. I'll get more info of them tomorrow.

As for the compression clean up. Apparently if the car is left standing for a long period which mine had been last year, a gunk builds up of the valve seat and causes a poor seal and in turn poor compression. I was assured the compression is now back to normal and only an oil change is required to remove the cleaner from the engine.

Would a split air hose to the ISV stop the engine firing? My ISV hums away like a goodun when the ignition is on but the hose to it looks like it could do with replacing.

 Thanks for the help lads.

[Wayne]

Ecu should not matter, when was the fuel filter last changed.

[sidecarphil]

i'm not up on the K jet on the GTi but ford used it on a car from the 80's   and i had a problem with the cold start sensor in the inlet manifold saying the car was hot when it was cold (they rot and coolant gets into them ) thus it wont use the cold start injector and wont start

just an idea if the GTi has one ?? and might be worth a look if it does  

[Eddie]

Hi,

Fuel filter was changed on it's last service back in January, but it's a cheap fix so i'll add it to the list.

It does have a cold start valve/sensor but that works.

Cheers lads.

[Wayne]

Rereading your 1st post, if you have low fuel pressure from metering head to injectors the only thing I can suggest is to get the injector delivery checked.

hold each injector in a glass jar and run them for 30secs and see what they are delivering, if it is low then you may have a fuel pump problem.