Newbie from Sheffield thrown in at the deep end!

[Banks88 10]

Hi all! I'm brand new to all this but I'm sure I will get the nack of things! I'm mad on my vw's and I've recently bought my first one from a family member, it's 1994 2.0 16v. I bought it as a project as it has been sat on her drive for 5 years with a broken cam belt! Me and my mate (ex vw technition) We have recently rebuilt it having found it bent all 8 inlet valves. We have changed every serviceable part ie dizzy, rotor, plugs, battery, fuel filter etc we have come to turn it over for the first time and its not firing. We have checked for a spark-ok battery is brand new, but found fuel distributor wasn't feeding fuel to the injectors. Fuel pressure from the tank to the metering head is fine. We decided to change the metering head to no effect! Next we decided to wip the valve cover to check timing of the cams, to find stupidly we hadn't set the timing on the cams correctly. Everything now timed and everything back on to find its still not firing! Any ideas?

[Supercharged 2]

Welcome to the forum!

 

How far out were the cams? did you change the chain also? hopefully you've not bent anything again... check compression!

 

Is the fuel 5 years old??

[Banks88 10]

Thanks and for the quick reply!

 

The cams were about 5/6 teeth (100 degree ish) I know is quite a lot! We havnt changed the chain, would this make much difference?? How things have gone its probably the case they have bent again but il stay positive! il get hold of a compression kit and give will give it a go! This may sound daft but would a compression test determine whether or not we have bent the valves again?

Regarding the fuel, there wasn't much in there, most of it was drained before the fuel filter when we took it off, but some may of get into the system. Before we tried firing it up first time we put around £15 worth of fuel.

[Supercharged 2]

I think that explains why he's an ex-vw tech :-)

 

Yeah best thing to do is get hold of a gauge and see what you have - if valves are bent again then they would close and give v low readings.

 

If that's ok then look at ignition timing - it has to be 'in the zone' for the car to start.

[Banks88 10]

Ok thanks alot for that, Il give that a go when I get a gauge and let you know how it goes, just for reference what kind of readings am I looking for (good and bad)

 

If I think the ignition timing is what you mean, we have set the distributor and arm to the correct postion and along with the camshaft pulley and crank pulley. what else woiuld I need to do to set the Ignition Timing?

 

Thanks again

Edited December 6, 2012 by Banks88

[Supercharged 2]

Not sure off the top of my head but you're looking for consistent readings on the gauge - will be fairly obvious if there is a problem...

 

Did you guys check number 1 cyl was at TDC before setting the distributor? - just wondering if that could be 180 degrees out?

[jamiehamy 0]

If you're not getting fuel....Probably won't help since you changed the metering head and I can't remember off the top of my head if it's the same as the Mk2 16v, but I used to have problems and I lifted the metering head up away from the base and filter and gently pressed the paddle upwards whilst someone started the car - it pushed through a lot of fuel which might just be what you need to get things moving in there?

 

You might not have enough pressure in the injectors and the effort of turning it over might not be pushing the paddle up enough, and injecting enough fuel.

 

Worth a shot as it takes about 1 minute and costs nothing :)

[Banks88 10]

Hi Jamiehamy

 

Thanks for the advice!! yeah weve had big issues with the metering head, we couldnt work out why it wasnt pushing any fuel through but I think youve just answererd the question! The MK2 16V is very similar bit not the same as i teied using one from a scappy. obviously the BOSH serials are different but works in a similar way. Il have a go at that aswell when the manifold and rocker cover is back on, il let you know how it goes Cheers! :thumbleft:

 

---------- Post added at 12:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:36 PM ----------

 

Yes we checked CYl 1 was TDC but not sure if dizzy was set at the same time??? before we put everything back on (at the moment its in bits again) i will set the distributor on TDC and compression test it as well!

 

if the compression test works out ok Il try what jamiehamy has said it give it a whirl!

 

Thanks for the advice guys!!

 

---------- Post added at 12:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:40 PM ----------

 

Yes we checked CYl 1 was TDC but not sure if dizzy was set at the same time??? before we put everything back on (at the moment its in bits again) i will set the distributor on TDC and compression test it as well!

 

if the compression test works out ok Il try what jamiehamy has said it give it a whirl!

 

Thanks for the advice guys!!

[corradophil 3]

I would:

 

1. Remove the injectors from the head - they pull out, but are often tight. Don't pull on the supply pipes, make sure you only apply force to the injector bodies. Leave the injectors connected to the fuel lines!

 

2. Put each injector in a transparent container - 500ml coke bottle would be good.

 

3. Remove the boot from the top of the metering head giving access to the top of the air flow meter (flap).

 

4. Turn ignition on.

 

5. Gently lift the flap. There should be quite a bit of resistance as you will be working against a plunger which is pressurised by the fuel.

 

6. In an ideal world you will see fuel spray out of all 4 injectors, and the amount in each bottle will be the same, as will the shape of the fuel that comes out. If you don't get fuel from all four further investigation is required. It could be blocked injectors or fuel distributor. The fuel distributor has very fine slots to allow fuel through, which block easily.

 

I expect the injectors are gummed up with petrol which has evaporated and left a residue.

 

It may be worth soaking the injector nozzles in petrol for a bit to see if it will remove the old fuel. I remember many years ago it running the injectors submerged in petrol was supposed to be a method of cleaning them - not sure how good it is though.

 

IMPORTANT. Be very careful, you will be spraying atomised petrol into the coke bottles which is highly flammable, so make sure there are no sources of ignition around, and don't let it get into your eyes.

 

Do this and post the outcome on here. This will confirm if you are getting fuel.

[Banks88 10]

Thanks a lot il let you know how it goes!

 

Cheers :thumbleft:

[Banks88 10]

Hi everyone

 

I know it's been ages since I last came on here but we've been busy.... The 16v is finally running!

 

It was nothing to do with the metering head and the valves didnt bend again!, after we had rebuilt the engine a proper vw technician friend of mine noticed that the wood rough key had snapped on the cam pulley changed that along with a new cat and no sorted and loving it!

 

Just one thing - we have a sensor left which were having problems locating which is a thermo after run fan switch. Does anyone have any idea where tis goes on 2.0 16v 9a?

 

Cheers guys

[corradophil 3]

The switch, does it look like a coolant sensor screwed into a small bracket? If it is it goes under the cam cover bolt at the front offside corner of the engine - closest to the metering head.

 

Glad it is running well now.

[Banks88 10]

Hi Thanks for that!!

 

Yeah I think youve got the one... Its a copper sensor with a thread and is sat into a yellow bolt which is housed in a bracket!! if that makes sense.

 

Does it connect to a single brown wire with a connector that runs down the front offside wing (Near the metering head) then across to this sensor - as that brown wire is not connected to anything at the moment - so must be the one am guessing?

 

Thanks again!!!

[corradophil 3]

Here you go, this is a photo of mine during conversion to ITBs. You can see the sensor. Mine no longer uses this, so I can't easily check the colour of the wire, but I am 99% sure it was brown, and 100% sure it was a single wire.

 

[Banks88 10]

Hi

 

The picture hasnt come uo and wont let me see it, but buy the sounds of it I think we are talking about the correct one! the single brown wire is perfectly long enough to sit where you have said and it the only spare senosr wire around that area!!

 

Thanks again for your help - does the sensor then screw into the head and the bracket sits under the cam cover bolt??

 

Cheers

[corradophil 3]

Strange, it shows fine for me...

 

The bracket holds the sensor in the air. The cam cover bolt goes through the other hole in the bracket to bolt it to the head, just to the side of the lifting eye and just in front of the oil filler cap. If you want to PM me your email address I can email the photo to you.

[afterlife 10]

You certainly were thrown in at the deep end but all is well now! I'm quite local to you as it goes, Im new on here and noticing a lot of users in the local area. Im in Retford (just the other side of Worksop)

 

edit: there is a busy meet in Sheffield run by lowdownvw.com btw

Edited March 25, 2013 by afterlife

[Banks88 10]

Ay up!

 

yeah its been a nightmare but now its running like a dream!!... for the time being anyway!

 

I know Retford well I used to play for Retford United a few years ago when they were in the Unibond League!

 

Ive heard about the meet - I think its at Meadowhall retail park but I thought it was a couple of weeks ago????

 

What Rado you running then?

[afterlife 10]

well they meet monthly mate so there is always another one to get to... we have a meet over in Retford during the warmer months too which can get surprisingly busy!

I have a 1.8 16v KR, slightly tuned and kicking out about 150bhp... she's no beauty queen though and there is plenty for me to do paintwise but she is mechanically sound and not rotten and was CHEAP! haha... I bought her by accident really as I have a scirocco which is my main focus but I managed to bend a valve in that so I was just after a cheap car and the Rado cropped up... the plan now is to get the Rado looking 'well' without going over the top and keeping it as a slightly more comfortable and user-friendly daily and then go balls out on the scirocco project with cages and buckets and phat rims etc lol!