Date:         Sun, 2 Mar 2003 22:47:34 EST
Reply-To:     Wolfvan88@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Lilley <Wolfvan88@AOL.COM>
Subject:      "They can not be leaking,
              they are new" Leaking fuel Injectors caused problems..
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

First, they caused problems with emissions, engine power, mileage, idling
then with the ECU, then with my mind...

The van sat for a year until I had money to put in a new fuel tank, a fuel
pump and a new set of injectors to replace a set that got clogged up due to
dirt being in the fuel.  Well, it turns out that two of the injectors were
leaking, one bad, one not so bad.  They were leaking slowly at first, then
progressively got worse...



Symptoms were:
To rich smell in exhaust (I sniff my exhaust to see if it has a rich smell
during my emissions testing, I can generally tell when it will not pass)

When cranking cold, idles to above 1000 to @1200 rpm.  I thought that this
was what the stock idle control module did when cold, but now it does not
with the new injectors.

When it got worse, the idle would not come down until I quickly opened the
throttle several times, them the idle would drop to 1100, then slowly to 900.


Mileage dropped to 17.5 mpg and getting worse.  Before it was about 19.5 with
the rebuilt set of injectors.  Adjusting the AFM spring tighter, helped but
soon continued to drop in mileage.


With the engine revved to 4000 rpm then letting off, it was slow to drop in
rpm. Like the throttle control switch was not working correctly.  I have had
trouble with the new switch I put in, not staying at the correct adjustment
for the just off idle adjustment (putting the old switch back on fixed the
problem).  I checked and rechecked the switch, working perfectly.  Well, it
is sticking, no, I could not make it not work correctly.

Well, checked timing, connection, put on the new distributor cap, replaced
the plug wires due to the coil wire having too much resistance, checked wire
connections, etc.  Still, the idle problem.

Last Friday while checking the throttle switch again, I decided to check the
injectors for leaks.  Pulled the right side off and saw one injector was just
dripping away after the power was turned off.  I also noticed that the rubber
part of the injector was starting to crack on the inside.  Talked to the VW
parts guy and he agreed to replace all the injectors :).  Well, I put them on
Saturday.  The AFM still was adjusted several notches tighter, fired up the
van and it went to a high idle @1200 rpm.  Shut it down, turned the AFM back
to the default setting and then the idle went to 900 with no higher than
normal idle speed.  Went out for a test drive down Interstate 40 at 75 to 80
mph, engine at 3800 to 4000 rpm (remember I have a .457 SA Five speed
gearbox) and the mileage I was getting was almost 22 mpg.  The exhaust smells
good now...


Plan to get an inspection test done this week end...

Funny how "what you think is wrong often is not and what you though could not
be wrong often is..."

Robert