Date:         Wed, 10 Jan 2007 23:12:33 -0500
Reply-To:     Geza Polony <gezapolony@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Geza Polony <gezapolony@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Low idle, hard cold starting

I've been trying to replace all the parts that might cause side-of-the-road
hell with family and dog, basically. This cold start issue just came up.

The compression on #1 cylinder was 155, and that was the plug that had some
ash buildup. If there's oil in there, though, wouldn't you see oil fouling
or the old blue smoke burnoff?

How about using Seafoam--isn't that supposed to take off carbon deposits?
Never tried it but have heard good things, here and elsewhere.

I'll try pulling an injector to look for oil.

Please tell me--I don't have to do the heads! No money!

Geza



On Wed, 10 Jan 2007 22:28:12 -0500, Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET> wrote:

>Sounds like you're practicing some parts changing till it works here.
>
>If you have only plug that is loading with ash, then you have one cylinder
>that is getting to much oil and possibly isn't firing with engine cold. You
>may have a piston, ring, or valve guide problem. Compression could check
>good but you may still have too much oil getting into the cylinder. In
>addition to compression, do a leak down test.
>This can cause poor cold performance. Carbon deposits and poor injector
>spray patterns will also cause bad cold performance. The deposits will
>absorb the fuel until it is saturated and then you go to flooding. Bad spray
>will also cause the fuel to puddle. Pull the injectors and if needed pull
>the manifolds off the heads and check for build up or signs of oil. Oil here
>indicates bad valve guides. An oil scraper ring can be installed on the
>intake valve stems to stop oil from being sucked down when the valve is
>open. The part # is 113-109-619.
>
>Dennis
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
>Geza Polony
>Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 8:59 PM
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Low idle, hard cold starting
>
>Hey all,
>
>I have another exasperating cold start/idle problem with  my '84 1.9. Cold
>starts hard, with RPM dropping to very low or zero and engine stalling if I
>don't keep revs up to 2500 or so. When warm, idle will drop down to 300,
>then back to around 900, sometimes stall.
>
>What it ISN'T: fuel pressure regulator, fuel filter, bad compression, idle
>stabiliser, plugs, wires, dist. cap, rotor, vacuum leak, AFM, throttle body,
>low battery voltage at startup, aux. air regulator, bad ground, Temp II
>sensor, O2 sensor, cat, muffler. All these have been checked or replaced.
>
>Guesses: Hall Sender going bad? Fuel pump bad? (buzzes, but car runs fine at
>high speed.)
>
>There was a coolant leak at the left head before Bar's Leaking it. One plug
>(#1) showed signs of ashing up.
>
>There's a small exhaust leak someplace.
>
>Red alternator LEDs are on when starting/up to 2K rpm. Charges fine (13.9
>volts @ idle.)
>
>Thanks for any help you can give me on this one.
>
>
>Geza