So the problem I mentioned in This Thread is getting a lot more regular, so I've been able to pin it down a bit.
It seems to mainly be happening when the weight is shifted to the back of the car (ie accelerating or going up hill), so I'm guessing it's fuel related?
The last few times it happened were all whilst going up hills, accelerating before a hill or after a good 20 seconds or so of gentle acceleration. Quick bursts of acceleration don't seem to be an issue though.
I've also had problems starting the car after a week or so of not driving it, as if the fuel has retreated back to the tank and I need to turn it over for a while to pump it back to the engine. This hasn't really bothered me, since it always starts eventually (as long as the battery holds out). Just thought I'd mention is since it could be related.
From what I remember, my fuel filter seems clean too, so I don't think it's rust etc in the system.
Any idea what it could be? I'd guess the fuel pump, but I'm not exactly clued up when it comes to the fuel system.
Fueling Issue?
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Hints, tips and guides for repair and modification - the FAQ section on the main website is worth checking first for information relating to common faults and technical help. Useful posts and guides will be added to the FAQ http://www.sciroccoregister.co.uk/scirocco-faq
Hints, tips and guides for repair and modification - the FAQ section on the main website is worth checking first for information relating to common faults and technical help. Useful posts and guides will be added to the FAQ http://www.sciroccoregister.co.uk/scirocco-faq
Re: Fueling Issue?
Hi Luke - have a read of the GTL thread, most recent postings relate to a fuelling issue.
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=4&start=75
The gasket split only became apparent when I gave the carb a really hard push - same effect as accelerating hard once car warmed up/off-choke I guess.
I'm happy I've been able to check/refresh the rest of the fuel system as described - the new pump and fuel vapour separator (the swirl pot) to replace the 30 year old originals were not a lot of money from VWH and they're easy enough to change too of course.
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=4&start=75
The gasket split only became apparent when I gave the carb a really hard push - same effect as accelerating hard once car warmed up/off-choke I guess.
I'm happy I've been able to check/refresh the rest of the fuel system as described - the new pump and fuel vapour separator (the swirl pot) to replace the 30 year old originals were not a lot of money from VWH and they're easy enough to change too of course.
Serial Rocco-ist.........
Re: Fueling Issue?
Am I right in assuming that the GTL was running a bit "off" all the time?
Mine will run perfectly fine, but then cut out after about 10-20 seconds of medium to hard acceleration or during/just after a hill. Hard acceleration for a short period of time doesn't have an effect. For example, here's a breakdown of today's test run:
Fired it up.
Let it idle until fully warmed up/the fan came on. No problems at all, idled perfectly the whole time.
Drove it through the village, with some hard acceleration for good measure to try and cause the fault. Short roads though, so no prolonged acceleration. Again, no problems at all. Ran really nicely actually considering it's only been started maybe twice in the last few months .
Within about 20 seconds of leaving the village (so constant acceleration), it lost all power. I rolled along for a bit and pulled into a layby. The car didn't cut out completely as it returned to normal after a while of coasting.
On the return journey, I made sure to always accelerate gently to see if it made a difference. It ran perfectly all the way home.
There were no hills on my route today, but the previous few times it has given me grief were on/immediately after hills.
It's really annoying, as the car is running beautifully other than this fault. It teases me with the village driving, then withholds the fun when I get to the country roads!
Mine will run perfectly fine, but then cut out after about 10-20 seconds of medium to hard acceleration or during/just after a hill. Hard acceleration for a short period of time doesn't have an effect. For example, here's a breakdown of today's test run:
Fired it up.
Let it idle until fully warmed up/the fan came on. No problems at all, idled perfectly the whole time.
Drove it through the village, with some hard acceleration for good measure to try and cause the fault. Short roads though, so no prolonged acceleration. Again, no problems at all. Ran really nicely actually considering it's only been started maybe twice in the last few months .
Within about 20 seconds of leaving the village (so constant acceleration), it lost all power. I rolled along for a bit and pulled into a layby. The car didn't cut out completely as it returned to normal after a while of coasting.
On the return journey, I made sure to always accelerate gently to see if it made a difference. It ran perfectly all the way home.
There were no hills on my route today, but the previous few times it has given me grief were on/immediately after hills.
It's really annoying, as the car is running beautifully other than this fault. It teases me with the village driving, then withholds the fun when I get to the country roads!
Re: Fueling Issue?
My problem only manifested itself when the car was warmed up and out on the road with choke off.
I put this down to the extra fuel going through during warm-up phase was overrideing any air leak caused by the gasket/mount.
I put this down to the extra fuel going through during warm-up phase was overrideing any air leak caused by the gasket/mount.
Serial Rocco-ist.........
Re: Fueling Issue?
So it's the carb mounting gasket you recommend having a look at? I did fit a brand new Weber to the car a few years ago, but I can't for the life of me remember if I fitted the new gasket or kept the old one. I like to think I fitted the new one that came with the carb, but I'll have a look this weekend.
Re: Fueling Issue?
Took the carb off and had a good look around. All seems in order, so I'm back at looking at the fuel pump. I've ordered one from VW Heritage and it looks like an easy swap.
Is there anything I need to bear in mind when swapping the pump aside from the obvious "petrol is flammable"? My Dad mentioned avoiding getting air into the system, but he wasn't sure if that was actually an issue or not.
Had a bit of a drive as well and it was fine under all circumstances except going up a hill. I tried everything: high revs, quick blasts at full throttle, foot to the floor at low revs and nothing would cause it to cut out apart from shifting the weight of the car to the back for a decent amount of time. Other than that, it was running beautifully.
Is there anything I need to bear in mind when swapping the pump aside from the obvious "petrol is flammable"? My Dad mentioned avoiding getting air into the system, but he wasn't sure if that was actually an issue or not.
Had a bit of a drive as well and it was fine under all circumstances except going up a hill. I tried everything: high revs, quick blasts at full throttle, foot to the floor at low revs and nothing would cause it to cut out apart from shifting the weight of the car to the back for a decent amount of time. Other than that, it was running beautifully.
Re: Fueling Issue?
Pump is a 20 minute swap job Luke - so easy even I managed it.
Serial Rocco-ist.........
Re: Fueling Issue?
Thought it might have been, but it's the ones that look easy that end up being the biggest pain in the arse!
Re: Fueling Issue?
Well, the new pump didn't sort it, so I'm back to square one.
Still only has an issue when weight has been shifted to the back of the car for about 10 seconds or so, as if the fuel is having trouble getting from the tank to the engine. I think I'm just going to book it in at the local mechanics and let them have a look. Any simple things I can try before that?
Still only has an issue when weight has been shifted to the back of the car for about 10 seconds or so, as if the fuel is having trouble getting from the tank to the engine. I think I'm just going to book it in at the local mechanics and let them have a look. Any simple things I can try before that?
Re: Fueling Issue?
Sorry if I missed this if you were asking elsewhere?
Blown down the fuel pipe back to tank? Listen for bubbles, line is clear. Could a blocked pipe manifest itself on uphill roads? Or would a new pump get over that?
Fuel vapour separator 'swirlpot' clean? New one or soak in brake cleaner.
GTMatt suggested to check both the dizzy and the rotor arm during my search for a solution.
As it happens on my recent return trip from Liverpool I had a stutter as I accelerated hard out of Warwick Services rejoining M40 - it lasted a few seconds and I can only put it down to reacting to heavy throttle after a brief cooling down period - I'd driven at pace all the way from Southport area without a halt until that point.
Blown down the fuel pipe back to tank? Listen for bubbles, line is clear. Could a blocked pipe manifest itself on uphill roads? Or would a new pump get over that?
Fuel vapour separator 'swirlpot' clean? New one or soak in brake cleaner.
GTMatt suggested to check both the dizzy and the rotor arm during my search for a solution.
As it happens on my recent return trip from Liverpool I had a stutter as I accelerated hard out of Warwick Services rejoining M40 - it lasted a few seconds and I can only put it down to reacting to heavy throttle after a brief cooling down period - I'd driven at pace all the way from Southport area without a halt until that point.
Serial Rocco-ist.........
Re: Fueling Issue?
Lift out the back seat squab, remove the tank sender cover plate (3 screws) and then disconnect the sender unit wiring and remove and check the tank with a torch ( not a match or a lighter .... I've seen someone try it )..... it sounds like you have a problem with the fuel pick up pipe in the tank .
It could be debris in the tank or a problem with the actual pipe which has a filter on the end and may be blocked.
As it happens on uphill stretches it could be that the sender has been out and put back in facing the wrong way round so that on uphill bits it is sucking air.
PS If anyone has similar with a fuel injected Scirocco , especially on fast bends then it will be a duff electric lift pump in the tank. The injected cars will appear to run fine with a knackered lift pump BUT the high pressure injection pump is working twice as hard sucking fuel through the lift pump and in certain circumstances including hot weather in traffic it will not be able to keep up the fuel pressure to the injectors and the car will stall out or lose power.
If the lift pump is not replaced when the symptoms show it will fairly quickly wear out the main injection pump due to it running hot and without a constant fuel supply running through it.
It could be debris in the tank or a problem with the actual pipe which has a filter on the end and may be blocked.
As it happens on uphill stretches it could be that the sender has been out and put back in facing the wrong way round so that on uphill bits it is sucking air.
PS If anyone has similar with a fuel injected Scirocco , especially on fast bends then it will be a duff electric lift pump in the tank. The injected cars will appear to run fine with a knackered lift pump BUT the high pressure injection pump is working twice as hard sucking fuel through the lift pump and in certain circumstances including hot weather in traffic it will not be able to keep up the fuel pressure to the injectors and the car will stall out or lose power.
If the lift pump is not replaced when the symptoms show it will fairly quickly wear out the main injection pump due to it running hot and without a constant fuel supply running through it.
Re: Fueling Issue?
I kind of lost interest in the Scirocco (buying a house is a hell of a distraction!) and stopped checking here. Sorry!
For those interested, I took the car to the mechanics in the end. They changed the fuel filters, put a new distributor on and a few other things, but it was actually a strip down, clean and rebuild of the carb that fixed it. It's running sweet as a nut now.
It's been a mission, but it's finally done! And I now have the bonus of an almost entirely new ignition system and various other new parts that I didn't really need, but no longer have to worry about. Thanks for all the help guys!
Proof that it no longer has problems with hills:
For those interested, I took the car to the mechanics in the end. They changed the fuel filters, put a new distributor on and a few other things, but it was actually a strip down, clean and rebuild of the carb that fixed it. It's running sweet as a nut now.
It's been a mission, but it's finally done! And I now have the bonus of an almost entirely new ignition system and various other new parts that I didn't really need, but no longer have to worry about. Thanks for all the help guys!
Proof that it no longer has problems with hills:
Re: Fueling Issue?
sounds like shit in the system
step 1. remove back seat and the little cover... remove fuel gauge sender plug, remove the clips on the pips...bin them and replace with jubilees only when you have solved problem....pull pipes off and turn the whole thing anti clockwise to lift off and out....check it all and poke a torch in the tank (no sparks) look make sure your tank aint full off crap...when you ask a lot from you car ie hills etc. it will really suck up any shit in there
step2 obvious....check the in line filter under bonnet....take it off shake it out...let it dry a bit and blow through it....always have a new one about to compare how easy it is to blow through....you soon see the difference
step 3 and probably the real cause.....take the roof of the carb off....then off blow through the inlet pipe to make sure the valve (its like a toilet system when the fuel fills the chamber it cuts the supply) is clear....any shit in it will keep allowing fuel in flooding the carb....or not allow enough in....push the float gentle up too while you blow to check it stops the flow....you will see when you are in there....
last but not least look in the float chamber.....use a rag to soak away ALL the fuel....I reckon if there is a problem here you will see it....shit in this chamber that sit at the bottom only to be sucked up to block the jets again when you asking a lot from the car......
ps.....everyone with a carb.. learn to change there accelerator pump gasket EVERYONE....on ebay 19mm from Germany cheap enough
let me know how you get on
ciao4now
step 1. remove back seat and the little cover... remove fuel gauge sender plug, remove the clips on the pips...bin them and replace with jubilees only when you have solved problem....pull pipes off and turn the whole thing anti clockwise to lift off and out....check it all and poke a torch in the tank (no sparks) look make sure your tank aint full off crap...when you ask a lot from you car ie hills etc. it will really suck up any shit in there
step2 obvious....check the in line filter under bonnet....take it off shake it out...let it dry a bit and blow through it....always have a new one about to compare how easy it is to blow through....you soon see the difference
step 3 and probably the real cause.....take the roof of the carb off....then off blow through the inlet pipe to make sure the valve (its like a toilet system when the fuel fills the chamber it cuts the supply) is clear....any shit in it will keep allowing fuel in flooding the carb....or not allow enough in....push the float gentle up too while you blow to check it stops the flow....you will see when you are in there....
last but not least look in the float chamber.....use a rag to soak away ALL the fuel....I reckon if there is a problem here you will see it....shit in this chamber that sit at the bottom only to be sucked up to block the jets again when you asking a lot from the car......
ps.....everyone with a carb.. learn to change there accelerator pump gasket EVERYONE....on ebay 19mm from Germany cheap enough
let me know how you get on
ciao4now