autocross GTI - fuel problem

[pjmgti]

My autocross 87 GTI has been sitting for about a year and want to play this spring. There is fuel presure at the fuel distributor and the cold start line is getting fuel but the four lines to the engine are not getting fuel. Any suggestions because I was not clear from my bentley manual if I should be taking a part the fuel distributor.

[John McFarland]

DON'T take apart the fuel distributor. Make sure your injectors aren't plugged/stuck and that the fuel lines are clear. There is a test that is described in the Bentley. By pulling up the diaphram up on the CSI, it should send fuel to the injectors. If you have enough pressure and your lines and injectors are clean, you should get a spray.

[msogren]

Pull the injectors, point them into a platstic bottle, run the fuel pump, lift the pancake and verify a fairly even spray amount and pattern. It sometimes pays to balance the injectors for amount, into four syringes. Run the fatest injector on the #3 jug.
if you get one that sprays sideways, shoot some carb cleaner into it or find the factory injector cleaner.
the carb cleaner seldom works, but as it dont work anyway and there are getting costly, whats to lose?
MM

[racer_tim]

This brings up a good point, sorry to piss on your issue pjmgti, that you should start your car every month or so, just to keep things flowing, the battery charged, and the fuel "flowing"

[Conover]

Make sure the small rod that goes up into the bottom of the fuel distributor is moving freely. It's probably gummed up and stuck, clean the air flow plate, arm, and that rod with card cleaner. work the plate up and down a few times. then try to crank it again. allow some time for the carb cleaner to burn off before you celebrate. :026:

[pjmgti]

I am back on this project and looking for one last shot of advice before taking the autocross car to the vw shop. I have cleaned the fuel distributor but still not getting fuel to the engine. Once the cold start gas burns off the engine dies. I loosened one of the lines from the fuel distributor that leads to the injector and tried to start the engine to see if any fuel was going to the injector. Nothing came out so assume a clog but have cleaned the fuel distributor and internals were moving freely.

Any last ideas before I see my VW mechanic?

[Lael Cleland]

the main pump could be shot, its only geting enough fuel to make the 5th inj work. it takes 20-30 psi for the injectors to open. jump the fuel pump relay and push up on the air door from the back side and feal for resistance. main pumps dont like to sit for a month let a lone a year. the plunger could be gumed,diffrential pressure valve could be full of crap. check pressure from pump.
thats my 2 cents

[Sandro]

have you tried removing the three screws that hold the fuel distributor to the air flow meter? the plunger might be stuck and that is your problem.

if you do becareful when you lift it up that the plunger does not fall out.

but I would check the pump as mentioned above first.

[racer_tim]

Check the fuses. This happened to me a couple of years ago. I had rented the car, and some of the lines under the dash came "loose" and something shorted, and I too thought it was the fuel pump. It would start, but it wouldn't "catch"

Checked the fuel pump fuse and it had blown. Changed the fuse and everything was great.

[BlueStreak]

Another suggestion - if it turns out to be the pump, don't replace the whole $200 pump. I've been told it's usually just the check valve in the pump that goes, and the in pump check valve can be replaced for a lot less.

BTW - We had this same thing you are describing happen on one of the Rallycross cars over the winter, but I can't remember what the solution ended up being. I will check on it and post back here.