DG w/c Pierburg choke heater element

[fairwynds]

I had wondered, long before the ongoing rebuild.....why I was having over revving probs when cold but AFTER choke shouldve switched off! Now I know....the carb choke heating element was sh$**ed!
Time for a new one...

[fairwynds]

Oh...part is discontinued....
G s F say they might have a pattern part (which may or may not be adjustable....)
Or I need to find someone/place who can repair the flimsey wire filament.

Any ideas about a fix peeps?

[Fritz]

The next thing to do is find out what other vehicles used a similar auto choke set up, for example most of the small saloon cars from a golf to a Fiesta fitted with a carburettor used a similar cold start mechanism

So just a bit of searching will be required to sort your problem.....

Regards

Fritz,,,,,

[PEET]

Or just get the correct parts from Vw Commercial, i'm sure they're still available.

[skell]

Gower and lee do them, was £60 ouch when I asked them, 2nd hand pierburg with a working one should be around the £30 mark. I've got a knacked one you can have for nowt, the wire has been pulled off it, if you think you could get yours going using the bits from yours and mine send me a pm and I'll post it to you.

[clartsonly]

hmmm could this be party the reason mine seems fine when first starting from cold then dies at junctions until it has had a proper run?

[fairwynds]

Clarts....Id bet tomorrows lunch on it! It could be the thermo switch (found by tracing back the wire, in pics, to the waterworks) or the actual heater element (like mine, broken off inside the choke housing) - fixed as follows.

Skell....thankyou for the offer (I might still need to take you up on it when I fire her up!) I hope Ive fixed it, see below....

...and for anyone else interested:-

The symptoms were; fine starting up from cold, but would seem to over rev for a good few minutes, She would sometimes stall at junctions when not fully warmed up.

Problem found; wire heater 'element' inside the choke housing had broken off at one end (the earthing end) and so choke would not turn off or reduce until water up to temp.


Further problem; VW discontinued this part a few years ago. G s F etc dont do them, and besides, the only option was a non adjustable one (which may not have fitted anyway) at £60!

Solution; upon closer inspection I found a tiny grub screw fitted flush in the side of the housing, under years of crud! Undoing this released the shaft of the bimetal spring, allowing the unit to be taken apart.


I couldnt solder the wire back on as it gets hot in use and would probably come adrift again....so.....

A neighbour of mine is a watchmaker (a very useful man to know!) and he drilled a 1mm hole into the 'plug' where the remaining piece of the wire was left. He tapped this to take a tiny screw and washer. Hey presto, a wire 'clamp' - job done!


The proof of the pudding will be soon, as engine goes back in!

[skell]

sweet, now I know how to fix the knackered one i have