Have just had my mechanic chap over as the van let me down on Saturday - dead spots in acceleration leading to kangarooing and engine cutting out. He's removed the plugs and they're fried having been on only 6 months... he's put it down to the engine running too hot which I agree it has been doing since the cold start valve thing (don't know what it's proper name is!) was reactivated (after someone had disabled it) over the winter when he had the van in cos the bugger would start! He's having it in this week to replace plugs and leads but I was wondering if any of you guys had any suggestions for things for me to point out to the mechanic to get the engine running back at the right temperature? Obviously I'm not planning on teaching my granny to suck eggs but he doesn't have a lot of local knowledge with these vehicles so he's always open to suggestions!
btw deactivating the cold start valve isn't an option as I'd really like the van to continue starting reliably!
If it's watercooled it's a 1915cc aka 1.9 or a 2109cc aka 2.1. If you look at the engine number (on the flat surface below the black breather tower) the number will be prefixed DF, DG, DH, DJ, MV,SS etc etc ... this will tell you what type you have.
You sure you have got the correct plugs in ?
Ian.
The Hulley's Bus 1989 2.1DJ Trampspotter LPG courtesy of Steve @ Gasure
Well I've taken a couple of pics to help explain myself... I don't profess to know anything much at all about engines! Looked for the engine code a while ago and came up against a brick wall... couldn't find a DG or a DF or any other prefix.... I'm probably looking in the wrong place though knowing me! As for the cold start thing I mentioned - it was just explained to me that that's what it did I don't recall if it had a special name so I've taken a picture of that too!
See the black tower thing where you wrote 'star' on pic 2 there's a flat area facing the back of the van, behind the adjuster bracket, the engine number's there. It appears to have a Pierburg carb so it's probably a DG (it has the early exhaust and cooling system btw ).
The number you show is a component's part number (note the 025 prefix)
The thing your mechanic says has been disabled can be removed completely, leaving the entrance to the filter housing (so long as the filter is present of course). This is for cold starting in colder climates than we have here in the UK ... even last winter.
Ian.
The Hulley's Bus 1989 2.1DJ Trampspotter LPG courtesy of Steve @ Gasure
Ian Hulley wrote:See the black tower thing where you wrote 'star' on pic 2 there's a flat area facing the back of the van, behind the adjuster bracket, the engine number's there. It appears to have a Pierburg carb so it's probably a DG (it has the early exhaust and cooling system btw ).
The number you show is a component's part number (note the 025 prefix)
The thing your mechanic says has been disabled can be removed completely, leaving the entrance to the filter housing (so long as the filter is present of course). This is for cold starting in colder climates than we have here in the UK ... even last winter.
Ian.
Thanks Ian, loads of info there. It does have Pierburg carb so will have a check where you say to see if I can confirm a DG code! So the presence of the cold start thingy shouldn't have made a difference last winter? But it did - and then some... wouldn't start at all sometimes (with full battery etc) but after mechanic re-enabled this thing it's started on the button 99% of the time? Could this be making it run too hot? I had noticed that my normal "cruising" temperature was a smidge higher - about a needles' width closer to the temp light! So any ideas as to a solution that allows my reliable starting AND non frying of plugs?
Also you say I have the early exhaust and cooling system... how do these differ... just for future reference really as I'll be changing the whole exhaust system soon and would prefer to be armed with any info I might need! Am planning on going stainless steel as I could really do with something on the van being lifetime guaranteed!
Swap the early system for the late stainless styleeee as supplied by Brickwerks.
Early cooling system hoses and some components are only available pre-loved from breakers as most have been obsolete for some time from VW.
It seems odd that the air pre-heater thing is that critical to your van. Do you 'set the choke' correctly ? (pedal to the floor and then gently released BEFORE turning the key) many DG's have this unit removed as the ducting and exhaust pick-up decay and the unit holds water and rot behind it.
It's 99% definately a DG
The Hulley's Bus 1989 2.1DJ Trampspotter LPG courtesy of Steve @ Gasure
Have just had another quick squizz for the engine number but the area you refer to is covered in gunk and I'm in clean mode - about to go to work so it'll have to wait until i'm back in a few days.
Regarding "setting the choke" I've got into the habit (be it good or bad!) of depressing the accellerator twice and then holding it in and turning key just a fraction of a second before releasing the accellerator... sure I read it in the user manual... The thing is though when I wouldn't start I think I went through all manner of routines to get the bugger to fire!
my guess is its running too lean, which causes overheating at the cylinders and accounts for the air intake making such a difference (if thats all that made the differences)
timing also makes a differnce to temp
mind you, it could just be the wrong plugs.......
So 3 things to mention to the mechanic then really.. timing, mixture (which he had ummed and arred about a bit today) and correct plugs. I'm away from home (and the van) for a few days now so cannot check what's on it - but what plugs should it have if it is a DG as Ian 99% suspects??? And are there any figures I can quote to him re timing and mixture? Not sure how it's all addressed but obviously any info I can give him will help get it sorted more effectively
daschmoo wrote: and correct plugs. I'm away from home (and the van) for a few days now so cannot check what's on it - but what plugs should it have if it is a DG as Ian 99% suspects???
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