Club 80-90 Forums

Hi,

Whilst returning from Cornwall I encountered a problem. On the big hills that require dropping down into third (at about 50mph) the van would loose power and stutter (with occasional small backfires) under near full to full throttle. Easing off the power stopped the stuttering, but as you'd expect resulted in a massive loss of speed! Never done this before, even in Norway where the hills were bigger....

After the second time it happened I stopped in a lay-by, and had a look over the engine. Everything seemed fine, idled fine, not over heating, revved up to the limiter fine. The following have been serviced/replaced in the last 6 months - fuel filter (there is only one which is by the tank, and there doesn't appear to be a second on the webber conversion the van has in the same way as the pierberg has one on the inlet), plugs, leads, rotor arm and cap (rev limiting type) and all the fuel lines/ breathers are connected and new.

From sypmtoms assumed fuel starvation bought about by the high revs / high engine load. All fuel lines appear fine, and filter (a genuine mann one) is still nice and clean. Whilst stopped, I tightened the two fuel pump nuts by half turn, so that they were really really tight. This was more for the feeling that I had done something than that they were particuallry loose! However, the problem seems to be gone (there were plenty more hills to test it on the way home!)

So, from this I conclude that the push rod may be on its last legs. How long should the push rod be prior to 25 years of use?

If anyone has any other suggestions they'd be greatfully received as well!

Cheers,

Alex

100mm
113 127 307 A

£18 plus vat from VW

Cheers for that - I'll whip mine out and measure it

Alex

Don't want to confuse things... But sometimes those symptoms can result from faving an incorrect coil fitted or possibly the coil starting to break down. They only do it when warm and under load!
Stick in a new push-rod first, it probably needs a new on anyway!

Hi,

I've popped the push rod out, and its 99mm, so now not sure if this is the culprit, or just a slight contributory factor.

However, the fuel pump doesn't seem right. The lever the push rod operates seems to have quite a lot of play from front to back, as well as the up and down action you would expect. I assume it is supposed to just pivot on the spindle in the base of the pump, with no sloppiness?

Also, would you expect a slight smell of fuel around the base of the pump? I assumed it should be sealed by the diaphragm, but the oily gunk that base beneath the pump had a petrolly smell - am I paranoid, or is this wrong?

Looks like new pump might be required - do people recommend mechanical or electrical??

Thanks in advance for your comments,

Cheers,

Alex

Is this another Weber conversion that's playing up ?

Do you still have the old Pierburg ?

Ian.

Hi,

No pierburg, it came with the weber already on it.

It seems to have worked fine for the last 6 months, returns average mpg compared to peoples posts on here. Is it likely that the problem may lie with the carb in your opinion then, rather than the pump?

Cheers,

Alex

There's been a spate of them causing issues of late.

T25Convert wrote: Also, would you expect a slight smell of fuel around the base of the pump? I assumed it should be sealed by the diaphragm, but the oily gunk that base beneath the pump had a petrolly smell - am I paranoid, or is this wrong?

Alex

I would say that is wrong and needs to be checked as if the diaphragm holed and is leaking fuel it could be going into the sump oil = not good !

Thanks all for the comments - I thought is was wrong!

Off to buy a new pump then, and change the push rod whilst i'm at it.

Cheers,

Alex