Failure in engine... maybe fuel pump?

[Pegasín]

Hi!

From 1 1/2 months I have a problem in my beetle.
The engine runs well, but sudenly, it begins to jolt intermittently and the car loses power . It happens a few seconds...

... but one time i must stopped near the road becouse the engine don't worked good: in first gear with the gas pedal at last the car couldn´t overcome 10 km/h!!!! I stopped the engine for five minutes and then, it started fine and I can travel for 100 km with out problems...

The car can be works with out problems for several days or kilometers . But somedays, it failure . It's very strange.

Some mechanics said me that probably it's a failure of the fuel pump.

What do you think?

Thanks a lot!!!


(sorry, I can`t explain better becouse my english skill level is not very fluently )

[Doc]

That sounds as typical fault with relay no. 30
Did you replaced it with a new one. If not, do so.
Also take a look at Phils document about this:
http://www.1600i.de/1600i-elektronik/relais-steuergeraet/CheckingandrepairingtheECUrelay.htm

regards
Manfred

_________________
Register Nr. 336

[Pegasín]

Yes, the first thing i did was replace the relay 30

[phade]

I think a faulty fuel pump is very unlikely. I think a faulty hall sender (inside the distributor) is far more likely.

To check the hall sender (with the engine running), do the following:-

- Start up the engine

- Wiggle the hall sender's connector at the distributor with a pair of pliers.

If the engine then starts to run very badly or stops completely then you will need to replace the distributor. The hall sender inside the distributor cannot be separated from the distributor its self. This is especially true for the later distributors.

If however the car runs pernamently badly, then you will need to get a diagnostics kit (did you have a look at the one on eBay spain ?) and erase the ECU's fault memory.

However, if neither of the above is the case, then have a look at my fuel pressure testing documentation on http://www.1600i.de/1600i-tipps/fuel-pressure/MexicanBeetle1600iFuelInjectionSystemTesting.htm from the 1600i website.

Good luck with fixing your car.

Cheers,

Phil

[Pegasín]

One day I paseed all the afternoon checking some sensors, removing it from the engine.

Sensor for air temperature
Sensor for engine temperature
Hall sender for distributor

But the engine runs perfect!!!

I'm a rookie about fuel injection. Some "experts" said me that ECU has a memory with standard values who makes the probably of the engine running well... So, when I remove a sensor, the engine continues working perfectly...

[phade]

Hiya Pegasin,

If the hall sender was removed from the distributor, then the engine will not even fire let alone run. That was the case with my car when I was trying to find out what was wrong with it for nearly 2 months xmas/new year.

The hall sender its self is below the rotor arm and the notched metal disc inside the distributor. On earlier versions of the 1600i distributor this metal disc was secured by a circlip. However, on the later 1600i distributors these were machined onto the rotor shaft its self, thus making removal of the hall sender impossible.

Another possible thing to try as well is to check the resistance of the air temperature sender and the oil temperature sender. They both should be at about 900 Ohms at room temperature (20 degrees C). If the ambient temperature is above 20 degrees C then both senders should have the same resistance.

Also check the terminals on the senders themselves to see if any of them have any significant movement (eg. loose plastic moulding). This would indicate that the sender may be intermittant.

If either of those two senders are faulty then the faulty sender(s) should be replaced.

The "standard values" could refer to performing basic settings on the ECU. This is in effect to force the ECU to learn the current values of the sensors connected to it. This is done with the engine running at idle speed, with the engine oil temperature above 80 degrees C.

Let me know how you get on and good luck.

Cheers,

Phil

[Pegasín]

The engine stills running perfectly with out hall sender...

Where I can find a brand new fuel pump?

In Hoffmann-Speedster appears this pump in catalog but I send an e-mail and they responded that this spare part isn't available now.

Thanks!