On Tue, 14 Aug 2001 17:00:03 -0400 (EDT), you wrote: >Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2001 16:09:38 -0400 >From: Patrick Austin <[email protected]> >Subject: Problems with a dealership... > >Okay, so two and a half weeks ago, my car broke down 100 miles outside of >boston, near wilbraham VW. The car would run fine for about 15 seconds >after startup, then start to sputter and lose power, and then die. >Definately seemed fuel related. You could IMMEDIATELY restart the car and >get another 15 seconds of running.
I had that EXACT same problem! I had to change the diaphragm pressure regulator (the gold can next to the fuel distributor). There are NO adjustments. If they replaced the differential pressure regulator they MAY have had to adjust the mixture. I suppose it could be prudent to check the mixture in either case. Check to see if they installed a new anti tampering plug on the mixture adjustment hole. If they didn't they didn't do any adjustments. > So, the car got towed to Wilbraham VW. >Call them a day or two later, and they say it's the fuel pressure >regulator. This is after a claimed 2 hours of investigation. I spent a half day checking absolutely everything in the Bentley except the fuel system on day one. The next morning I whipped the fuel pressure gage on it and found out what part was bad in about an hour including hook up of the gage and returning everything to normal. 2 hours seems possible. >While it's >there, I also have them install a suspension that I'd picked up that >afternoon. Two and a half weeks later, the car is JUST getting finished. >Today, I call and ask how much the bill is going to be. $1203. Now, the >fuel pressure regulator is a $235 part. Nobody had any great deals on these. They all run about $200. I lucked out and found one in a junkyard for $15. Motronic parts are hard to find. CIS-E parts are easy to get. >After 2 hours, they had it >properly diagnosed. I'm being charged for 12 hours of labor (total), a set >of $195 spark plug wires and ~$60 plugs (which I was never told about until >today). A week ago, they said they had 7 hours into it, the suspension was >installed and aligned (took 3 hours), the pressure regulator was in place, >and they just had some minor pressure regulator adjustments to do after >they bought some sort of tool that they didn't have available at the time. The only tool needed is a long 3mm allen wrench to set the mixture and some wire harmess for checking the diff press reg current. Any VW dealer should have this stuff. > >My questions: How long should it take to install and 'calibrate' the fuel >pressure regulator? An hour at most. That should be plenty of time for a leisurely walk to the parts dept, a coffee break, a smoke, changing the part and an op check. I had mine changed in about 15-20 minutes. It's only a clamp, 3 fuel lines, and a vacuum line. >Does the regulator even need calibration? What sort >of legal options am I going to have? If you didn't authorize the plugs and wires, have them put your old ones back in. You did have them keep the old parts, correct? > ************** > Patrick Austin > [email protected] > (617)782-9115 > ************** >___________ _____________ List Sponsor: http://www.netsville.com To remove yourself from this list, send mail to [email protected] with 'unsubscribe a2_16v' in the body of your message See us on the web at http://www.a2-16v.com Visit the 16V Homepage at http://www.gti16v.org
