Speaking of Transfer Pumps - I fought a fueling problem on my current '89 16v GTi for 1 1/2 YEARS before I finally figured it out (probably because I'm not very intelligent or at least that's what everyone tells me).
The symptoms were that the car ran fine until, randomly, it would starve for fuel - the symptoms were similar to a bad ignition which didn't help matters. The power would be down and the car would buck and stumble and the only way to keep it running was to use full throttle. This went on as I quietly and methodically replaced virtually EVERYTHING underhood - injection system (fuel distributor, fuel lines, injectors, DPR), coil, wires and distributor. Then, one night, I ran the car out of fuel and it acted EXACTLY the same as my problem. That was the same night that the damn thing died on me in rush hour on the American Legion Bridge (the Cabin John Bridge for you old-time Washington, DC folks) - let's just say that it's like stalling out in the Lincoln Tunnel in NYC. The tiny light in my pea-sized brain lit up and said "It's a fuel pump problem you moron". Sure enough, the transfer pump was faulty and so was the fuel tank level because the car had been parked for 3 years with no fuel in the tank. As a result, the pump rec'd SOME current but not enough to work reliably - what I surmised was that, as we know, with a full tank, the transfer pump doesn't do much. With less than a half-tank, the transfer pump worked when it was submersed in fuel which helped to keep the pump cool. As the fuel level dropped, the pump overheated and stopped working BUT since I don't routinely run my cars low on fuel, this wasn't consistent. AAARRRRGGGHHHH!!! I swear I aged 20 years whilst trying to diagnose that nightmare. Matthew ----- Original Message ---- > From: Charlie Russo <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Mon, July 12, 2010 1:38:29 PM > Subject: Re: [a2-16v-list] Fw: a2-16v list back online > > Yes, I too am still alive and kicking just like the list. > > First of all, Chad thanks for bringing the list back to life! > > Matthew, we still share the same thoughts about the VW Vortex forums you > and I and others love so much. > I too enjoyed your emails about your racing experiences with the General Li. > > I post on there from time to time although I tend to stay away from the A2 > Forum. > While I do not profess to know everything about A1s and A2s I do have 30+ > years of experience. > It still makes me laugh when people on that forum tell me I don't know > squat about VWs even though I > tell them exactly how to fix their problems having experienced it myself. > > Speaking of my '87 GTI 16V I had her out last week for state inspection. > The techs in the shop enjoyed seeing her again. They especially appreciated > seeing her up on the lift > to check out her undercarriage. The AC system with it's R-12 still blows > cold. In two more years she gets her Antique Plates > (25 yrs here in PA.). After I take care of a few things she will be going > to some AACA Meets. > > A couple weeks ago my Daily Driver '85 Golf had to be towed for the first > time during lunch one day. > After some diagnostic time, I found out that after 25 years the transfer > fuel pump was not pumping a drop of fuel > although it made noise like it was. When replacing the pump I came to > really appreciate the design of the system > and how EASY it was to replace. The original clutch (after only 160K miles) > was replaced a few weeks before the pump failed. > Now I have to replace the odometer cable gasket which stared leaking tranny > fluid. Someone I work with has over 380K+ on her > Golf's original clutch. That must be close to some kind of record. > > Speaking of parts being scarce. Some of the metal fuel lines that connect > to the external pump are NLA from VW. > I found two of the lines that are available from VW at germanautopart.com > at significant savings. > So far, the NLA line cannot be found on-line. > > Charlie > > > _______________________________________________ > a2-16v-list mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.a2-16v.com/mailman/listinfo/a2-16v-list > For list archives, see listinfo link above. >
