Oops!

[dicky20014 4]

Erm well I decided to remove and clean all the breather pipes, afm, oil filler etc today in order to help my erratic idling. Was pleased with the excellent job I had done so thought while I was at it, I would take this SAD valve off and clean that also, as that might help the cold starts. So took it off, cleaned it with carbs cleaner, left it to soak for a bit then put it back on. Started her up.....only just started and runs like a absolute bag of s*ite. Theres me scratchng my head looking very puzzled.....turns out it wasnt the SAD I cleaned, it was something else . I took off the bit that bolts onto the underneath of the distributor that has a clear hose going into it and a sort of 'fork' that goes into the distributor, held on with 2 small screws, I have now found a picture of a SAD valve (in the for sale section) and it definately isnt what I took off! Could someone please tell me what damage I have done / what that bit is / does it need replacing, and also, where the SAD actually is

 

You may also laugh at my expense

 

cheers

 

Rich

[Phil H 16]

sounds like the diaphragm on the distributor.

[davey sprocket 14]

Yep, vac advance diaphragm.

 

Whip it off again, get it really dried out and try sucking through the little pipe bit that sticks out (that the clear pipe was on)...if you can suck through it, the diagphragm is damaged and the unit will need replacing.

Probably worth taking the clear pipe off the other end (at the throttle body) and making sure that's clear all the way through too.

[MerlinGTI 3]

So if you can suck air through the barb on the vac advance.. its fubar?

 

Looks like I need a new vac advance as well then, I can suck air through the one on my car and my spare

 

Any ideas how much and where from? Sorry for Hijack!

[davey sprocket 14]

So if you can suck air through the barb on the vac advance.. its fubar?

 

Looks like I need a new vac advance as well then, I can suck air through the one on my car and my spare

 

Any ideas how much and where from? Sorry for Hijack!

 

 

It takes quite a strong suck, but you should be able to suck against the diaphragm in the unit, which moves the little forked arm. If you can just suck air though it, then the diaphragm has a hole in it, which results in air constantly being sucked into the throttle body and you don't get the benefit of the ign timing advancing on closed throttle (although I think this is just to improve fuel efficiency??).

 

I bought mine from Pug, can't remember the cost, wasn't cheap.

Actually mine's a Bosch distributor, so if I need one again I'll try and find a Bosch dealer see if I can get one cheaper.

 

You'll need the dizzy make (some are Ducellier) and preferably codes stamped on it to get the correct vac unit.

[dicky20014 4]

ah ok, I will take it off tomorrow and have a go at that, at the moment, it is stuttering alot and makes it quite difficult to drive! I hope I havent done any permenent damage where abouts is the SAD actually at then?

 

cheers

 

Rich

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Further forwards and further down from where you were, probably buried in a mass of oily horrible pipes!

[Grim.Badger 15]

Clear pipe Are you sure you didn't accidently connect something to the expansion tank overflow?

[dicky20014 4]

I took the vac advance back off again dried it out. You can suck through it so I guess thats the diaphram nackered. Put it back together and it worked fine, car was running really well so took it out for a run, took it up to 5000 rpm (when it was warm) and it lost virtually all power and it started limping along. Managed to get it home (stalled as soon as I put the clutch in and was running really rough when I started it again, wouldnt idle at all). Took the distrubutor off (after marking it up) took the advance vaccum unit out and put it back in, aligning it with the lobe inside (I presume this is what it sits on?). Put it all back together, ran perfectly. Driving it today, was fine, took it to 4200rpm and the same thing happened, nursed it to college, stalling at every traffic light. When I got there, had a bit of smoke coming out of the bonnet, openned it up and I think oil was dripping onto the exhaust manifold from somewhere, not sure where though..... help please! I can probably just about get it home, but what do I do then?

 

cheers

 

Rich

[dicky20014 4]

Right, had to get the AA man out as it wouldnt stay running atall when I came out of college. He started it (just about) then held the throttle fully open. After a couple of minutes like this, it started revving up properly like it should. We then nursed it home (was running like a bag of s*ite again, virtually no power). He said its over fuelling and reckons its the coolant temp sensor. Does this seem right to anyone? as I dont understand how the issue can be linked, or is it still to do with the advance vaccum unit like before? any help appreciated as I'm going to have to try and fix it tonight (yes in the dark ) before work tomorrow!

 

cheers

 

Rich

[Rob_the_Sparky 9]

Coolant temp sensor is possible, when they fail they do over fuel but given what you have been doing I'd check for an an air leak after the AFM. This can also make it idle super rich (basically not idle at all) but these usually only affect it badly at idle and low throttle, full throttle would normally be OK. A classic for this being the bolt that holds the oil filler on, it goes into the manifold and if you leave this out it opens a leak at that point. However, not sure why this should be intermittant, it wouldn't normally be.

 

Are you sure you got the vac advance back on properly? If it is not hooked on to the peg in the dizzy then the ignition advance may wave about in the breeze. Would cause some "interesting" effects...

[dicky20014 4]

The bolt that holds the oil filler on is in place, I have heard of this being a common problem. I took the dizzy off again and tried hooking the vaccum module back in, I am not sure if I am doing it correctly or not, I have done a search but still not sure if I'm doing it quite right. Put it back together and it runs well again but idles quite low. I imagine if I take it over 4200rpm again it will do the same. Should I try a different distrubutor with the vacc advance already in? (I have a spare car, 1989 1.9gti whereas mine is 1990 1.9 gti) and see if that sorts it? Also, I have been getting quite alot of mayo in the breather pipes lately if that makes any difference?

 

cheers

 

rich

[davey sprocket 14]

The bolt that holds the oil filler on is in place, I have heard of this being a common problem. I took the dizzy off again and tried hooking the vaccum module back in, I am not sure if I am doing it correctly or not, I have done a search but still not sure if I'm doing it quite right. Put it back together and it runs well again but idles quite low. I imagine if I take it over 4200rpm again it will do the same. Should I try a different distrubutor with the vacc advance already in? (I have a spare car, 1989 1.9gti whereas mine is 1990 1.9 gti) and see if that sorts it? Also, I have been getting quite alot of mayo in the breather pipes lately if that makes any difference?

 

cheers

 

rich

 

I wouldn't worry about the mayo as long as its confined to the breather system, this is normal for these engines in cold, damp weather.

 

This is difficult to ask without sounding rude because I don't know your experience with these things.....

....but you are sure you're putting the dizzy back in exactly the same position as it came out originally aren't you? i.e you made a mark across the distributor flange and the housing it goes into before you disturbed it and made sure they line up still.

[cir287 0]

are you sure you have all the hoses correctly attached to the correct locations and that all the hoses are in good condition, as in no split ends etc.

after its run rough (assuming it wont tick over) check your hoses again and see if they are attached correctly and tightly. Sounds like something is giving way when pressure or vacuum increases behond a certain level.

[dicky20014 4]

This is difficult to ask without sounding rude because I don't know your experience with these things.....

....but you are sure you're putting the dizzy back in exactly the same position as it came out originally aren't you? i.e you made a mark across the distributor flange and the housing it goes into before you disturbed it and made sure they line up still.

 

Yes I marked across the dizzy and the housing before I took it off and put it back in exactly the right place. Have changed a couple of breather hoses and I am waiting for a new coolant temperature sensor to arrive, it seems to have settled down a bit now although the idle is still quite rough so will see how it goes,

 

cheers for the advice guys

 

rich

[bales 1]

Tbh I doubt it would be the vac advance anyway, I used to run my 1.9 without it, it is just there to increase part load economy and it never seemed to make any difference to my economy anyway!!

[Alteran 1]

Have you put the connecting pipe from the throttle body to the AFM back on properly? I see this quite often, it looks like the pipe is on but looking underneath the pipe it has kinked in on itself and you get unmetered air. But I can't see this being intermittant. Worth a check though. I'd take all the pipes off and start again, making sure everything locates correctly.

[dicky20014 4]

Have you put the connecting pipe from the throttle body to the AFM back on properly? I see this quite often, it looks like the pipe is on but looking underneath the pipe it has kinked in on itself and you get unmetered air. But I can't see this being intermittant. Worth a check though. I'd take all the pipes off and start again, making sure everything locates correctly.

 

Not a bad shout actually, I have checked all pipework but didnt feel underneath to see if it was kinked, I may take them all off clean them again and put them back on just to make sure. I am also on the lookout for another airflow meter (a known good one) if anyone would like to sell me one? to see if that solves it

 

cheers

 

Rich