Author Topic: Well, crap (Read 8869 times)

JIMFOO2 · « **on:** April 09, 2008, 06:10:13 pm »

On my way to Moab, I get almost to the top of Vail Pass, and smell diesel. So I pull over and check. The #3 injector line has snapped off right at the injector, and is squirting fuel all over the place. I try to pinch it off, but luckily I can't as later on I realize this would be very bad for the pump. I end up teeing the line into the return to the tank and drive an hour or so on 3 cylinders to Glenwood, where there is a dealer. Of course they don't stock lines, so I have to get a room and wait until tomorrow while it gets overnighted. So how bad is it to drive on 3 cylinders? It still seems to run ok, low on power of course, and vibrates, but hopefully it's ok.
BTW, since I'm not at home, I didn't remember my password for Jimfoo, so that's why the Jimfoo2.

burn_your_money · « **Reply #1 on:** April 09, 2008, 09:02:54 pm »

Bummer man. That's not good.

I wouldn't recommend driving on 3 cylinders, the engine will be very out of balance.

truckinwagen · « **Reply #2 on:** April 09, 2008, 09:25:18 pm »

I drove for a while on three cylinders when one of my nozzles went out and nothing seemed to be hurt by it, but I would definitely not encourage you to continue driving it that way.

burnt_servo · « **Reply #3 on:** April 09, 2008, 10:50:39 pm »

what is the worst that will happen ?

extra wear on the bearings maybe ?

has anyone actually broken a crank on these engines ..... ever

?
that is the only thing major that i could see happening from the in balance of one dead cylinder .

if it shakes alot , maybe a motor mount or 2 might get taken out .

i'd try to find a shop that would either braze the line back together , or one that would let me do it myself . or maybe start phoning all the wreckers in the area looking for donor lines .

the drive home on 3 cylinders might be a really really long drive .

burn_your_money · « **Reply #4 on:** April 10, 2008, 05:08:24 am »

Your power strokes are going to be very rough with will send shock loads through the clutch, transmission, CVs/drive shafts, and rear diff and well as all your accessories including the injection pump.

If you can wait I would, if not I'd drive it trying to keep the RPMs up and at a point where the engine seems smooth

JIMFOO2 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 10, 2008, 06:44:36 am »

I spent the night and am waiting for a line which is being overnighted. I'm not really driving much of anywhere. The line broke inside the fitting, so there really wasn't any room to braze. I did have to bend that one more than the others to fit as it went right through the middle of the water outlet originally, and it was so short. This time I ordered a #1 line so I will have more to work with. I would have ordered the correcct AHU line but the only ones are in Toronto, and wouldn't make it overnight.

burn_your_money · « **Reply #6 on:** April 10, 2008, 10:10:54 am »

Hopefully it works for you

Vanagoner · « **Reply #7 on:** April 11, 2008, 04:32:07 am »

Sorry to hear about your breakdown Jim- not fun. Did you get it squared away and get home ok?

jimfoo · « **Reply #8 on:** April 11, 2008, 09:24:15 am »

Finally got home. I had to scrub the trip. I stayed in Rifle, drove to Glenwood, killed time, got my line at 2:00, drove back to Rifle and was able to use my friend's garage. Started removing the broken line, and noticed the pump was moving a bit. I looked closer, and saw that I had 0, YES 0 pump bracket bolts to hold it to the block. No wonder why the line broke, they were about the only thing holding it in place. I found one bolt that I could get in very well, one I sort of got in as it was almost too short, and used a tie down strap to hold the top in place. Of course the weather was crappy, and we got stuck at Vail pass while it was closed for about an hour due to an accident. Then I-70 was closed to the tunnel due to "multiple accidents and adverse weather conditions" so I had to drive all the way over Hoosier Pass to Fairplay, and back on 285. A 2 1/2 hour trip took 7 hours. Luckily the engine held up fine other than getting really cool on the long downhill sections. I think I will remove one or both oil coolers and maybe plumb the heater line to the stock cooler so the water will get a little more heat. Although I doubt it, I'm hoping that with needle nose pliers, I might be able to get the top bracket bolt in without having to remove the pump, which is a bit of a pain on my car.

the caveman · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2008, 09:50:39 am »

man believe it or not it sounds like you got lucky-the good kind. amazing that it ran so long without anything holding the pump. crazy!

jimfoo · « **Reply #10 on:** April 11, 2008, 10:35:41 am »

Yeah, I REALLY would have been pissed having to rebuild the engine a 3rd time had the timing belt slipped or broke.

burn_your_money · « **Reply #11 on:** April 11, 2008, 12:10:13 pm »

yikes man. Glad you made it.

the caveman · « **Reply #12 on:** April 11, 2008, 12:41:16 pm »

Quote from: "jimfoo"

Yeah, I REALLY would have been pissed having to rebuild the engine a 3rd time had the timing belt slipped or broke.

:shock:

DonGTI · « **Reply #13 on:** April 11, 2008, 02:38:48 pm »

Glad you made it without any damage! you must be blessed or you used up all your luck so don't bother buying any lottery tickets for the next 4 years or so :p

2 oilcoolers on an MTDI? what number of rows? what thermostat setting on the take off plate? please :?:

Dirtrag2 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 11, 2008, 02:52:43 pm »

prety close call, happy you made it OK

my experience is VW's always get you home