91 eco not making boost or revs. need help

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

parts store didnt have a filter, but wouldnt running it out of a can of known good fuel rule out the filter?

I took a comparison photo fuel from the tank is on the right, and known good fuel ont he left. you cant really see it but there is a light green tint to the left bottle. much darker from the tank.

Only if you bypassed the filter. You did not say if you did or not.

Pour some water in your bottle of fuel and watch how quick it sinks to the bottom. Shake it up and watch how fast the water separates and settle to the bottom. The fuel pickup does not pick up every drop. The only way to get all the water out is as I mentioned already, or take the tank out and drain it.

[jboogie13]

I can hear the turbo spooling, no obvious air restrictions, i did bypass the filter when running the purge through. i will try the fuel dryer tomorrow as a friend lent me his car to get to work tomorrow (panic subsided a little) thank you all for the responses and keep them coming. Having my daily up and running every day of the week is critical and this is really ***ing me up.

[TylerDurden]

Sorry if this sounds too basic... but is the throttle-arm travelling all the way freely? 

My 81 caddy had a throttle-cable clip (the one on the ribbed section of jacket) that would back off, causing the pedal to only pull the throttle arm part way.

[jboogie13]

Sorry if this sounds too basic... but is the throttle-arm travelling all the way freely? 

My 81 caddy had a throttle-cable clip (the one on the ribbed section of jacket) that would back off, causing the pedal to only pull the throttle arm part way.

haha yeah because the behavior stayed the same when i physically pushed the throttle arm to full stop under the hood. i wish it was something as simple as that 

[jboogie13]

Update, ive ordered  new filter, but in the meantime ive been running a mix of 50% diesel 911 (fuel dryer) and 50% fresh diesel fuel. I replaced the line from the filter to the pump with a clear one, and the car has been running with the fuel flowing from the canister with the mixture in it, through the filter, and into the pump with the return line going back to the canister. the car will now hold revs at approximatley 3100 rpm and will build about 2 psi in neutral. Improvement? illusion? i dont think the filter is restricting it because when priming the filter with fuel it took less than 3 inHG with the mightyvac and fuel seemed to flow very nicely. there is a steady stream from the return line. I'm still baffled, any more sugestions? I am trying to avoid opening the pump. If i drove the car to work tomorrow (about 20 miles one way) would i be risking harming anything? i hate inconveniencing people by borrowing their cars.

[jboogie13]

i should also add that the last time i timed the pump, i timed it to 1.02mm and that was a week before this incident, about 600 miles between as well.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

How many miles did you drive on the batch of water laden fuel? My guess is the the pump is worn from low lubrication. Call up a Bosch pump rebuild shop, give them the story and ask their opinion on what to expect as to the extent of the damage.

[jboogie13]

i put about 100 miles on it from necessity. its been running with the good stuff going through it fo about an hour and a half now, i can now get it to rev to 4k and build boost accordingly. The pump isnt leaking and still holds a prime. im going to have to run it with a large amount of cold weather diesel additive until i can find a suitable replacement pump. i will keep updated here. thank you all so much for the help! keep the ideas rolling in!

[8v-of-fury]

Get in contact with One_PunchMachineGun over on the vortex, he is looking to sell a 1.6TD pump i resealed for him back in June/July of 2012.

His car was wrecked and insurance uppercut him, so he is looking to make some cash.

[TylerDurden]

i put about 100 miles on it from necessity. its been running with the good stuff going through it fo about an hour and a half now, i can now get it to rev to 4k and build boost accordingly. The pump isnt leaking and still holds a prime. im going to have to run it with a large amount of cold weather diesel additive until i can find a suitable replacement pump. i will keep updated here. thank you all so much for the help! keep the ideas rolling in!

The IP might be fine. If it sucked in some dispersed water, there might have been ice crystals in odd places in the IP (governor control sleeve).  Driving around or on the highway in winter might not have allowed the IP to get warm enough to melt internal ice crystals, but stationary, it might have warmed enough to pass the water particles out. Far-fetched... maybe, but it's making boost and revs.

Run it on a jar of plain diesel and see what happens.

[8v-of-fury]

I agree TD, although judging by the amount of water he had in his tank it likely ingested quite a few strokes of damn near pure water. Luckily however, the pump internals are not untreated steel so rust is not likely an issue. The bores may me questionable.. but there would have to be quite a bit of water and sit for a while.

I think it is likely fine, You have it running on a jug already? 50/50 diesel and PS 911?

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

With your bottle of fuel 70% full, start the engine and warm it up to operating temp. Note what max rpm it will reach. Pour in 30% virgin corn oil and shake it up. Now see what max rpm it will reach. If rpm is higher, it affirms the worn pump theory.

Don't forget to replace the fuel with 100% diesel.

[TylerDurden]

With your bottle of fuel 70% full, start the engine and warm it up to operating temp. Note what max rpm it will reach. Pour in 30% virgin corn oil and shake it up. Now see what max rpm it will reach. If rpm is higher, it affirms the worn pump theory.

That's interesting... might that also indicate low internal pressure regulation?

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

With your bottle of fuel 70% full, start the engine and warm it up to operating temp. Note what max rpm it will reach. Pour in 30% virgin corn oil and shake it up. Now see what max rpm it will reach. If rpm is higher, it affirms the worn pump theory.

That's interesting... might that also indicate low internal pressure regulation?

Internal pressure is detrmined by the regulator bolt adjustment (w hammer) by the fuel inlet. I don' think that changed with the bad fuel. If there was accelerated wear and pressure loss from fuel diluted with water, i.e. vane pump, plunger, delivery valve, injector nozzles etc. the thicker viscosity fuel will restore some of that lost pressure.

[jboogie13]

once the engine revved to 4k it was as if something suddenly freed up and the engine was behaving just as it always has again. i dont doubt some premature wear occured, but it seems to be working okay. i will look that user up 8v if the person im talking to on here does not take my offer.