AAZ power loss, idles and starts fine

[dontdoemyourself]

I'm at a loss.. Car was running fine on my way to a hike.. Then on the way home i could it get it to rev over about 2,000 rpm. White smoke.. Some small air bubbles in the outlet line.. Couldn't see air in inlet line.. Drained water and some really really nasty crud out of fuel filter.. (Thinking  clogged injector?) car won't run without the cold start lever pulled out.. Checked my timing, reset cam to crank timing and checked IP timing.. Set to 1.0mm. Pump was rebuilt by Giles in June.. Next step is to test to see if all injectors are firing, they were rebuilt too.. Then compression.. Any additional ideas of things to check?

[TylerDurden]

I'm thinkin your filter is stuffed.  High vacuum on the inlet side due to the restriction can draw air into the system through the main seal or banjo.

I'd feed it from/to a clean container of fuel to verify all else is ok.

Could be someone vandalised your fuel tank.

[vanbcguy]

Yup, start with a new filter, if you were getting crud draining out the bottom it's probably plugged up.  Are you missing your filler cap? Do you have a locking one?

[dontdoemyourself]

This vanagon eats fuel filters! I think this is my second filter within 6 months! I might need to replace my fuel tank too.. The previous owner was running this on SVO when I bought it,  and Im sure the crud is because of that.. I do have a locking fuel cap, and I have been running NAPA filters.. Which aren't that nice.. I'll get a German one tomorrow and see how long it lasts.  Thanks!

[vanbcguy]

This vanagon eats fuel filters! I think this is my second filter within 6 months! I might need to replace my fuel tank too.. The previous owner was running this on SVO when I bought it,  and Im sure the crud is because of that.. I do have a locking fuel cap, and I have been running NAPA filters.. Which aren't that nice.. I'll get a German one tomorrow and see how long it lasts.  Thanks!

Gotcha. Cleaning out your tank would probably be a good start. If you're burning through filters then you've got contamination for sure.

Algae is another possibility. There's a variety of black algae that can grow in diesel. In particular tanks with water contamination! If you're getting water from your filter then you need to find the source.

[TylerDurden]

If you're getting water from your filter then you need to find the source.

Agree.

In the meantime, I'd probably put on some cheap filters and dump a gallon of naptha into the tank and try to dissolve as much goo as possible.

The vanagon tank system is convoluted and not easily just dropped and cleaned.

Still, first I'd bottle feed to see if the engine/pump/injectors are ok.

[air-cooled or diesel]

ive never had a problem with napa filters, check if its a wix filter, which would be fine to use. try bottle feeding with diesel purge; like said above you need to flush fuel tank forward, water separator needs some type of cleaning too. try to flush out lines forward(to filter), maybe take to a good shop which can do sometype of flush out

[libbydiesel]

I've seen a fair amount of hand-wringing about dropping the vanagon tank, but assuming it's 2WD, the vanagon fuel tank is quite easy to drop.  The hardest part being draining the tank.  The system has the complication of the three top grommets and crossover tube because of the valley in the middle of the tank.  It is not easy to clean the inside of the tank as the only real access points are the fuel filler opening and the sender opening and both are fairly small.  Replacement tanks are readily available.  The last one I got, I paid $80 delivered.  I took a little time and care with a fine file to remove burrs at the sender hole.  It has worked fine. 

[dontdoemyourself]

Thanks, this is good info. I'm not sure what naptha is.. But I'll find some.. I looked on rockauto,  they've got a new tank for $120.. I might go that route. Put a new filter in and still getting air.. Checked my copper o rings and they seem smooth.. Wondering if my line between tank and water separator is leaky.. Could the water separator be faulty..?
Libbydiesel, where'd you get an $80 tank?!

[air-cooled or diesel]

I'm thinkin your filter is stuffed.  High vacuum on the inlet side due to the restriction can draw air into the system through the main seal or banjo.

all that clogging needs to be cleaned out, ^ 1st place id start. i dont know what to tell you until you get a new tank, or clean tank, water separator, fuel lines. you can bottle feed with purge, and sea foam, but that should be a good fix for post-filter.

[libbydiesel]

I got the tank off eBay.

The stock tank has a tube from the outlet to the center of the tank.  If that tube gets a crack in it, it can draw air into the even when there is still a fair amount of fuel in the tank.  When it gets bad enough, it acts like you have run out of fuel entirely when the tank is half full.  That is the issue that inspired me to replace my tank.

 

[dontdoemyourself]

Libbydiesel- thanks, I'm going to order a new tank tonight, I have some hard plastic fuel lines from a mk3  gas Jetta that I plan to use for feed and return lines ( will these work?)
I will bottle feed some purge and seafoam before I connect everything back together.. This has kind of been a plaguing problem... And I can have a chance to change out my squeaky shifter bushing that is hiding under the tank.

[libbydiesel]

The hard plastic lines will work.  I like to use clear tygothane for coupling, though, so I can easily trace air infiltration. 

[dontdoemyourself]

Old tank out, filler neck was incredibly nasty as well..


  also shows my clever backwoods shift bushing replacement made out of an old bmx crank spacer and hose clamps.
Put a pre filter right after my tank, and made new lines, she's running like a top.  Ran from the can of diesel purge for a bit.
After finally getting to use my boost gauge I see I'm only making 9 psi.. Now on to that ..

[libbydiesel]

9psi is normal unless you have adjusted it/added a manual boost controller.  Which turbo?