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Engine Specific Info and Questions => IDI Engine => Topic started by: sk8ordie on January 01, 2014, 06:43:02 pm
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the engine runs great (at idle - aside from the white smoke) I can drive it for a bit - until I get on it - then it acts like its not getting fuel - and shuts off. In fact - it will stall without my even getting on it. I replaced all the lines with "oem" bradided fuel lines (all lines, including metal (MK1) hardlines back to the tank). My clear feed line would originally be half full of fine bubbles post stall out. I assumed I Was taking air into the system and thus my issue. Went over every joint today and tightened them up - drove the truck with the hood off so I could monitor the clear lines while driving. The engines dies/ sputters/ stalls out with a completely full feed line (no bubbles)
I replaced the timing belt/tensioner/HG/ ARP's, and drove the car for months problem free. I would see black smoke under boost, never once saw white smoke out of the exhaust.
could the injectors magically have given up while the engine was sitting? turbo spins freely. After shutting her down - some fine bubbles will creep back into the clear feed line. I'll be honest though - I've had running/ driving diesels with some bubbles in the feed line - and they ran fine.
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An engine running at idle and blowing white smoke is not running well at all. If indeed there is no air in the lines, that would be coming and going out of the IP then I would be looking at a timing issue. Easy to check. If timing is spot on then I might think about something else. Just what I don't know right now, let me brew on it.
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Is there a clear line on the outlet from the IP? Air may be getting in the IP front seal or inlet banjo, bubbles will show in the outlet line.
I'd bottle-feed and see if the outlet line is free of bubbles. If not, the IP needs a front seal.
If the output line has no bubbles when bottle fed, but has bubbles when connected to the tank & filter, the supply from tank/filter may be restricted, causing air to pull into the front seal.
If the problem persists with no bubbles in the output line, I'd check the timing.
Does it idle with less smoke when the cold-start lever is pulled? That might indicate timing needs to be advanced.
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An engine running at idle and blowing white smoke is not running well at all. If indeed there is no air in the lines, that would be coming and going out of the IP then I would be looking at a timing issue. Easy to check. If timing is spot on then I might think about something else. Just what I don't know right now, let me brew on it.
thanks sir.
Is there a clear line on the outlet from the IP? Air may be getting in the IP front seal or inlet banjo, bubbles will show in the outlet line.
I'd bottle-feed and see if the outlet line is free of bubbles. If not, the IP needs a front seal.
If the output line has no bubbles when bottle fed, but has bubbles when connected to the tank & filter, the supply from tank/filter may be restricted, causing air to pull into the front seal.
If the problem persists with no bubbles in the output line, I'd check the timing.
Does it idle with less smoke when the cold-start lever is pulled? That might indicate timing needs to be advanced.
Thanks, I'll definitely try bottle feeding. I have not tried the advance - as the beast has always fired up easily in the cold. I Will investigate and report back.
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If you can see air in the lines,.. switch to rubber lines so you can't see if there is air in the lines anymore,.... whaaa???
You have a fuel line restriction.
Check the screen in the tank.
get a dash mounted vacuum gauge.
Get clear fuel lines so you can see if there is air in the lines.
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sorry - perhaps your sarcasm? is over my head on the clear line suggestion.
I drove the truck with the hood off so I could monitor the clear lines while driving. The engines dies/ sputters/ stalls out with a completely full feed line (no bubbles)
I appreciate the tank screen suggestion. I have been suspicious of the tank for a while. I plan to Follow TylerDurden' suggestion to bottle feed, and hope it will confirm or disprove any tank a$$grabbery that may, or may not be happening.
If you can see air in the lines,.. switch to rubber lines so you can't see if there is air in the lines anymore,.... whaaa???
You have a fuel line restriction.
Check the screen in the tank.
get a dash mounted vacuum gauge.
Get clear fuel lines so you can see if there is air in the lines.
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The feed pump and injectors are both after the feed line, check your return line as well.
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When I was running WVO all the time I was sucking air in from someplace and to know how bad a vacuum I was pulling I did put a boost gauge to use to monitor the vacuum on the filter. Finally figured that out and then switched the gauge over to the brake booster to see if I had an intermittent leak there. I kind of like the idea of a low pressure/vac gauge on the dash. Makes for some interesting conversation with the passenger.
What's this here gauge do? Oh, that one? As the fuel tank gets empty it will show a vacuum number that is related to the amount of money that will be sucked from your wallet to fill the tank back up.
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By any chance, have you done a compression test?
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sorry - perhaps your sarcasm? is over my head on the clear line suggestion.
Oh, then just use rubber lines.
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By any chance, have you done a compression test?
Reason I asked is my engine started belching white smoke and wouldn't idle. Turned out it was a somewhat melted #4 piston and stuck rings in same. Don't mean to scare you, just passing on my limited experience. I believe the white smoke was un-burned diesel fuel.
HG was fine - just got it too hot for too long.
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just got it too hot for too long This appears to be an understatement of the facts. Must have really been pulling a load or racing the neighbors TDI.
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just got it too hot for too long This appears to be an understatement of the facts. Must have really been pulling a load or racing the neighbors TDI.
Not really. Tons of things could have caused it. Leaking injector and normal operation for several thousand miles would do the same thing, then melts the piston at the end to give the symptoms.
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just got it too hot for too long This appears to be an understatement of the facts. Must have really been pulling a load or racing the neighbors TDI.
Not really. Tons of things could have caused it. Leaking injector and normal operation for several thousand miles would do the same thing, then melts the piston at the end to give the symptoms.
I believe it was a combination of both. The van (so I've read) weighs around 4,000 lbs. The grade was 215 Northeast out of Riverside, CA (East LA). No EGT sensor. Ambient was probably 95 F, loaded with everything including the kitchen sink. The injectors were acting up from a previous run on WVO as well. 500 yards from the summit, white smoke . . . ahhh memories
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Yeah, but that was just the last run, it was probably running hotter than it should most of its life. As you see now with all you have done to cool it and it is still hotter than what you were wanting.
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Yeah, but that was just the last run, it was probably running hotter than it should most of its life. As you see now with all you have done to cool it and it is still hotter than what you were wanting.
True that.
It is a completely different engine in every respect but still pulling the same load (same driver as well).
As there was no EGT sensor at the time, and I was using the temp gauge (silly), it was probably was hitting 1500 many times.
Definitely a case of what I didn't know - did hurt.
The OP never said he was stock though - still could be a possibility but not very likely. He said it still idles. I don't recall for sure but I don't think mine idled, or if it did, not well.
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;D
sorry for the delayed response. I appreciate all the input. Here's a major detail I thought I had mentioned in the original post.
I was running this engine problem free in my 84 jetta (all maintenance was done while in the jetta - HG. etc) ran mint. The white smoke issue didn't start until I swapped the engine into my 81 pickup. Come to find out the pickup was parked/ stripped by the previous owner for (DUN DUN DUNNnn) stalling issues. If the snow/ freezing rain ever stops here - I'm going to bottle feed the truck - and confirm whether the tank has been the issue for the previous owner - as well as mysef.
heres another question. What can even go wrong in a MKI pickup tank? As far as I know its a screen/ filterless tank. I have some memory of a screen configuration at the fuel level sender - but It's fuzzy. Any input appreciated
and the trucks "build thread" for entertainment purposes
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5937102-Pale-Rider-(moribund)
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one pinhole in the feed tube, and it's air all the time.
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There is a cylinder-shaped screen in the tank.
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There is a cylinder-shaped screen in the tank.
thanks. follow up time. It finally stopped snowing/raining/sucking, and I got a chance to bottle feed the truck today. Black soot - no stalling - no air in the lines - ran like a champ .
thanks for all the suggestions.
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Congrats! and thanks for mentioning the fix
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I had to cut out some of the metal lines on my rabbit when I got it. Some runs were smashed flat like somebody use it as a jack point :)