# 1983 Cabriolet sitting 10 years. Where do I start?



## Joyrider76 (Apr 30, 2013)

I swapped out the cap/condenser/plugs/wires. Sprayed WD40 into the spark plug holes and turned it over by hand a few dozen times. I don't dare turn it over. 

What's next? drop the tank to have it cleaned? How do I give the CIS the best chance of operating normally? 

Thank you so much for your greater knowledge.


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## HSolo (Jan 20, 2010)

Here is a list of what I would do: 
1. Buy either a Bentley manual or Poor Richard's How to keep your vw rabbit alive for the complete idiot. Or better get both. 
2. Read the above books thoroughly. 

(take a moment and disconnect the battery) 

3. Always, always start from the fuel tank and work forward. Ask me how I know then be prepared for a novel. 
4. Drain what is now water and varnish from your tank by; 
a) syphoning through the inspection hatch if you have a lift pump and the return/recirc box. 
b) draining via pump suction line if you have the gravity fed pump. 
c) being really stupid like me many moons ago and suck it out with a shop vac. (fuel vapour and open spark should not be in the same garage!!! Why I wasn't blown to Timbuktu I will never know) 
5. Look through the inspection hatch with a light and mirror and decide if you should drop the rear beam and tank to really clean all that sludge and rust out of there. 
6. If leaving in place I suggest using kerosene or fresh gas to swish/stir around the tank. Drain. Lather, rinse, repeat. Then with a rag on the end of a stick and wipe until clean. 
7. Under the car let go supply (at pump) and return (at tank or recirc box) fuel lines. Do the same up in the bay. Now blow back through the bay end with compressed air or lung power to prove the lines free. Hook everything back up. 
8) Refresh fuel filter. Heck, refreshing all fluids and filters (and belts) is another great first step. 
9) If your happy with the cleanliness of the fuel system up to here fill her up with some fresh supreme go juice. 
10) Reconnect the battery. Place a friend next to the fuel pump so he/she can listen and feel what it's doing. Turn the key to "on". The pump should make a little whirring sound and feel cool to the touch. If it doesn't make a sound and/or it starts to warm up turn the key to "off". 
11) If your helper gave the thumbs up try to start the car. 

That should be enough to occupy you for a bit. If the ol'girl didn't fire up or the pump wasn't working...read the above books...or ask here again. 

And.....because it will be suggested at some point. 

Search is your friend, google cis troubleshooting there is a lot of info to be had. I personally like timbob's tech notes.


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## Joyrider76 (Apr 30, 2013)

Awesome. This is precisely what I was looking for. I have the Bentley manual and experience on other cars/systems. No fuel injection to speak of though. 

I'll go ahead and drop the tank and have it soaked/coated. 

Thank you so much!


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## HSolo (Jan 20, 2010)

Glad I could be some help....first time for everything I guess. 

The system is all about having the correct pressure, rigging up a pressure gauge with a shut off valve as a tester will be invaluable. With that and a multimeter you can troubleshoot most anything. I found that Poor Richards book the most easy and clear to follow. From my experience cis hates 4 things: sitting for too long, dirt, unmetered air and vacuum leaks. Sitting too long gums the fi system up. In particular there is a plunger/piston in the metering head/fuel distributor that should rise and fall with the air flow plate. If the plunger sticks or doesn't move freely (read: dirty old gas) you won't go. If your getting pressure up to the fuel filter but a pulled injector dribbles or doesn't spray at all when lifting the air flow plate this could be the culprit. Sometimes a tap with drift or rubber mallet on top of the fd will free it up. The tech-notes I mentioned have an excellent write up on the cleaning procedure. Never split the two halves of the metering head......take it off the base but don't split the two cast halves.....and DON'T drop the plunger. (Some have successfully split and rebuilt the head but it is not for the faint of heart) 

The volume of fuel to the injectors is dependent on the amount the intake vacuum can lift the air flow plate. Tears/cracks in the intake piping boots can reduce this vacuum while letting in unmetered air resulting in a lean mix. 

Timing advance/retard is also controlled by vac so it would be worth your while to ensure no leaks there. 

Lastly these cars must have good ground connections! As your poking around the bay, if you come across a ground strap clean up the ends with some sand paper and ensure good contacts.


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## MacGruber (Aug 20, 2010)

As far as the engine itself after sitting that long, after changing the oil, you should prime the lubrication system.
Pull the distributor and you see inverse slotted top of the oil pump shaft.

I made a tool with a slotted end and a flexible shaft to drive with an electric drill. Run that until oil shoots out of the removed cylinder head oil sender, and then some after reinstalling the sender.

The fuel system could be a nightmare - filled with gooey old fuel and rust, or not.

The worst case: see photos here:

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthre...ending-issue&p=81978983&posted=1#post81978983

That VW owner will replace fuel tank, in-tank pump/strainer, main pump, fuel filter. That plastic fuel filter/reservoir above the tank is hard to find, and the fuel level sender/pump holder impossible to find new.

That still leaves the fuel distributor, warm up regulator on the engine, cold start valve and the injectors to hopefully, just flush out


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## Permafrost (Jul 3, 2013)

In the same shape with a hovercraft that has a 82-89 1.8L engine. Sat for a long time. I now have spark but no fuel. I have fuel at the return line going back to tank. I still have no fuel going from the fuel distributor to the injectors. Any help would be appreciated. I read the Chilton's at the library but was not able to take it home.


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## MacGruber (Aug 20, 2010)

First need to rule out vacuum leaks including a missing idle screw.

I use one of those telescoping magnetic screw retrievers to lift the air flap with the fuel pump running.

You need enough fuel pressure to open the injectors. Check for fuel spray, with the spark plugs out or better to extract the injectors, which is usually difficult because the thick o-rings harden after 20 years.


Turns out I live 10 miles from a major hovercraft company.


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## 87_cabby (Aug 25, 2013)

I too am troubleshooting my 87 I didn't have good atomized fuel from the injectors. I pulled mine you can get a spark plug wire puller, you know when car is running and you don't want to get zapped...those things, got mine from harbor freight anyway pull the injectors and jump he fuel relay with a wire with 2 spades it's easy to do this. You should hear the fuel pumps whirling away. Next put the injectors in clear containers so you can see the spray pattern. lift the plate that connects to the fuel distributor plunger...big round plate on top of the airbox. At rest there should not be any fuel coming through injectors...raise the plate and see what kind of pattern you have, it should be well atomized. If you don't get good pattern out of ALL the injectors they need to be cleaned. Mine were horrible and I had to soak them, there is a trick with using carb cleaner taking the tub that comes with it and insert all he way into the injector and see if the pressure and chemical breaks he gunk up and spray until a good pattern is happening. When you install the injector make sure you use new orings get hem at napa. May want to look at the WUR too. I just cleaned min and think I messed it up somehow and need a diagram of how it goes back together...I think I've done it right but my car mixture was way off after the cleaning and will not idle so have to get back a it tomorrow


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## 87_cabby (Aug 25, 2013)

Fixed my WUR issue. I put it back together wrong. You should look at and clean this as well. Here is the link to do that. Yours may be a bit different but the principal is the same.

http://www.jtresto.com/e21/WURServicing.pdf


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