# 1988 GTI 16v no fuel at injectors



## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

Ok I have been working on this car now for about 5-6 mouths, I have done quite a bit of work to it but no I am having trouble getting it to start.

Now I can hear the fuel pump run when I turn the key on, and i have also loosened the lines on top of the fuel distributor and fuel is there.

I have also removed one of the injectors and held up the plate while having someone crank the car over... No fuel comes out, so i decided to check the mA that are supposed to go to the Differential pressure regulator I was reading 2.82 mA when the Bentley says 80 to 100 mA

So this is what i have done so far, all help and advise is wanted and at this point needed


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

bump


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

bump


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## WaterWheels (Aug 14, 2005)

Remove the line from the cold start valve, place it in a container and either crank the engine or run the fuel pimps. Does fuel come out of the cold start valve line?


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

Hey thanks for replying

So I went out and took the fuel line off the cold start valve. I didn't need to crank the engine any, as soon as I turning the key on fuel sprayed out of the line


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

Alright so I began to do some electrical tests and my relay checks out and the in tank pump as well but my main fuel pump seems to have issues. It buzzes and makes some bad noises so I tried to to the volume test for it and I got a whole 2 drops so I have ordered a new main fuel pump and fuel filter. Hope it solves my issues


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

ok so I installed the new fuel pump and fuel filter and to my surprise it still didn't start. :banghead::banghead: I have no idea what could be causing the injectors not to be getting fuel:screwy:

A bad fuel distributor????


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

bump


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

bump Anybody???


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## cuppie (May 4, 2005)

I'd replace nothing else yet, pending an actual fuel pressure check. 

Fuel pressure OK? Check all power & ground connections at the Jetronic module.


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

ok thats what I was afraid of. What should I do if I have too low of fuel pressure? Should I then look into replacing the fuel distributor? Thank tho for the help


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## cuppie (May 4, 2005)

Nope - for CIS-E, it has nothing to do with fuel line pressure.
Fuel pumps, power supplies to them (remember the grounds, too!), filter, fuel pressure regulator. (and, of course, external leaks.) If the line pressure is incorrect, those are the things to be checked. 

As to the (very low) DPR current during (attempted) startup:
Thinking about that some more, I wouldn't worry about just yet. The lower the DPR current, the richer the mixture. Put another (slightly more technical way): more power applied = bigger 'hole' in the DP fuel circuit = leaner mixture.


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

Ok thats good to know. Well I will try to get my hands on a fuel pressure gauge for it.

I will report back with my findings. Thanks for the advice. I'm dieing to drive this thing again :laugh:


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## 100% Euro (Jul 29, 2008)

Get your 3mm allen. have someone cycle the key to get the fuel pump to run. Remove the number 1 injector. Rotate your idle mixture clockwise until you see fuel come out of the injectors small turns at a time, back up about 1/8 turn and you should be at a good starting point. You can also lift up on the plate using the allen key while the engine is being cranked to see if fuel is coming out. Be sure you always pay attention to how much your turned the skrew just incase you need to go back to where you started from. Your mixture could be way off if you have been in there before.


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

Yea I was going to look into doing that next but it hasent been tampered with at all because the metal plug is still in it. I have been talking with a mechanic that races the mk2 gti and he doesnt think it is fuel pressure. I was thinking that there was something wrong with the FPR that I changed out, I had gotten it from the mechanic and he said it was off of a newer passat and when I say newer its just newer then my 1988 GTI. 

The only reason why I changed it out was because I was dumb and cut the hard plastic fuel lines. I have removed all fuel injectors and ran the fuel pump, nothing and then I also removed the fuel line right after the FPR and I get no fuel there either but I know fuel is getting to the FPR because I check the hoses feeding it. So I'm getting another FPR and hopefully it will work and if not then im going to take apart the fuel distributor and clean up the plunger and try again


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## cuppie (May 4, 2005)

There weren't that many Passats that ran CIS. The 2.0 16v was KE-Motronic, yes; other than that, IIRC, all were some variation of Digifant. 

And, if you somehow managed to graft a non-CIS FPR onto the system, well.... it just ain't gonna work. 
CIS injectors _open_ at ~3.5 bar (main line pressure is ~5.5 bar.) 
If you hooked up, say, a 3 bar FPR... the injectors will never open, no matter how much you lift the metering plate.

So, where exactly did that FPR come from? If it is from a CIS Passat, is it hooked up the right way? Reversed lines = little-to-no fuel pressure in the fuel dist.


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

Yup cuppie did some research on it and it seems that it is from a passat which had, as you said, Motronic and again confirming what you said, and from the fuel system page 70 of the Bentley 

CIS-E 5.2 to 5.6 bar(76 to 81 psi)
CIS-E Motronic 6.1 to 6.6 bar(89 to 95 psi)

which is good to know but now im back to my idiotic decision of cutting those fuel lines:banghead:

You know of any fixes to this??


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

Here is also the part# of both regulators

0 438 161 016
034133534F this is the one I was trying to use

0 438 161 010
034133534G This is the original one


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

ok I was able to get some new fuel lines and was able to get the old girl started... It starts up rough and I cannot get it to idle... It always wants to die.. It is running rich so it just floods out after awhile and I have to wait awhile before starting it again. 

Am I down to looking for vacuum leaks for causing this or the idle system or maybe the DPR?


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## barnett (Jan 28, 2012)

Dbike1 said:


> ok I was able to get some new fuel lines and was able to get the old girl started... It starts up rough and I cannot get it to idle... It always wants to die.. It is running rich so it just floods out after awhile and I have to wait awhile before starting it again.
> 
> Am I down to looking for vacuum leaks for causing this or the idle system or maybe the DPR?


 yeah that might be it...


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

ok found some split vacuum hoses and found out that one of the wires was broken for the coolant temperature sensor started up and just needed a little adjusting of the idle screw to sit there and run. 

Still misfires a bit but i know my ignition timing isn't dead set yet. soo tomorrow night gonna get the timing light out and hopefully get things dialed in


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## Dbike1 (Jan 9, 2012)

Got the timing set runs pretty good just the rear main seal leaks still after i replaced it which sucks. So gotta drop the trans out again and give it another go.


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## cuppie (May 4, 2005)

Awesome - glad to hear it!

And, thanks (from all who posted here) for the follow-up post.


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