# CIS Trouble New to VW



## cletus_cabby (Aug 7, 2014)

Bought a 1983 mechanics special hoping I was smart enough to get it going down the road. Learning everything along the way. Here is the history and specifics:

Guy I bought it from was a part time country mechanic (not vw) who was asked to replace the head for a friend who never paid for it cause after replacing it he could never get it started. It sat for 2 years not running and he would twiddle with it but not much. He knew nothing about the CIS system.

Mine now. 
Got her started by adjusting the timing, go figure. But can never get it idling correctly. Right now it is hard to start, doesnt idle high enough cold and no matter what I do to the idle set screw on the TB it doesnt change checked the oring and it looks fine. When i first started working it it would idle too high when hot and I could not adjust it down. Now when its idling if i give it any throttle it wants to stall out but i think this is because i need to tweak the timing a bit more as I adjusted it some without a timing gun to try to figure out the hihg idle problem.

Its a bit of a mixup system. Car is an 83 so should have a 1.7L running CIS K-jet. Some previous owner replaced the STK engine with a 1.6 EE from a 70's rabbit, dont know when. The CIS K-jet is missing a couple components, full throttle switch not present, no lambda temp sensor but the plug for it is hanging disconnected in the engine compartment (more on this later)

Things I replaced or checked:
New Fuel Injectors with o rings
New O2 sensor
Cleaned plunger on fuel dist and I am fairly certain I have the air plate adjusted correctly
Air plate has very fluid and smooth movement.
Freq valve working (buzzing)
Aux air valve working
fuel pressures (cont, residul etc) seem to be correct but I need to get back to those after I figure out the current stalling problem
Cold start valve working

So first thing I need help with is where in the heck and how do I install the missing temp sensor. The one I am talking about is the one that sends a signal to the CIS controller under the dash. The wire is pin 12 on this. I imagine the 1.6 he put in the car did not have it nor a location for it so he never put one in at the swap. I know it has to go on the right side of the head somewhere and not under the coolant flange in the front of the head under the temp timer that shuts off the cold start valve due to its original year and fact that the dangling plug is located around there. What parts do I need to do this and which coolant hose do I need to "splice" it into if thats whats needed. 
Thanks


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## volkshead83 (Feb 8, 2014)

If your really wanting to get the idea go to a junk yard and take a look if your search on google comes up empty. Also its called a oxygen sensor thermo switch according to the bently.


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## cletus_cabby (Aug 7, 2014)

*still tinkering*

A little further along. Update:

I'll try looking at some yards for the sensor as you suggested.

Pretty sure I find ed the timing issue. Started from scratch and it turns out the can to rotor timing was completely off by about 90 degrees. The last dude thought the number 1 plug was in the wrong spot. He had enerything set firing the number 1 from the number 3 spot o. The distributor and all the cables in the wrote g spot but in correct order. I used the instructions on the cabby info website and I think I got it correct.

Now the idle is way too high. 2500ish. It does not adjust at all with the idle set screw up or down. The only way I could get it to change up or down is by tweaking the air plate set screw next to the fuel dist but I k ow that's not right. 
Any thoughts?


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## bugsinmyteeth (Feb 8, 2006)

The 1.6 CIS didn't use all the same temp sensors as the 83 1.8. There may be a California only flange that would give you a spot for some of the temp sensors since they had more emissions controls in the late 70's when the 1.6 was around. You will probably have to customize the upper collant flange to the radiator to make a space for the later temp sensor.

High idle can be from a vacuum leak such as split injector seal o-rings. Also, the idle adjuster screw that is on the back side of the throttle body needs an o-ring. You will have a vacuum leak if that is not there but probably not enough for that high of an idle. The brake booster can also have a vacuum leak, but that often can vary as the brake pedal is applied. Good Luck!


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## ducatipaso (Apr 13, 2003)

is your accumulator leaking? how do you know your fuel pressures are correct? what numbers did you get?
I don't see mention of a new fuel filter. have you replaced all of your vacuum lines around the engine bay?
you can use an unlit gas torch to poke around and find any leakage.


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## D11RCD (Sep 18, 2014)

Bought a 1983 mechanics special hoping I was smart enough to get it going down the road. Learning everything along the way. Here is the history and specifics:

Guy I bought it from was a part time country mechanic (not vw) who was asked to replace the head for a friend who never paid for it cause after replacing it he could never get it started. It sat for 2 years not running and he would twiddle with it but not much. He knew nothing about the CIS system.

Mine now.
Got her started by adjusting the timing, go figure. But can never get it idling correctly. Right now it is hard to start, doesnt idle high enough cold and no matter what I do to the idle set screw on the TB it doesnt change checked the oring and it looks fine. When i first started working it it would idle too high when hot and I could not adjust it down. Now when its idling if i give it any throttle it wants to stall out but i think this is because i need to tweak the timing a bit more as I adjusted it some without a timing gun to try to figure out the hihg idle problem.

"Its a bit of a mixup system. Car is an 83 so should have a 1.7L running CIS K-jet. Some previous owner replaced the STK engine with a 1.6 EE from a 70's rabbit, dont know when. The CIS K-jet is missing a couple components, full throttle switch not present, no lambda temp sensor but the plug for it is hanging disconnected in the engine compartment (more on this later)

Things I replaced or checked:
New Fuel Injectors with o rings
New O2 sensor
Cleaned plunger on fuel dist and I am fairly certain I have the air plate adjusted correctly
Air plate has very fluid and smooth movement.
Freq valve working (buzzing)
Aux air valve working
fuel pressures (cont, residul etc) seem to be correct but I need to get back to those after I figure out the current stalling problem
Cold start valve working

So first thing I need help with is where in the heck and how do I install the missing temp sensor. The one I am talking about is the one that sends a signal to the CIS controller under the dash. The wire is pin 12 on this. I imagine the 1.6 he put in the car did not have it nor a location for it so he never put one in at the swap. I know it has to go on the right side of the head somewhere and not under the coolant flange in the front of the head under the temp timer that shuts off the cold start valve due to its original year and fact that the dangling plug is located around there. What parts do I need to do this and which coolant hose do I need to "splice" it into if thats whats needed. "


Given some of what you described, I seriously would do a compression check on the cylinders. It sounds like a high possibility of incorrect head gasket/installation (i.e. head bolts not properly torqued). IF it passes this test I would then check engine vacuum (should be between 17 - 22 in Hg). IF it passes this test the next step would be checking the throttle body for any issues. The fuel system can but most likely will not give you 2500 rpm if the mix screw is somewhere within range of where it should be. The fact that the t/b idle screw makes no diff on rpm tells me there is too much air getting in from somewhere it shouldn't. The vacuum check should reveal that. And make sure there is a gasket between the intake manifold & head AND no missing/broken allen bolts attaching it. And there should be a small bracket connecting the intake/exhaust manis to keep them from vibrating separately which is what breaks the mounting bolts. I'm most interested in learning what you find.


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## ducatipaso (Apr 13, 2003)

are the valves properly adjusted?


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