why will my 2.1 only run if the timing is advanced 40*???????
What is your question?
1987 Volkswagen Vanagon Westie camper. My boss had it for 5yrs and it has been sitting for the whole time. He had tried tracking down the problem to no avail for a year before the owner decided to give it up and go buy a MBenz sprinter van.
I have recently bought it from him and being as I am in California and I need to smog it to register it. We can not set the basic settings properly with the idle set where it will run(40* advanced from TDC). We are a small specialty shop and only work on 80-91 Volkswagen vans. In hopes of keeping it alive,we have spent 2 weeks off and on testing everything short of disassembly of the motor. ~I.E.~all tests in the Bentley manual on spark, timing, ECU, harness, we are baffled.The only way it will run is to feather the throttle, and after starting runs a little rough in the idle.
"Please help"....OBI~ONE.... Your our only hope....:p
What makes this problem better or worse?
hard starting,rough idle
How long has your 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon had this problem?
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Hello,
The things that immediately come to mind: spark plug wires on the wrong plugs; incorrectly installed timing chain; distributor driveshaft damaged or incorrectly installed; Crakshaft pulley slipped on the crankshaft by shearing the moon key (woodruff key); bad timing light.
Let me know what you find. Have you smoke tested the engine for vacuum leaks?
I had the same problem. It turned out to be the coil. It was marginal. It measured 2.9K ohms. A new coil measured 4.3 K ohms. The new coil fixed it. I was able to get a spark outside the engine. I assume no spark in the engine due to the increased air pressure. The dielectric break down of air increased with air pressure. I think a higher voltage is needed in the cylinder under the compression stroke. so spark at atmospheric pressure outside the engine but no spark when plug installed and near TDC under high compression
I had the same problem. It turned out to be the coil. It was marginal. It measured 2.9K ohms. A new coil measured 4.3 K ohms. The new coil fixed it. I was able to get a spark outside the engine. I assume no spark in the engine due to the increased air pressure. The dielectric break down of air increased with air pressure. I think a higher voltage is needed in the cylinder under the compression stroke. so spark at atmospheric pressure outside the engine but no spark when plug installed and near TDC under high compression