Just when you think you have half an idea what you are doing.. I spent the weekend chasing a gremlin I never got sorted out: (ITB 1.8 Scirocco)
My first 3 laps were terrific, the car was running great and I was already seconds under my quickest time ever and then, I began losing power and then at 5700 rpm in 4th the car would stall out and my fuel/air meter went black. If I let off the pedal it would come back. For the race I changed the pre pump (was convinced it was fuel starvation), had the same condition only worse, power loss from the get go and stalling after the car was hot 3 laps in. Put in a new primary pump that night and for the first session the next day.. same thing. For the final race I changed the freq valve and computer, no change and the condition morphed into not being able to go over 5000 rpm in 3rd, 4th or 5th. I then began to realize it was most likely a bad distributor? was not blowing any smoke, I will check compression but am sure it is okay.
Question is, how best to troubleshoot something like this at the track? I think I got off base by thinking the fuel/air gauge was telling me something by going black - I now think it went black because the engine wasn't firing, not that it had gone completely lean? this is such a bummer.
Also, since the fuel pump I took off was still good I will keep it as a spare - I don't want it to rust or freeze up, what would be the best way to prep it for storage? thanks
My first 3 laps were terrific, the car was running great and I was already seconds under my quickest time ever and then, I began losing power and then at 5700 rpm in 4th the car would stall out and my fuel/air meter went black. If I let off the pedal it would come back. For the race I changed the pre pump (was convinced it was fuel starvation), had the same condition only worse, power loss from the get go and stalling after the car was hot 3 laps in. Put in a new primary pump that night and for the first session the next day.. same thing. For the final race I changed the freq valve and computer, no change and the condition morphed into not being able to go over 5000 rpm in 3rd, 4th or 5th. I then began to realize it was most likely a bad distributor? was not blowing any smoke, I will check compression but am sure it is okay.
Question is, how best to troubleshoot something like this at the track? I think I got off base by thinking the fuel/air gauge was telling me something by going black - I now think it went black because the engine wasn't firing, not that it had gone completely lean? this is such a bummer.
Also, since the fuel pump I took off was still good I will keep it as a spare - I don't want it to rust or freeze up, what would be the best way to prep it for storage? thanks
Until you get on a dyno and tune the regulator you will just have to deal with it. This is very common with us CIS guys when the temps get really hot in the summer time. I had this problem at Atlanta a couple weeks ago and after playing with it all weekend it was def. was fixed it. 