Hard Start...Still

[Peter Schulz]

Bernie:

Hard starting can be cause by a loss of residual fuel pressure...if the tank is not maintaining pressure or the check valve is not maintaining line pressure the engine will not start quickly. Not only did I have a hard start condition, i also had serious fuel odor from the tank area, and a smell almost similar to burned rubber.  And no visible signs of a liquid leak.

I pulled the cover off the fuel pump, took one whiff, and realized that it was the source of the smell.

The pump and check valve were replaced three years ago so I looked for a simpler cause.

Replacing the hoses greatly improved the starting condition, and got rid of the smell.

tank pressure?  what's that?
When I remove my gas cap there is no audible release in pressure.  Replacing the cap with a known good one also has no effect. The tank is intact, holds gas and has no visible external corrosion.

I'm sorry that you dont find the hose end pictures meaningful
...perhaps other listers will look at them as an indicator of the overall conditions of these hoses and the fact that they can degrade just as easily as those in the engine compartment.


-Peter


At 12:36 PM 1/15/2003 -0800, Bernie Benz wrote:
>Peter,
>
>What's your point in showing the blow up pictures of the nonfunctional hose
>ends?  The hose clamps were a 1/2 inch inboard, and the critical area is at
>the steel tube interface with the hose.  Pictures of a sectioned hose
>showing this interface might be more meaningful.  Only one of these hoses is
>under pump output pressure, and if it were leaking, fuel residuals would be
>evident on the hose exterior.  The other hoses are just tank vents and fuel
>return hoses, seeing only tank pressure.  DFI if IAB!
>
>Bernie
>
>> From: Peter Schulz <peschulz at cisco.com>
>> Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 14:19:20 -0500
>> To: "Jobe Tichy" <bimmer_dude at hotmail.com>, 200q20v <200q20v at audifans.com>
>> Subject: Re: Hard Start...Still
>>
>> Jobe/Folks:
>>
>> Some pics of the fuel pump/vent hoses that I replaced in the indigo wagon,
>> along with a closeup view of the deteriorated hose ends...
>> http://users.rcn.com/peter-s/fuelpumpview2.JPG
>> http://users.rcn.com/peter-s/fuelpumpview.JPG
>> http://users.rcn.com/peter-s/tank_hoses.JPG
>> http://users.rcn.com/peter-s/tankhoseend.JPG
>>
>> -Peter
>>

Peter Schulz
1990 CQ
1991 200 20v TQW indigo mica
1991 200 20v TQW titanium grey
Chelmsford, MA USA
peschulz at cisco.com