Still Rich - ideas???

[Brandon Rogers]

Thanks for the input, Brett.  You brought up a few things I forgot to
mention.

I have replaced the vac line to the FPR with a rubber (gasline?) hose
about a year or so ago as it seems a lot of the newer braided stuff
actually weeps.  I also checked it within the last few weeks - so I
think I'm good there.  I have a ProDiag (the Palm-based setup from
Shadetree Software) for codes and it isn't logging anything even
intermittent.  I did replace the crankcase breather a year or so ago -
ended up being a waste as once I fully got the old one out I realized it
was actually in great shape.  Oh well now I'm set for a long long time
with a spare.... But I wonder if my breather/charcoal canister is
plumbed properly.  I check that again.

And lastly there is not a rich exhaust smell as I'm actually driving  -
only after I come to stop.  After sitting for a second or two (like at a
stop light) the rich exhaust smell wafts into the cabin if the windows
are down.  It's not so really noticeable with the windows up.  And if I
sit idling with the engine warm the exhaust just smells rich.  

Thanks very much for the input - keep it coming please!

Brandon

-----Original Message-----
From: Brett Dikeman [mailto:brett at cloud9.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 10:58 PM
To: Brandon Rogers
Cc: 'Bernie Benz'; '200q20V mailing list'
Subject: Re: Still Rich - ideas???


On Jan 15, 2008, at 5:43 PM, Brandon Rogers wrote:

> Good points about the injectors, Bernie.  Of course my problem is also

> that the car was rich before having RC rebuild them - and it's still 
> rich - so I guess I was thinking injectors just isn't the issue....
>
> But that said I do have a local friend who has a set of 15k mile 3B 
> injectors I can borrow - and I will.
>
> One thing I forgot to mention is that I should probably check fuel 
> pressure, too, right?

Yes, and that the vacuum line to the FPR is OK.  If it is leaking or  
not connected, you'll get way too much fuel pressure at idle (and not  
enough under boost.)  However, the ECU will log an error- lambda will  
be so wrong the ECU can't compensate and that's a fault code  
condition.  Some sort of error code would be thrown...

Put the car on a VAG-COM or similar and get the codes.  Blink codes  
don't show intermittent faults- only the scan tools do, and only the  
scan tool will tell you what the ECU is "seeing" from the important  
sensors, and the Bentley tells you what normal ranges are and what low/ 
high values imply.

However, be very mindful of the prerequisites for those tests.

Also, are you sure the crank hose breather system and charcoal  
canister stuff is all plumbed securely?  You shouldn't be smelling  
anything rolling down the road.  If you do, exhaust is getting into  
the passenger compartment, which is very dangerous (carbon monoxide.)

Brett