[Vwdiesel] Injection timing --(Hillbilly tuning 1980 to 86 Bosch )

[Shawn Wright]

On 25 Mar 2004 at 16:06, James Hansen <jhsg at sasktel.net> wrote:

> > Thanks for the warning. I've been wondering though - what about
> > NA engines?
> > Presumably there is a bit more room for error without the turbo
> > producing all that
> > extra heat (and power :-).
> 
> Some, yes.  Black smoke or lack of it usually indicates your safety point.
> If you are laying down a cloud and the heat gauge is climbing, back off.
> It's a little motor, always safer to drop down a gear and let it whine,
> rather than pull hard, smoke hard, top the hill fifteen seconds sooner, and
> screw things up.

I'll keep an eye on the gauge (always do...), but I notice the NA doesn't climb near 
as fast as the old TD. With my foot in it, I could peg the gauge on the TD climbing 
the Malahat (sea level to about 1100 ft), whereas the NA takes twice as long to get 
there, and the gauge only goes from 1/3 to 2/3. I've always driven hills with a light 
foot, so I'll take it easy and see how it goes. The hills on the mainland are a bit more 
severe than our little bumps here... ;-)
 
>  We will likely take the Jetta to the
> > interior at Easter, which
> > means several long hill climbs, something we don't see much of on
> > the Island here.
> > I'm a bit concerned that my timing by ear might produce
> > unexpected side effects...
> 
> 
> Personally, it would be a risk I am uncomfortable with. If I was on a long
> trip by myself, no biggie. Car full of family, it's a bigger deal to me.
> Same reason I run blizzak tires in winter.  DOn't really need them, but the
> safety margin with family on board is comforting.  With timing, to err on
> the conservative side and get there is better than to err on the wild side.
> Best is to just time it properly in the first place.
> >
> > But, I have a gut feeling that it is still too far retarded, even
> > though I have advanced
> > it twice since changing the belt. It just doesn't seem to start
> > as well as it did before
> > the belt change. If I could find a dial gauge for a decent price,
> > I'd do it the proper
> > way, but I'm still looking.
> 
> Cold start behavior indicates proper timing in a very big way, so yes you
> are thinking along the right lines. Centerpunch thickness or pencil line
> movement at a time is cool.

I've found without loosening the injector lines, there's only a bit that I can move 
anyway. I've probably moved 2-3 pencil lines from the original position since I 
started. Definitely an improvement, but I think it could go further. It used to start like 
a dream when cold, before I changed the belt. Of course, right after the belt change, 
I also ran about 1 litre of ATF mixed with PS DieselKleen straight into the filter, so 
I'm wondering if that could have somehow messed something up... It seemed to run 
great for a day or two afterward, then rough starts ever since.
 
> > btw, I'm pretty sure the ticking noise I heard a while back is
> > not valves tapping
> > pistons (cam timing checked twice - ok), but instead a small
> > exhaust leak which is
> > very slowly getting worse. Possibly right at the manifold or
> > downpipe - I just haven't
> > had time to look yet.
> 
> Check your exhaust manifold bolts.  Especially if you run synthetic or
> semi-synth it has a way of encouraging the manifold to head bolts to work
> loose just from the tiniest valve cover leak.  Much more so if you overheat
> the manifold on occasion. When I started to run synth in winter, my exhaust
> manifold bolts started to work loose twice a year.  First time I heard it, I
> was just sick, thought I had pulled an exhaust stud or cracked the manifold.
> This was on the high mile 89 jetta that had the heat set on high... er...
> real high.

Interesting - I just changed to semi-synth, and have a small VC leak, although I 
think the noise started before the last oil change - was using Delvac 1300 before.
 
> 
>  The noise is only noticeable under load at
> > lower rpms - take
> > foot off the pedal and it goes away. Does this sound like an exhaust leak?
> 
> It's still there, just gets more continuous, and the other racket drowns it
> out, but yeah, you would swear it was a valve at first listen.
> later

Thanks, I'll check the manifold bolts.

--
Shawn Wright
http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright
~This message sent by Pegasus Mail, the safe E-Mail alternative~
"Friends don't let friends use Outlook"