[Vwdiesel] Strange IP Problem

[Val Christian]

> 
> In a message dated 8/22/2006 9:03:33 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
> val at mongobird.com writes:
> 
> > It's happened a couple of times, usually shifting from 1st to 2nd.
> > Shift into 2 (or 4th), and power drops to idle.  Foot pedal is not
> > responsive with car in gear, and car slows down.  Push in clutch,
> > and rapidly operate the foot pedal, and things get better right 
> > away.
> > 
> > The idle power is smooth, with no roughness.
> > 
> > IP crowd, any ideas?
> > 
> > Val
> > 
> 
>   Sounds like air in the fuel line.  Is there a kink or crack 
> in the IP supply line that will allow air in when the engine 
> rocks one way or the other?
>   If it's a top-of-the-tank pickup setup (instead of a fitting on 
> the bottom) maybe there's a leak in the tube going down, 
> letting air in as the fuel sloshes between shifts?
>      Loren

A fuel flow appears to be great everytime I can check it.  There are no bubbles
of any consequence in the IP feed line.  There are no signs of marginalized
fuel flow, as the car is frequently driven at 80 MPH, with AC, which 
pretty much assures that the power is at about 65% or higher.

The problem seems to mostly happen between first and second gear, and
on level ground.  Repeating the shift sequence going up or down hill
doesn't seem to increase the failure rate.  It happened once on a 3 to 
4 shift.

Releasing the clutch, and reving the engine once, clears the problem.
When it gets into this modality, it idles smoothly.  In every other respect
the engine appears to work OK, and developes power and RPM OK.  

A starved IP was a suspicion, but has not been supported by any observation.

Val