Fuel Distributor '82 2.2i

[quk@sievers.com (Phil Payne)]

In message <199704111558.QAA17945@richmond.premier.co.uk> Mike Walder writes:

> Yesterday, my A100 broke down.  Doing 80Mph in the fast lane too.  Seems
> like the fuel distributor got stuck open, so when I changed into 5/E the
> engine power cut.

Cut completely, or died off?  Vacuum pipe dropped off the warm-up regulator?

> I phoned the dealer for a price for a new one, I was quoted 613 ukp plus
> VAT@17.5%.  I asked if that included the rest of the car!

_Never_ buy a new one.  Reconditioned ones are just as good (there are hardly 
any moving parts) and an exchange costs as little as GBP250.  Try AM Cars or 
The Parts Department.

> Despite my reluctance to buy second hand parts, after a set of injectors
> lasted about two weeks, I got hold of a complete airbox/flow-meter/fuel
> distributor unit and fitted it.  The engine now runs, but I only seem to get
> reasonable power between 3000 and 5000 rpm.  The old unit only gave good
> power between 1500 to 3500 rpm.  Is this just adjustment, or should I just
> carry on driving at higher revs?

It sounds like poor adjustment used to compensate for other defects, such as 
breather leaks and poor enrichment from the vacuum connection to the warm-up 
regulator (better referred to as a "control pressure regulator" in your car). 
 
> I noticed that the Airflow plate had alot of carbon build up around the
> mouth, so I cleaned this with a solvent, and the plate will now move freely
> into the gap.  I also notices light resistance when pulling the plate up, as
> if it was flowing through oil.  It also takes a while to settle.  I take it
> that this is the fuel distributor plunger taking time to return to its new
> position.  Basically, is this normal, or is this distributor almost
> knackered too?  I remember Phil previously mentioning that the plate should
> move freely.

What's "freely"?  You should be able to move it fairly easily by grabbing the 
nut in the centre with your fingers.  If you need pliers - it's too stiff.

> It also gives me great cold start problems, engine will pop or cut out under
> acceleration, until it is left a good while idling.  It takes about 5miles
> further driving before resonable acceleration is regained.

Sounds like the warm-up valve (control pressure regulator) again.  Two fingers 
now point at it.  Get someone who knows what they're doing to measure system 
and control pressure.

> I was planning to fit a second hand cold start valve today, and then get it
> tested and krypton tuned.  Any ideas?

The cold start valve only fires for a few seconds.
 
Get a piece of graph paper, and draw a simple graph.  Seconds up the Y axis, 
temperatures along the bottom from -20 Celsius to +40.
 
Draw one line from 11 seconds at -20 degrees to zero seconds at +40 degrees.
 
Draw another from 5 seconds at -20 degrees to zero seconds at +30 degrees.
 
The cold start valve should operate between these lines - therefore, at 10 
degrees Celsius (ambient) it should operate for between 6 seconds and 2 
seconds.
 
Any problems you have beyond this point are _NOTHING_ to do with the cold start 
valve.    

--
 Phil Payne
 phil@sievers.com
 Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club