Discussion
Picked it up today, nothing but problems..
It wont tick over very well at all.
When you put your foot down a bit it just has no guts and splutters.
Have to give it loads of revs to pull off.
It's been sat for 4 years and has only just been run round the block before I bought it, there was virtually no fuel in it but maybe this old fuel's f*cked it a bit?
Any Ideas will be appreciated!
It wont tick over very well at all.
When you put your foot down a bit it just has no guts and splutters.
Have to give it loads of revs to pull off.
It's been sat for 4 years and has only just been run round the block before I bought it, there was virtually no fuel in it but maybe this old fuel's f*cked it a bit?
Any Ideas will be appreciated!
Yhea it's the carb....
The choke is controlled via a wax stat which operates when it heats up / cools down. It's a sort of similar in principal to those automatic greenhouse window openers and are good when they work well.
The car may be getting too much fuel as the waxstat has allowed the choke to open all the way but has got stuck. When you put your foot on the accelerator you are forcing even more fuel into the carb and it will be running rich, in short it can't burn the fuel being delivered so it will stink of petrol and have very little performance.
Alternatively the choke is not opening properly so the car will start reluctantly (although it will start better in warm weather) and run OK when it is up to normal operating temperature, however if the previous owner has messed with the idle mixture or idle adjust this can throw up more issues as it's often not those setting that are the issue, it's the choke. If the set-up is all out of kilter and you floor the accelerator there may be the opposite problem to before, it runs lean causing the engine to stutter until you reduce pressure on the throttle and it can run happily on the fuel delivered.
Additionally the advance on the distributor might not be doing it's job and under load the engine is not getting advanced timing so it will feel like it's holding back, especially on hills. The distributor cap, rotor arm or leads could be knackered, or the coil or even the plugs. Some MK2's had a recall for the heater matrix plumbing so you might want to check if that has been done too, a dealer will confirm.
I might be wrong but I doubt that gasket is going to make much difference unless the current one is leaking quite a bit.
The choke is controlled via a wax stat which operates when it heats up / cools down. It's a sort of similar in principal to those automatic greenhouse window openers and are good when they work well.
The car may be getting too much fuel as the waxstat has allowed the choke to open all the way but has got stuck. When you put your foot on the accelerator you are forcing even more fuel into the carb and it will be running rich, in short it can't burn the fuel being delivered so it will stink of petrol and have very little performance.
Alternatively the choke is not opening properly so the car will start reluctantly (although it will start better in warm weather) and run OK when it is up to normal operating temperature, however if the previous owner has messed with the idle mixture or idle adjust this can throw up more issues as it's often not those setting that are the issue, it's the choke. If the set-up is all out of kilter and you floor the accelerator there may be the opposite problem to before, it runs lean causing the engine to stutter until you reduce pressure on the throttle and it can run happily on the fuel delivered.
Additionally the advance on the distributor might not be doing it's job and under load the engine is not getting advanced timing so it will feel like it's holding back, especially on hills. The distributor cap, rotor arm or leads could be knackered, or the coil or even the plugs. Some MK2's had a recall for the heater matrix plumbing so you might want to check if that has been done too, a dealer will confirm.
I might be wrong but I doubt that gasket is going to make much difference unless the current one is leaking quite a bit.
Edited by RV8 on Sunday 31st July 20:23
I know I've advocated the weber but in all honesty the 1.3 was never a particularly good engine for a fairly heavy hatch-back like the mk2 and even with the weber it wont set the road on fire. It's going back years now but GSF used to sell components and service kits for the 2E3 (i think that is your carb model) this link may be useful: http://www.clubgti.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1360...
I think you'll be pulling your hair out with that carb by the end of it. A GTi engine transplant into a 1.3 will likely cost you more in the long-run than a standard GTi to insure as it is a major modification, you'll also need to up-rate the brakes and possibly the suspension. I would perceiver with the 1.3 engine and fit a weber, I doubt it is a decision you will regret. Even if you fit one and fiddle with the pierburg just for a laugh, if you get the old carb working then you can put it back to standard and sell the weber, if you get a second hand one you'll not lose any money either.
You may wish to declare the weber to the insurance company (personally I'd keep the standard filter and air box too) but in all honesty when you are dealing with a lower powered engine like a 1.3, which already runs like crap so it is borderline dangerous when you are entering roundabouts etc, I think it's fair to say you are not actually 'gaining' anything in replacing the 2e3 with one of these weber direct carb replacement kits other than having a car which runs the way it should and makes it safer for you and other road users. Making the car actually usable and safer, imo, is not a performance addition - whacking a couple of 45's on a custom inlet and cranking your fuel delivery up is not the same thing
Personally I would just stick a webber on there - it's the 32 DMTR you are looking for with manual choke (jetted for a 1.3 as a direct replacement kit for a 2e3)
I think you'll be pulling your hair out with that carb by the end of it. A GTi engine transplant into a 1.3 will likely cost you more in the long-run than a standard GTi to insure as it is a major modification, you'll also need to up-rate the brakes and possibly the suspension. I would perceiver with the 1.3 engine and fit a weber, I doubt it is a decision you will regret. Even if you fit one and fiddle with the pierburg just for a laugh, if you get the old carb working then you can put it back to standard and sell the weber, if you get a second hand one you'll not lose any money either.
You may wish to declare the weber to the insurance company (personally I'd keep the standard filter and air box too) but in all honesty when you are dealing with a lower powered engine like a 1.3, which already runs like crap so it is borderline dangerous when you are entering roundabouts etc, I think it's fair to say you are not actually 'gaining' anything in replacing the 2e3 with one of these weber direct carb replacement kits other than having a car which runs the way it should and makes it safer for you and other road users. Making the car actually usable and safer, imo, is not a performance addition - whacking a couple of 45's on a custom inlet and cranking your fuel delivery up is not the same thing
Personally I would just stick a webber on there - it's the 32 DMTR you are looking for with manual choke (jetted for a 1.3 as a direct replacement kit for a 2e3)
Looks pretty tidy especially those inner arches after your cleaning effort.
Id concentrate on keeping it clean and tidy. Give it a good service an avoid the urges to put any tacky stickers or other dub tat on it an you will be able to sell it easily.
In my opinion there is nothing wrong with a well set up Pierburg, so many of them run badly because peopele mess about with them and dont change the fuel filters or even know where to start when diagnosing faults. I've rn Pierburgs on 1.0 an 1.3 polos for years without issues, in fact a couple have behaved better than my KJET GTIs in the winter.
Oh an G60 steels are the most overrated/overpriced wheel going and you can sooner find a decent set of BBS RA, BBS RZ wheels for less money an to most "normal" people they are much more desirable.
Have you joined the mk2 owners club yet....
dave
Id concentrate on keeping it clean and tidy. Give it a good service an avoid the urges to put any tacky stickers or other dub tat on it an you will be able to sell it easily.
In my opinion there is nothing wrong with a well set up Pierburg, so many of them run badly because peopele mess about with them and dont change the fuel filters or even know where to start when diagnosing faults. I've rn Pierburgs on 1.0 an 1.3 polos for years without issues, in fact a couple have behaved better than my KJET GTIs in the winter.
Oh an G60 steels are the most overrated/overpriced wheel going and you can sooner find a decent set of BBS RA, BBS RZ wheels for less money an to most "normal" people they are much more desirable.
Have you joined the mk2 owners club yet....
dave
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff