dead spots and backfiring

[Ryno]

I swapped the wires out. I'm getting a blue white spark from the wire.

No more stray sparks when you check them in the dark, right?

[chitwnvw]

Haven't gone back to that dark alley, yet. It was more like a blue crackling, kind of all over, looked like a cheesy effect from a bad sci-fi movie.

[chitwnvw]

John recommended raising the floats 1 mm, so as to advance when the mains kicked in, didn't have the guts to raise them higher than 10 (about 1/2 mm) but it now drives somewhat better, I'm going to raise them a bit more and see. 2nd gear between 15 and 20 is still not all nice. It has clarified things a bit, I think the main jet is running lean also as it's not just the top of the idle jet's rpm ban that has issues, it's into the 3000s. I can cover some of this behavior up with the accelerator pump, but when holding steady at anywhere over 2400 rpm, there is a bit of surge for a second, back off for a second, surge for a second, on and on, a rhytmical rocking. Put's Eden right to sleep. Or is that the tit, tit, tit of the lifters, so much like a sewing machine, ZZZZZ...

[chitwnvw]

Raised the float level to 9mm w/ gastket and it's a wee bit better, but still have this problem area from 15 to 20 in second and 37 and 40 in 3rd. But way more driveable. Actually pretty fun to drive, and I don't have this huge lug between 1st and 2nd that seems almost get me rear ended taking off from any stop light. I think I am going to take aircooled John up on going up a bit on the idle jet. Wonder if I don't need to take it up a bit in the mains also...

After driving it awhile, my oil light began to flicker at idle. If I give it any gas it goes away. The longer I drove the more it went from a faint flicker to dead on. What's up with that?

[Amskeptic]

After driving it awhile, my oil light began to flicker at idle. If I give it any gas it goes away. The longer I drove the more it went from a faint flicker to dead on. What's up with that?

Low oil pressure.

Do you have a stock oil pressure sender? If it is an aftermarket sender, they don't seem to realize that VWs don't mind lower oil pressure than what they think is appropriate.

Do you have the correct orientation of both the pressure relief valve and the control valves and springs? Were they disassembled and cleaned during the overhaul?

Oil pump was measured at overhaul time? Bearing clearances were certified correct with Plastigage or micrometer at overhaul time?

I am assuming with the above that the engine was not excessively hot.
Colin

[chitwnvw]

Low oil pressure.

Do you have a stock oil pressure sender? If it is an aftermarket sender, they don't seem to realize that VWs don't mind lower oil pressure than what they think is appropriate.

Hoping this is the answer, the fact that I give it the slightest goose of gas and it goes away makes me think so. I got the sender from Bus Depot. Was thinking of getting one from German Supply, he claims they are better.

Do you have the correct orientation of both the pressure relief valve and the control valves and springs? Were they disassembled and cleaned during the overhaul?

Yes.

Oil pump was measured at overhaul time? Bearing clearances were certified correct with Plastigage or micrometer at overhaul time?

It was a new Schadeck. Should have been oversized for the application. Had issues with my original oil pump.

I am assuming with the above that the engine was not excessively hot.
Colin

I'd been running on the expressway, so it might have been hot. Is there anyway to tell without installing a CHT or oil temp sender?

Edit: I'm going to start a new thread in the type2 section about the oil pressure sender...

[Amskeptic]

I'd been running on the expressway, so it might have been hot. Is there anyway to tell without installing a CHT or oil temp sender?

The time-tested VW method is to hold the dipstick. If it is holdable after a 5 minute shut-off soak (Type 4), oil temps are OK. Look at the oil vapor coming out of the filler cap (you will have to take the cap off) for excessive amounts and possibly acrid smell. The fan housing should be hot but not unbearable after this heat-soak period as well. Usually you can smell a hot engine. A disgustingly hill-billy method to check temps quickly is to spit on the valve covers. If they take the spit quietly, your heads are not unusually hot.If they sizzle, they are on the edge of hot. If they crackle and spray superheated spittle, they are too hot.
Colin

[BlissfullyCrusin]

A disgustingly hill-billy method to check temps quickly is to spit on the valve covers. If they take the spit quietly, your heads are not unusually hot.If they sizzle, they are on the edge of hot. If they crackle and spray superheated spittle, they are too hot.

Uhh..is there some sort of special chemical in spit that makes this test work or could I..I dunno..use a drop of clean water from my water bottle?

[Amskeptic]

A disgustingly hill-billy method to check temps quickly is to spit on the valve covers. If they take the spit quietly, your heads are not unusually hot.If they sizzle, they are on the edge of hot. If they crackle and spray superheated spittle, they are too hot.

Uhh..is there some sort of special chemical in spit that makes this test work or could I..I dunno..use a drop of clean water from my water bottle?

FINE! ya thank yar so high falutin Yankee high class wine drinking cheese eating limosine riding uneeversitee big talkin educamated ta-te-ta trust fund yuppie bicycle ridin aint I so fit water drinkin big shot exerciser house owning Mercedes driving stock market banker accountant types can use yer Evian
Colin

[BlissfullyCrusin]

FINE! ya thank yar so high falutin Yankee high class wine drinking cheese eating limosine riding uneeversitee big talkin educamated ta-te-ta trust fund yuppie bicycle ridin aint I so fit water drinkin big shot exerciser house owning Mercedes driving stock market banker accountant types can use yer Evian

Y'know..if this was another forum that-shall-not-be-named, someone would probably take offense to that and start a whole flame war..

Instead, I'll just say thanks!

[Amskeptic]

Y'know...

Yep. A *good* flame war is entertaining brain exercise.
Colin

[chitwnvw]

Got my 55 main jets a few weeks back, but snow and the salt that accompanies it around here, kept me from trying them out. Then it got good and cold around here. I held out hope for a week or so. Then it just seemed like wasting money to keep paying for insurance on a vehicle I'm not going to drive. So I cancelled the insurance. As if, on cue, it warmed up, the snow melted, and the rain washed away the salt...

So in went the new mains last night. Took it for a drive today, and wow, it's so much smoother. Those dead spots are gone. But it's been replaced by a bit of bogging. Not a lot, just seems kind of sluggish. I turned the idle mix screw a 1/4 turn toward the lean and it started driving like it used to, with the dead spots, so back they came.

I haven't reset the floats. Should I set them back to 10.5 or so? I mean can that be causing the bogginess?

Thanks.

[chitwnvw]

Actually seemed to be running pretty good until the trans gave way. I was thinking about resetting the floats, just to see. I had about 4 or 5 good days with my bus.