Running on 3 cylinders

[worm]

Basically this is my last chance before it goes to the mechanics.... which isnt a problem, I just like tinkering and getting stuff workin myself.

Took the spark plugs out and one is fouled. Covered in black soot.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/286/spcarbon4mr.jpg

I wire brushed it all off, put it back in and the car runs fine. But after a min it fouls again and misses. The plugs themselves are on good condition. I swaped them about and it only happens in the one cylinder (its the second from the right). There is def spark as it runs fine after cleaning it. Im lost

If its not tuned wouldnt all plugs foul? Could it have something to do with a blown headgasket as im still not convinced that its ok.
Pings a little.. timeing problem?

Anyhelp appreciated

[Golf Loon]

Valve stem seals?
Do you have a compression tester?
Does it start with a cloud of smoke when it has been sitting for a while?

[worm]

I do have a compression tester..... do you HAVE to remove all spark plugs to test the compression or just the one that u want to test?

It starts fine, no smoke... well not enough that I have noticed anyways

quick reply! :shock: 8)

[syncro]

That looks more like black soot in the photo?
More like fuel than oil.

What sort of engine (carbs/efi etc.)

[imported_brackie]

* All plugs out
* Throttle wide open
* Good battery to give fast cranking speed.
Then:
Put oil (about 50mL) into the cylinder and do the test again. If the compessions come up markedly it's rings. If not, it's a burned valve, valve not closing off (shims) or valve stems/guides.

[82cab]

did you try to swap two of the high tension leads over and see if it starts hapening to another plug? It might be something as simple as a dodgey high tension lead.

[worm]

All great responses, thanks a bunch.
After reading the responses that it could be valves I decided to take the cover off and have a look... dad helped me check the valve clearances...... im not sure on the correct terminolgy BUT.... there are NO clearances.. the feeler guage doesnt slip in under the cam on ANY valve :shock:

and wtf is with the pic below.... is my cam missing a cam shaft bearing?
Looks like the head has been machine where the cam bearing is meant to be! :shock: :shock:

So my valves are stuffed :?
I have NFI what to do.... does this like mean a new engine :?

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/265/editone7nc.jpg

[Golfwise]

Its most likely running a little rich on that cylinder.Don't over panick and pull too much off.
Its not missing anything as thats the oil squirter for the hydraulic lifters and no you don't need to adjust them.No gap
A new set of plugs doesn't hurt nor a new set of leads and it may be fouling up on idle .take it for a run and blow the gunk out of it.
most of all don't panic and think its seriuos.

[82cab]

i'm with golfwise. I think its either a fuel or spark problem or both. The colour of the plug doesn't really show like oil is blocking it up. I'd be seriously tring a new set of plugs and lean the idle down to see if that helps before you do anything drastic.

[worm]

In... out.... in... out.......

ok, im calm......

So no gap is correct? In the service manual (which is for the 1.6 litre engine mind you) it says there should be a gap.... is the later mdl 1.8 motor different?

Its getting a bit dark and wet outside now, but tomoz ill swap a lead with another and see what happens. Ill get some new plugs as well....
man, i was freaking when i noticed there was no gap.. and that cam shaft soo looked like it was missing a bearing :oops: :lol:

Cheers guys.... I think you just saved me from having a heart attack :D

[Golf Loon]

Calm Calm Petal

The 1.8 GTI engine has what appears to be a missing bearing, but is in fact now just an oil feed. It looks a bit odd and has spun out a few mechanics before you, but its fine. In fact its good, as you have a genuine GTI motor.

Tappets are not adjustible and so the clearances should be fine. Valve stem seals could leak oil through but that is shown by a big puff of oil out the exhaust when the cars starts and if you hold the revs at 3000 ish at idle, smoke will billow out. If this is not happening then the stem seals are fine.

If it runs and doesn`t use water, leave it alone.

It`ll be spark, check how good your leads are, black german ones with metal ends, not dodgy blue ones.

Nice new plugs, two or three pronged ones are nice.

Or Fuel

Is the car running twin carbys? If they are not balanced correctly then the mixtures can be off.

I personally hate those carbys, cos I can never keep em in tune, but blokes do know how to tune em. Old Alfa Romeo mechanics could do it for you? Or a Jaguar Garage.

If injected, which kind.

Hope that helps 8)

[Golf Loon]

Just re-read the above posts and realized you had all answered the questions already and the pic has now loaded, that answers a few qus too! :oops:

[aprr32]

Also check the play in the distributor shaft.Often no3 has no points gap and a weak spark.Set the points gap on each lobe in the distributor and average them out so each cylinder gets some points gap.

[82cab]

or you could buy my electronic ignition set up :D

(worth a try)

[worm]

or you could buy my electronic ignition set up :D

(worth a try)

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/VW-VOLKSWAGEN-GOLF-MK-1-ELECTRONIC-IGNITION_W0QQitemZ4642912907QQcategoryZ72456QQrdZ1 QQcmdZViewItem

is that it?

Got home from work to late to try all these things..... hopefully tomoz :roll:

[syncro]

Buy the electronic ignition! It's the only way to go. I hate points!

[worm]

Spent the morning trying to fix the car.
Changed the leads around, makes no difference so leads are fine
Checked the points gap for all 4 cylinders, gap is the same for all the lobes in the distributor
Changed spark plugs, no change, same cylinder keeps fouling.

Im afraid to say it, but that as far as my knowledge goes :roll:

In to the workshop on monday. Cant wait to see what the problem is... hangin to get this car on the rd so i can start modding/track preping it/fangin it :twisted:

[syncro]

Is it #3 cylinder fouling? There has always been a problem with those manifolds causing #3 to run rich. (I think it was #3)

[worm]

yeah, number 3.

Would be interesting to know if there is a problem with the manifold that is common in alot of cases.

[mikinoz]

Cracked dist. cap?

Maybe a short in the rotor button?

:eek:

No ideas past that...

[syncro]

Run a hotter plug in #3 and see what happens.

[worm]

Thanks syncro, I bought a hotter plug today. Bosh w10 instead of the w7 that was in there..... no longer runs on 3 and doesnt miss at all :twisted:

This has been the best the car has ever run. Thrashed it quite a bit just before and it didnt miss a beat, so hopefully it will stay that way :roll: ... my car was booked in to the mechanic tomoz, but it longer needs to.

edit:

I also took some water pipes off towards the heater in the dash and cleaned em out, now the heater works and the car runs MUCH cooler. I may have a leak in the dash though as there seems to be coolent under the center console.. unless it was from when i flushed it out.. time will tell.

[imported_brackie]

Well done! Progress. Hope that the water inside the car isn't indicative of a matrix leak. Thanks for the input, syncro :D

[syncro]

It's a design fault with the manifold, only I cannot work out what would make #3 run rich.

A lot of my friends had this set up many years ago, then converted to twin side draughts and got more power and better economy.