82 intermittent rough idiling/running
 

Hello everyone,
For a couple of months I have been experiencing intermittent rough idiling/running. The car can be running perfectly and all of a sudden it start backfiring and loosing power and seconds later it will be fine. When I'm experiencing this, I can feel poor throttle response. It fills like its not engaging and all of a sudden it kicks in.. I replaced that fuel filter and did not experience this phenomenon until the next day.

Is it possible that the fuel pump is breaking down?? have any of you experienced this?? I've replaced sparkplugs, cap/rotor, air and fuel filter and the problem still persists...

Thanks in advance,
Ruben

Mine did the same thing as the frequency valve relay (under the passenger seat) was dying.

Graham, thanks for the reply. How did you test the frequency valve relay?

I'm thinking that next time I experience this problem, I'll disconnect it and see if there is any change. I disconnected it when it was running well and it did behave as my intermittent problem.

You could also have some bad vacuum lines playing with the retard/advance on the dist or other parts of the CIS. When you get on it the line moves and opens up and then closes again...

Lines are cheap replacement and you can just go buy a couple of yards at your local VW/BMW/or parts store. Make sure you get real vacuum line. Cloth covered to be Porsche correct. Your car is probably due for it by now... my '00 bug needed all new ones ant it was only 7 years old ;)

Best regards,

Michael

Check your timing. My distributor's advance was causing this type of symptom. It would advance and then retard intermittently.

Mine does that too on cold start up, I also have a cracked airbox on the lower half that will soon get replaced, you might check yours?

All, thanks for the replies..

Last night the car was running well and I decided to "wiggle" the frequency valve relay (aka oxygen sensor relay) located under the passenger seat. I was able to reproduce the intermitent poor performance. It seems like I have a loose wire or a relay that is going bad.

Once I replace it, I will post results.