sputtered and died when hot
 

This may mean a full run through of my fuel system, but just in case anyone else has had the exact same problem...
Vehicle is a 74 with 1.8 (L-Jet FI)
I was driving home in bumper to bumper stop and go traffic yesterday, after watching the races at Laguna Seca (fun time!!)
Anyway, when the engine got hot, about 3/4 up the un-marked temp gauge, the engine died for about 3-5 seconds, then fired back up. It did this about every minute, at 2500 RPM or better. It seemed to come back to life quickest when I would relase throttle, and then jam it to the floor.
My first thoughts were:
Fuel Pump?
Throttle Switch?
FI Brain?
FI contacts?
Relay?

Before I pull all that apart, anyone else had this problem?

The race weas great, by the way. Max Papis drove beautifully. And I got some great shots of Dario Franchiti's girlfriend (Ashley Judd) riding his scooter side saddle!


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Randy Foulds
Salinas, CA
http://www.pelicanparts.com/gallery/rfoulds

The 1.8L LJet doesn't have FI contacts.

Changed your fuel filter recently? I'd start there.

I doubt its the ECU or fuel injectors if it ran ok for a minute or more between dies.

Fule filter is clean. just changed it 30 days ago, but I checked it again. Nothing leaking either. thanks for the tip on the Fi contacts, going from the Haynes manual, I would have been looking for something that ain't there.
What about the fuel pump? I have heard that the locatino within gthe engine makes it prone to heat problems. Anyone had this experience? Were the symptoms similiar?

Randy,

The fuel pump location can create "vapor lock" (or air bubbles in fuel line). Symptoms of sputtering engine (or it dies all together) occur when engine gets hot. If stopping for 20 mins eliminates your problem, then it very likely vapor lock.

Both Pelican & Auto Atlanta sell kits to relocate the fuel pump up front away from the engine. I think Pelican even has a Tech Article on this. Search the postings and I'm sure you'll find plenty of references.

Good luck,


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Gerard
74-914 2.0L
3D914
rodrigos6@juno.com

there's a factory procedure, where you remove the derby shaped cap off the firewall end of the right heat exchanger, and slip on a black paper air hose (VW bug), and route it over to the driver's side. this gets the hot air discharge away from the pump.

Update****
I went through everytihng, and found a few minor problems that may have contributed to this. On the air-fuel mixture screw, the brass one where you adjust idle speed, the small teflon gasket was missing, causing that screw to be very loose, and turning too freely. It was actually turning just from the vibration of the engine. Weird.

The problem seems to be somwhat resolved, but I will be relocating the fuel pump anyway.

Thanks all for the advice.

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Randy Foulds
Salinas, CA
http://www.pelicanparts.com/gallery/rfoulds