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Thread: Dirk's Avante

  1. #691
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brett View Post
    It took me a little time but I remember that I worked on a car(not a subaru) with the exact same problem your having(hard to start when warm) and if you cycled the ignition switch like your doing a few times it would start.

    Problem was the fuel pump. the pump worked and pumped fuel but if I remember right there was a check valve in it that was faulty and allowed the pressure to bleed off. I replaced the fuel pump and there were no more hard starting issues hot or cold.

    That is a possibility all be it a brand new pump.

    Dirk

  2. #692
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gaisa View Post
    I had similar issues with my old van, the check valve in the fuel filter failed and all the fuel drained back into the tank, creating a VERY big air lock.
    The fuel filter and pump are below the tank so it could not drain back to the tank.

    Dirk

  3. #693
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    Quote Originally Posted by bushboy View Post
    Vapor lock is high on the list. It also affects carby engines as well. Back in Australia our 4.4L V8 suffered a lot from vapor locks until an air trap with a return to the tank was installed.

    Definitely try the easy to do stuff first.

    Bushboy
    that is still high on my assumption but in order for that to happen I think there needs to be a pressure loss at some point and it will be down to identifying that. My pressure tester turned up today, but I was to late home to try it and Ill be late tomorrow so it will be Wednesday before I can report back.

    Dirk

  4. #694
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    I managed to put the pressure tester on tonight, I know it was only a cheep kit but as soon as the pump started fuel was leaking out of the union, I tool it off and wrapped a load of PTFE around the thread but then when I was tightening it up the union snapped Ggrrrrrr. Luckly one of the unions in my better oil pressure set fitted. I turned the ign on and the pressure was about 38 PSI but was slowly dropping. Started the car and it ran at a constant 38 PSI. Once the engine was up to temp I switched it off and immediately the pressure dropped to zero so I was on the right track. Each time I turned the Ign on and the pump fired briefly the pressure would rise and immediately drop. First check was the pump I disconnected the pipe from the gauge to the fuel rail and put on another 3 foot hose blocked of with an 8mm bolt and jubilee clip, ign on the pressure went to 80 PSI and held solid, it was at this point I realized that my cheap gauge did not have a relief button/valve, so I had to slowly un-do the jubilee clip to relive the pressure, but it proved the pump was fine. I reattached the gauge to the fuel line and partially clamped the return fuel line turned the ign on and the pressure went to 60 PSI and then settled to normal 38 PSI. This clearly proves the fault is with the regulator and I am guessing that the back pressure when going to 60 PSI caused it to close properly. I didn't get chance to get the engine back up to temp and try again but at least I now know the problem.

    Dirk

  5. #695
    Senior Member bushboy's Avatar
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    Sounds like you are on to a winner.

    Nice use of diagnostic tools.

    Bushboy
    "Always do what you are afraid to do"
    "I can accept failure, but I can't accept not trying"

  6. #696
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    Having found my problem I had made the decision that I wanted to replace the regulator with a new unit thinking that buying a second hand one could have the same problem even if sold as working. So I phone a few of the usual motor factors and non of them listed it, a couple of the larger Jap specialists they only had after market adjustable units. So in the end I phoned a local Subaru dealer and spoke to the parts department, I gave him all the car details but he said he could not find the part code and would phone me back. Half an hour later he phoned me back, he had found the part number (which he would not give me) and said £322 but that included VAT !!!! Apparently its not stocked in the UK and he would have to order it from Japan!! I found another Subaru dealership on line that did more in the way of mail order on parts they where still quoting £180 + VAT and still a 4 to 6 weeks before they could get it. So I am now thinking this obviously isn't a part that usually fails, so I have orded a second hand one for £20. We will see how that pans out.

    Dirk

  7. #697
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    The last couple of weeks I have been distracted with other things, but this afternoon I found a bit of garage time so decided to fit the new secondhand regulator. I thought it would be an 30 min job tops. Just 2 cross head screws vacuum hose and fuel return pipe what could go wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well obviously everything. Before the car was stolen the previous owner had tried to change the regulator and the bottom screw which is very difficult to even see let alone get to was chewed and no way could I get it out, so I made the decision to take the inlet manifold off . Now this requires the alternator, alternator bracket, power steering pump bracket, header tank and oil filler pipe to be removed along with all the connectors to be undone. All was going fine until I tried to disconnect one of the water pipes going to the rear of the throttle body, it was not going to come off. So I decided to leave the throttle body on the car and that was a struggle getting the bottom 2 bolts out of that. Anyway job done everything disconnected from the inlet manifold I started to loosen the bolts holding that, 8 in total and the last one far right hand side I can not get too Grrrr 3 hours later I now need to take the engine out. I could have done that at the start and had it back in in 3 hours. A job now for another day.

    Dirk

  8. #698
    I feel your pain! Not exactly what you wanted as a Christmas Present!

  9. #699
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dirk View Post
    The last couple of weeks I have been distracted with other things, but this afternoon I found a bit of garage time so decided to fit the new secondhand regulator. I thought it would be an 30 min job tops. Just 2 cross head screws vacuum hose and fuel return pipe what could go wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well obviously everything. Before the car was stolen the previous owner had tried to change the regulator and the bottom screw which is very difficult to even see let alone get to was chewed and no way could I get it out, so I made the decision to take the inlet manifold off . Now this requires the alternator, alternator bracket, power steering pump bracket, header tank and oil filler pipe to be removed along with all the connectors to be undone. All was going fine until I tried to disconnect one of the water pipes going to the rear of the throttle body, it was not going to come off. So I decided to leave the throttle body on the car and that was a struggle getting the bottom 2 bolts out of that. Anyway job done everything disconnected from the inlet manifold I started to loosen the bolts holding that, 8 in total and the last one far right hand side I can not get too Grrrr 3 hours later I now need to take the engine out. I could have done that at the start and had it back in in 3 hours. A job now for another day.

    Dirk
    I really do want to fit a water cooled (probably Scooby) engine once I'm road legal again Dirk, but these continuing issues just keep making me think .... stick with the simple VW, stupid! (ie the KISS principle!)

    Anyway, regardless, I hope you get it sorted and am looking forward to seeing you road legal again very soon.

    Merry Christmas, and wishing you great progress in 2019!

    Alistair

  10. #700
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    I got the engine out on Saturday, and with it out the pressure regulator took 2 mins to take off !! So the new one on and the engine back in and coolant filled up I started her up and get her up to temp radiator fans switched on everything looked good. I switched off and back on all OK cracked it. I pulled the car out of the garage switched off to open the drive gates got back in and she would not start GGrrrrr. I waited a while and she started again all be it a bit rough I took her down the track and back just over a couple of miles and all was fine back on the drive and at idle still a bit rough and would not start again after being switched off.
    So today I put the fuel pressure gauge back on and the pressure was fine and steady. The car started fine when cold high revs as she warmed up revs dropped to normal and she was a bit rough again switched off wouldn't start, now I'm sure this problem was probably there before but was masked by the fuel pressure problem, whilst that was there I had to wait for the engine to cool down before it would restart, now if I try and start it, it fire but immediately stalls if I then give it a couple of mins it restarts, if I try and start it immediately and crank it over several times I have to wait longer before it starts. Now to me it sounds like it is running too rich its OK cold starts first time and only starts to sound a bit rough after the revs drop, when I try and start it hot its flooding and waiting a min evaporates the fuel continually cranking is filling the piston with fuel which is why I have to wait longer? But I was not getting any error codes. Just before I packed up tonight I ran the car at about 3000 RPM for a few mins and finally my engine management light came on and the error code was for the upstream O2 sensor weak mixture. a new one is on order so fingers crossed.

    Dirk

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