Hi i'm new...i've got a '88 vw clipper 1.8 8v
i'm having a bit of trouble with my autochoke. After engine has been started in the morning it revs at 2,500 - 3,500. This normally calms down to 1,500rpm after 20ish minutes. the only ways i have got it to idle at 800rpm is when i switch it off for 10 minutes then re-start or when i put the heater on i can see rpm drop to idle speed.
once the idle speed has been reached.....if i take it on motorway for say 2 miles....once a standstill has been reached it revs at 2,500 - 3,000 rpm again....if i put heater on it drops to normal idle speed.
wot is wrong with it? autochoke sticking? coolant?
thanx in advance
Prax
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Hi Prax,
If you serch the archives on this site you will find endless threads about problems with this carb. It really can be a bit of a nightmare, and many of us feel the best solution is to convert to a Weber with manual choke.
However, in you case two things strike me. First, the start-up speed is too high. There is an adjustment for this on the nearside of carb behind the "waxstat" unit. Loosen allen screw and you can adjust the two halves of the fast-idle cam, but you may find all adjustment already taken up, in which case it may need a new waxstat, or have another reason for high idle (air leak somewhere on inlet, or faulty main vacuum unit).
Secondly, it sounds as though you may not be getting enough coolant circulation through the waxstat and choke unit. Check coolant pipes are getting really hot, at same rate as engine, and that thermostat keeps radiator cold until normal temp is reached at engine. Coolant blockages in the choke unit and the inlet manifold are common, especially if anti-freeze (which acts as corrosion inhibitor) has been neglected.
Regards, Adam
Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble.
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thanx for your advice and reply adam
the water pump is leaking slightly...which is booked in for friday along with timing belt. Would this be the reason for:
a) lower temp on the bottom hose?? compared to other hoses?
b) excess idle due to cool water circulating in waxstat?
c) excess idle due to cool water circulating in choke?
d) excess idle at start-up?
thanx in advance
prax
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Prax,
I agree with Adam on the coolant suggestion - had a similar problem.
But if the problem does turn out to be the throttle diaphram, dont change it (120 GBP! from German and Swedish), I have a fudge.
Andy
I dont know much but I know my 2e2.
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Prax,
Yes, it could be poor ciculation due to a tired water pump. BUT, I would suggest you have the thermostat changed at the same time, and then check for coolant circulation through the choke system as described earlier.
Andy,
Didn't know the two/three way vacuum unit was still available. Do you have a part number ? What is your "fudge" ?
Regards, Adam
Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble.
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Adam,
2/3 point unit? -are we talking about the same item? The 3 or 4 point unit is the diaphragm assy used to control the throttle position. The 3 point unit (warm up, idle, and overrun cut off positions) is for manuals, the 4 point unit is specifically for autos (the extra position being used to increase the idle speed slightly to overcome auto gearbox drag when D or R etc are selected).
Gower and Lee gave me conflicting advice - once quoted me £300 ish but later said they were no longer available. G & S (Hitchin) quoted the £120 ish 2 weeks ago. Definitely the right item too (4 point unit - my wifes car is an auto) as we discussed it over the counter. No part number though.
If the diaphragm is faulty (leaking) the actuator rod is not withdrawn into the unit the correct amount, resulting in a high idle speed. My fudge (some might read "bodge") is to fix the diaphragm actuator rod in the idle position. Simple.
Ok, this denies you the warm up cycle position. But the throttle position is controlled mainly by the waxstat anyway, and the warm up cycle normally withdraws the diaphragm actuator rod fully out of the way. And it also denies you the overrun cut off position ( when the actuator rod is normally fully extended past the idle position.) In my experience this does not cause overrun, and neither has a detrimental effect on the running of the car. Suspect the overrun cut off position may be just for emission reduction during switch off.
To do this you need a small strip of steel 10 to 15mm wide approx 45 mm long, bent in the centre to 90 degrees, (or you can use the mini shelf brackets available from B&Q at 20p ish) and a small jubilee clip.
The clip is used to clamp the bracket to the diaphragm actuator rod case, (the sticky outy bit of the case that the rod slides in/out of) such that the bracket part prevents the actuator rod extending beyond the idle position. At warm idle, the throttle adjustment screw should now rest against the bracket.
Hope this makes sense. A picture may paint a thousand words, but I dont know how to do that.
Ok, technically a bodge, but spending £120 on a £500 car just grates?
Andy
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Adam
thanx for the advice, one last question (i think) is there only one thermostat on the vehicle? i.e. the one on the radiator? what is the correct name for the thermostat.....just so that i don't look stupid when i ask them to change it.
thanx in advance
Prax
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The "waxstat" on the carb that controls cold-start fast-idle is reffered to in some listings as a thermostat.
To differentiate just ask for a "cooling system thermostat".
Adam
Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble.
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Adam
I've noticed from my vehicle history/reciepts that the waxstat has been changed 3 times since 1999. Is this a common fault?? why would it need changing 3 times in so little time???
thanx in advance
Prax
p.s. vw independant specialists have got the car in at the moment....hopefully it will come back troublefree.
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Andy I had the thermostat/timing belt/full water pump replaced yesterday....not really taken it for a long drive. Will let u no 2mrw how i get on. Cheers
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Andy B
thanx for the tip.....also glad i\'m not the only one who has had this fault. I\'ve only had this car for a month...fuel leaks/idle/radiator leak/fan inoperable.....the list goes on. I should have stuck with Ford....cheap and chearful.
thanx
Prax
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dont give up, the 2e2 is a ggod carb when you get it set up. If the wax stat has been changed 3 time in three years then its like lt something else is wrong.
you can check the waxstat by boiling it, it should extend about 1.5cm when hot (90 degs) as oppsoed to room temp.
a coolant blockage seems plausible
also the allen screw settings behind the waxstat might be out (someone adjusted them to compensate for the original waxstat fault and didn\'t undo the bodge when the waxstat was replaced???)
check the operation of the choke pull-down too as this is a common 2e2 fault
make sure the three point unit does actually controlt the idle whent the car is warmed up. some cowboy had my golf running permenantly on the waxstat when I bought it!
Hanes do a carb manual which is ded useful but 30 quidish, I believe I bought my copy from hj, cheapest on the www
and lastly, good luck
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Drew20
thanx for the advice. I'm not too well up on engines etc :( But i do want to learn.
1. I will flush the whole coolant system
2. how do i adjust the allen screws behind the waxstat (obviously with an allen key...but which direction??) wot does this do??
3. How do i check the operation of the choke pull down???
4. how do i check that the 3-point unit is actually doing its job? instead of running on waxstat??
sorry for all the questions....my previous carbs were webbers and they never needed touching.
thanx in advance
Prax
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1. OK
2. I can't quite remember, have a look a round the clubgti.com wwwsite. Look for posts by a chap called Golden re pierburg carbs (there is a search facility)
3. the choke pull down is the black plastic thing on the the front left of the carb. it has two pipes going into it. remove the pipes (remember how they go back) attach a pipe to the bottom pipe attachment and suck. the choke should open a bit and no air should leak except through the top pipe attachment. put your finger over the top pipe attachment and carry on sucking. now no air should leak at all and and choke should open up a little bit more
4. with the engine running hot the screw should sit against the pushrod of the three point unit, if not then its jamming somewhere, most likely the waxstat is holding the throttle open
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