Any mechanics here?

[Michael Fisher]

I'm having a problem with my '95 Jetta. When starting cold, the starter works fine but the car seems to be gasping for air. It began a few weeks ago and has become progressively worse. Now the car will die while idling from a cold start.

Replaced the air filter; cleaned the intake air duct, throttle plate, etc (there was some black oily stuff inside); and the mass air flow sensor seems clean.

Maybe something's wrong with the exhaust recirculation system, but I think the IAC (idle air control) is dying. Unfortunately the IAC is $375, so I don't want to admit that it has a problem. 

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[Recumbent ReCycler]

I was a mechanic for about 6 years.  IIRC, you don't live too far from me.  I'd be happy to look at it for you.  There are a lot of things that can be diagnosed or ruled out based on smells and sounds coming from different areas of the car during cranking and while running at an idle.  The EGR system can sometimes spray a little oil into the intake, but that shouldn't cause the problems that you mentioned.  It's possible that it might not be the IAC, and for that price, I would check a couple other things first.  I'll be going back and forth between Somersworth and Durham about 5 days a week until the PorcFest.  Let me know if you want me to check it out.

Tim

[cathleeninnh]

Not at all mechanical but I remember having similar symptoms once and it turned out to be a teeny little fuel filter that was cheap.

Cathleen

[Recumbent ReCycler]

Not at all mechanical but I remember having similar symptoms once and it turned out to be a teeny little fuel filter that was cheap.

Cathleen

That's a possibility.  Another possibility could be corroded or worn electrical contacts.  If you crank an engine over and it doesn't start, you can get some clues by smelling the exhaust emmissions.  If it smells like raw fuel, it is probably a bad distributor cap causing the problem.  If it doesn't smell like anything, then it could be something in the fuel line, like the fuel filter.  If it smells smoky and you're getting black soot, then I would suspect air flow issues.

[Michael Fisher]

Not at all mechanical but I remember having similar symptoms once and it turned out to be a teeny little fuel filter that was cheap.

Cathleen

Thanks! I think you're right. Something bad must have made its way into my gas tank. Some gas stations have found water in their tanks after switching away from MBTE.

I purchased a new fuel filter last week, but now I need to figure out how to change it without spilling fuel all over the place.

[AlanM]

Not at all mechanical but I remember having similar symptoms once and it turned out to be a teeny little fuel filter that was cheap.

Cathleen

Thanks! I think you're right. Something bad must have made its way into my gas tank. Some gas stations have found water in their tanks after switching away from MBTE.

I purchased a new fuel filter last week, but now I need to figure out how to change it without spilling fuel all over the place.

I have heard reports that the ethanol, which replaced the MBTE, stirs up, and mixes with, any sludge in the bottom of the tank. ???????

[SWilliams]

it's not just that the ethanol stirs up the sludge, part of the problem is with gas prices fluctuating like they do, stations are waiting until their tanks are almost empty before refilling them. When they almost run out, they're pumping the crap in the bottom of the tank into your car, which is trying to run on half sludge half water half gas.

Depressurize the fuel system, replace the filter, clean out the tank, get a thing of the Valvoline injector cleaner (it's good stuff), mix it with a gallon of gas, then run the car for a couple of minutes... Then, fill up at a different station 

If that doesn't work, and your car has a cold-start injector, check that, too... Your idle temp sensor might be dead, too. I have NFI where it is on a Jetta, though... On A Fiat, it's right there in the front.

[Michael Fisher]

I thought it was the fuel filter or pre-filter screen on my car's gas tank. It was actually the fuel injectors that were clogging up. Changing the fuel filter did not fix it, and my car apparently has no pre-filter screen on the tank. Most E10 gas stations seem to have finally cleaned up their fuel because the car works fine now because no repairs on my car were able to fix the problem. It just started working fine after a while.

A story today in the Union Leader - Ethanol-gas mix is a problem for Franklin

"But it turned out the problem was that ethanol, which is a solvent, is dissolving the shellac which lines the city's storage tank, creating a sediment problem which was causing plugged fuel injectors."

"'The first load of E10 seems to be the issue. It loosened things up inside our tank and dislodged sediment. It should get better as we go along,' he said."

[KBCraig]

A story today in the Union Leader - Ethanol-gas mix is a problem for Franklin

News flash! Alcohol dissolves shellac!



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