16V Clarifications

[Christian Els <tiAn@usiw.net>]

I realize that during my diatribe I left out a few important details.
Let me try and address them, and also say thanks to everyone for your
suggestions.  

Details, in no particular order:

>> 1. Oil pressure, or none of it rather.
> May be a bad sending unit...You could try replacing
>it.
>
>Sometimes new parts can be bad from the factory!  Or, you have clogged oil
>passages.....


Had a mechanical gauge hooked into the filter housing, not using the
car's sending unit. Results on the mechanical gauge roughly correlate to
the warnings posted by the car's electric system, indicating that these
bits work OK.

While it is certainly possible that the oil pump was a dud, I'm really
trying not to go that route. Call me lazy, I don't want to get that deep
into the motor again just yet. Unfortunately, it is looking more and
more to be the culprit. Dang. 

The oil passages are(were) nearly spotless along with the rest of the
block and head.


> 2. Stumble off-idle, especially bad when cold. 
> Check your vacuum lines for leaks, clean the crap
>off the butterflies in your throttlebody.  (Good way
>to check for vacuum leaks.
>
>Ok, so have you checked your thermo-time switch and warm up regulator per
>the bentley yet?  No need to start buying parts till you fully diagnose,
>my friend!


Vacuum leaks are still a potential cause here, I guess. I have replaced
all the o-rings on the injectors (and seats) as well as all the vacuum
hoses with new line. I'll try squirting starting fluid at the car and
see if it perks up the idle anywhere to further track this issue. The
butterflies are spotless, again, thanks to brake parts cleaner and steel
wool. 

Compared to my JH 1.8L (which needs rings) this thing is _*gutless*_
under 2500, is this normal? Common problem?

All the switches,sensors and valves do check out, which is why I skipped
replacing them as a potential fix.  


> 4. Intermittently, the car smokes heavily. 
>Depends on the color...

Oops, I had intended to add the word "white" to my initial post.
However, it doesn't have that sweet coolant smell, nor does it stick to
your skin like coolant generally does. And I'm not loosing coolant, as I
would expect to be as heavily as it (sometimes) expectorates.


>did you just replace the head gasket? 

Yes, it is a new head (and every other) gasket. Doesn't have any
(exceptional) valvetrain noise though. 


Also, two additional things I didn't mention in the first go-round

1. Car runs hot. Has new (180 dF) thermostat, fan switch. Fan does turn
on. Just gets very hot (right under upper tick on coolant gauge). Ditto
for oil temp, although I suspect this is related to the no/low pressure
issue.

2. Fuel pump makes a lot of racket. Clogged Strainer? Bad Transfer pump?
I'm pretty sure it is not the primary fuel pump as I have swapped it for
another (used, worked) and get the same results--noisy.

Thanks again for sharing your experience. I love this car, I'd just like
to be able to focus on driving it for a while, not babysitting it...

Plus the cabby needs enough work already.

Cheers,

tiAn
87 16V
stuff.

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