'80 'rocco on three cylinders - why??

[kkrup62 at hotmail.com (Karl Krupke)]

Hi Daun,
    My first thought is vacuum. Check the whole circuit; lines to the 
distributor, cold start (fast idle valve, the line buried between the 
firewall and intake. For that matter, try pulling the intake manifold 
upward; on an old engine the intake gasket will be compressed. There's 
supposed to be a support bracket that bolts on the bottom of the intake man 
and top of the exhaust man, but obviously that component has sort of a hard 
life and they're usually rusted off and long gone. If the bracket is gone 
and the gasket in bad shape you've got a vacuum leak right at the intake 
manifold.

Karl

>From: Daun Yeagley <vwdaun@yahoo.com>
>To: scirocco-l@scirocco.org
>Subject: '80 'rocco on three cylinders - why??
>Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2007 08:28:55 -0700 (PDT)
>
>Blatantley cross-posted from the Vortex:
>
>So I'm out here in southern California and I've picked up a
>straight & clean '80 Scirocco with the help of our dear
>friend Will.
>
>(Insert pic here, mine are all in the camera and the cord
>is at home.)
>
>This thing had a "new" engine installed a year or two ago,
>so everything is pretty fresh.  The car has been sitting
>the last 6+ months due to some rough running.
>
>Symptoms:  Rythmically rough idle / pickup, slow to rev
>with about as much power as a tired Rabbit Diesel.
>
>So let's go through the things we need to make an engine
>run shall we?
>
>Air:  The air boot appears rip free, the air filter is new
>and I can see no blockage.  No evidence of leaking at the
>intake manifold gasket that can be seen.
>
>Fuel:  Injector o-rings are basically new, soft & pliable.
>Injectors all have a nice spray pattern with even flow.
>The airflow plate is perhaps ever so slightly gummy, but
>operates smoothly.
>
>Compression:  130-130-135-130.  Just fine for a 1.6.
>
>Spark:  Brand new plugs / wires / cap / rotor made *no*
>difference.  All plugs are firing fine.  Ignition timing is
>dead on.  This is a California '80 that has electronic
>ignition, no points to adjust.  (Which was my very first
>thought.)
>
>Exhaust:  Removed the exhaust ahead of the cat in case it
>was blocked, no change.
>
>I have not checked the vacuum advance (per Drew's
>suggestion) as we had moved the car to another location
>that didn't have a timing light.
>
>Of course, I have no tools with me back at the hotel, and
>I'm going to limp the car out towards Qualcom stadium to
>drop it off to be shipped this morning anyway.  But
>suggestions on what to look at further when the car arrives
>back in Ohio are greatly appreciated!
>
>Daun Yeagley - Wilmington Ohio
>'81 Scirocco S (Deiter)       '86 Scirocco 8v
>'88 Scirocco Slegato (Gino!)  '88 Scirocco 16v
>'96 Passat GLX Wagon          '56 Cessna 172
>The first rule of intelligent tinkering is to save all the parts - 
>Ehrlich's Law.
>
>
>
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