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1979 Mars Red Series 1 GTI

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Ok, so I've bought a S1 GTI - Out the body shop...

good luck with it lee, im having a similar problem but its gunna be engine out time me thinks lol,

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so then I got home a day early and went strait into the garage for a few cheeky checks as the mrs was out for the night!

Ive taken a reading across the coils primary and secondary windings

Primary = 2.2 Ohms

Secondary 8.93K Ohms

looking in the haynes, it appears that these specs are for the Contact breaker type ignition! My resistance needs to be much much lower than that.

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1) Replace HT leads with the set I bought
2) Re-install the ignition loom then carry out the fault diagnosis according to the haynes
3) Check that fuel is reaching the engine
  1. Remove the NSR arch trim
  2. make a list of the electrical stuff that doesn't work on the car
  3. post fuel lines to Matt

Right I have the first 3 items on my list done.  I also bought a spark plug removal tool and checked for a spark - and im getting one! but its very weak



I know its hard to tell on that video but its a yellow/orange, shouldn't it be blue?

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Yes should be blue dude yellow is a sign of a weak spark. are they new plugs and have you chekced the gap on them? whats the dizzy and rotor arm look like?

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I think its the coil mate, Ive just bought a new lucas one which has the correct winding specs according to the haynes, the sparks look pretty new and to be honest I haven't looked at the rotor arm yet! I know I should have but don't want to mess about with the timing at the min, Ill try this new coil and see what it says

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having a look at the rotor arm wont knock timing out dude. worth checking as it might be knackered and there only a couple of quid to replace. just tried to ring you before like forgot to ring yo back yesterday....

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rustys_mk1 said

having a look at the rotor arm wont knock timing out dude. worth checking as it might be knackered and there only a couple of quid to replace. just tried to ring you before like forgot to ring yo back yesterday….

I mean I havent got a permo marker to mark the dizzy cap with respect to the body so didn't want to remove it yet.  The coil is the wrong type for my car so im starting there mate, ill let you know how I get on.

Have I missed your call? sorry dude! Ill call you back next week mate as im on leave with the mrs at the mo

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Dizzy cap only locates in one position - you can pop that on and off till your heart is content.

To adjust the timing, you have to turn the whole dizzy unit… (You will see a bolt holding a shaped plate that sits around the bottom of the dizzy, where it goes into the block).

CHECK THAT ROTOR ARM AND DIZZY CAP!

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AL_Mk1 said

Dizzy cap only locates in one position - you can pop that on and off till your heart is content.

To adjust the timing, you have to turn the whole dizzy unit… (You will see a bolt holding a shaped plate that sits around the bottom of the dizzy, where it goes into the block).

CHECK THAT ROTOR ARM AND DIZZY CAP!

Ah! ok then ill add that to the list

  1. Remove the NSR arch trim
  2. make a list of the electrical stuff that doesn't work on the car
  3. post fuel lines to Matt
  4. check rotor arm and dizzy caps

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Fitted my new coil today and…………

She runs!

Well kind of.

First I checked the condition of the rotor arm and dizzy cap



I cleaned the rotor arm on my tyre (thanks for the tip practical classics!) then re assembled as it all looks brand new, gave it a crank and it was making a weird half firing sound so I wanted to film it, as I was trying to film it it sprung into life!



Then I sorted out a few vacuum problems and went for it again



The smoke you can see at 00:25 is the injector for cylinder 1 flying out of its socket and then the burnt fuel escaping.  Ive got to look at why thats not secure.

It running like that is also without a cold start valve or auxiliary air valve as I haven't wired them up yet, ill sort that out tonight.

So a productive few hours today, ive got a big sesh on it tonight so ive got a list of stuff to tackle

  1. remove fuel lines off old manifold for Matt
  2. Wire up CSV and AAV
  3. Find out/rectify the injector issue
  4. make a list of the electrical stuff that doesn't work on the car
  5. Remove the NSR arch trim

Happy!  :D

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Well done Lee!!!! :cheer: :dance: :cheer:

Now the challenge is on, you were always going to beat me to get it running lets be honest!! I just hope to get a fair bit done on mine before I vanish off to Uni!

I will hopefully get some time on Sunday to give your tips a go and see if she turns, but will be a while till she's like yours!!  :dance:

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hi bud

Prob the least of your probs , but that dizzy cap you have isnt a german item , the carbon brush hanging out is prone to snaping clean off , german caps have less play on the carbon brush & dont spring out like a Jack-in-the-box
cheers
baz

ps nice serious 1  8)

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Pleased you got it running!

Your popped injector might not have been pushed back in properly after work by the previous owner? They are a bit of a b*gger.

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thats a BIG step bruv, well done

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Baz cheers for the info mate, ill deffo get a new cap then!

Al cheers mate altho its not exactly running, it kind of runs.  The injector did indeed just need pushing back in altho it feels a bit loose so I think its a new oil seal for that.

16v cheers mate altho im not out of the woods just yet, see below

I have another update, I have been back into the garage and been at it and there is two things that concern me :-(

First I went round and sorted all the vacuum leaks out.

Then I removed the spark plugs, they were all covered in oil, looked into the cylinders and the pistons have a lot of wet oil on top of them, Im thinking maybe a head gasket failure? weird that all the cylinders have oil in them.  Anyways after cleaning the spark plugs and re attaching everything the engine fired into life, really strong for about 2 seconds then its starts to falter and then cuts out.  Then I pulled the sparks and once again they are covered in oil.

Secondly I think I may have burnt the starter motor out? I have been doing alot of cranking and all of a sudden it won't turn the engine anymore.  I have put a 19mm spanner on the crank pulley and the engine turns so its not seized.  I can hear the solenoid firing and it trying to turn the engine, the battery had 13.5V and when I removed the starter It fires and spins but it wont turn the engine.  Anyone got an idea?

Cheers

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sticky solenoid on the starter yo tried hitting it with a hammer while your mrs/helper turns it over?

as for wet plugs could be a few things…

a) over fueling and flooding the engine?
b)worn piston rings
c)head gasket failure although you would expect oil in your water if theres as much in the cylinders as your suggesting.

you got all your sensors wired up now?

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Are your injectors squirting OK?

Have you tried the injector test that is detailed on here, just to make sure you are getting enough pressure/fuel through the metering head to open the injectors?

The oil could be from the valve stem seals too. Much easier job to fix if it is. If the car hasn't run for a long time, then this oil could have seeped through the valve seals some time ago and just not gone anywhere. You haven't really had it fire properly to burn it all off.

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reeet!

Its the battery lads, its pretty much dead haha! just went out and hooked my daily up to it and it turned again.

I think it must be the stem seals for the oil mate, Im going to have to strip the head off and have a look arnt I really?  There is alot of stick oil on the top of the pistons and after the engine runs for a few seconds there caked in oil again and then the car falters.  Im 99.9% sure if there was no oil issues then the car would run fine, after I have cleaned the plugs it roars into life for a few seconds.

I have wired up the AAV and CSV so there all good now rusty, and like I said all the vacuum leaks have been found and rectified.  I have a question tho, there is two vacuum lines, one goes to the dizzy to advance it but im not sure where the other on goes? anyone know? Ive just blocked it for now.

I also took the NSR arch off today, It was riveted on!?!?! looks pretty clean, a little rot on the inside but completely solid on the top.

I have removed the clocks today, unfortunatly they are knackard which is a shame.  Im going to have to source some new ones now  :banghead:

And Matt will be glad to hear I have removed the fuel lines he has paid for off an old manifold too.

1) remove fuel lines off old manifold for Matt
2) Wire up CSV and AAV
3) Find out/rectify the injector issue
4) make a list of the electrical stuff that doesn't work on the car
5) Remove the NSR arch trim
6) remove head and inspect

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Lee_dub said

reeet!
There is alot of stick oil on the top of the pistons and after the engine runs for a few seconds there caked in oil again and then the car falters.

That wouldn't be valve seals then - sounds more like rings or head gasket?


Lee_dub said

I have a question tho, there is two vacuum lines, one goes to the dizzy to advance it but im not sure where the other on goes? anyone know? Ive just blocked it for now.

MFA :dontknow:

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well I don't know mate, the oil in there isn't going anywhere so I just think im in a vicious circle, can't burn it off as the plugs keep getting caked in it.  Its old and sticky oil and its ontop of the pistons, all 4.  I think it could be valve stem seals but there is only one way to find out, remove the head.  Its unlikely to be the head gasket if its all 4 cylinders! The thing that gets me is there is a receipt for a reconditioned engine from baravian autowerks in 2006 and a receipt from a resto garage for fitting it in the same year.  Im not too sure to be honest mate but I think the first port of call is to remove the head and have a look.
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