mk1 cabrio with K-Jetronic not started in 13 years

[TomBob]

Hi folks,
I need to resurrect an old mk1 cabrio (1991) from my mother's garage. It hasn't run in 13 years but it was a runner back in the day. I can't recall if there was any fuel in it.

I'm familiar with K-Jetronic and have a fuel pressure tester so I can tune it once it's running but I'd appreciate informed pre-start advice to minimising the risk of damaging the system.

I'm thinking of dropping the tank to flush it out and replacing the fuel filter but how about fuel lines? the accumulator? the fuel distributor? the WUR? the injectors and injector lines? Should they be cleaned out? With what? Should some things just be replaced?

... or am I over thinking this and just crank it up with fresh fuel, after draining (and flushing) any residual sludge?

Cheers,
Tom.

[h100vw]

I would drain out any old fuel. Fit a new filter. Chuck in some fresh fuel. Maybe 5 litres. Jump the fuel pump relay and collect the fuel from the engine bay. Replace the filter, that will have caught the worst.
Then I'd chuck some more fresh juice in and try and start it.
To go much deeper would take you a long while. No harm in seeing if it runs

[TomBob]

Hi Dub Crazy.

I was hoping for some reassurance so thank you.

I'll post how I go but it will be a few weeks before I get to it.

Tom

[programhip]

Have you done it yet? What is the result of its restart?

[TomBob]

As I said, I've not seen it in 13ish years but the car is in far better shape than I recalled.
I've still not emptied or cleaned the tank, nor tried to start it ... but here's what I found (and did). Turning the engine over by hand gives the expected hisses and resistance so the engine is likely still good.

I've found most things I need to resurrect it: I've installed a new sachs clutch kit and flywheel (rediscovered in the boot!), new front and rear seals, new timing belt/idler, new expansion tank and a new gear linkage kit.
There's also a new Sonnenland (German material) black hood and head liner in a box on the back seat and I had the steel rear window frame powder coated. I forgot that I'd pulled injectors and the fuel distributor, and put them in a plastic bag, sealed after squirting in lots of WD40, so they're in great shape. I even have a new seal kit for the fuel distributor, including a new bottom O-ring, new banjo bolt seals plus a new silicon seal for the Air Flow Meter. I even had new oil, air and fuel filters, and a new distributor cap and leads.

I think almost all of the paint is original so I'll pull off all the trim and have a paintless dent removal, then polish it up. The bumpers are in good condition but they do need painting and there's a moderate crease in the boot that I hope can be paintlessly removed ... but perhaps not.

The clutch cable has pulled through the firewall so that has to be welded up but I also have a new reinforcing plate, so it should be very strong after welding the break and installing the plate.

So all-in-all I'm pretty happy!!!

I can't find the K Jetronic WUR but I'm back in Sydney now ... and have a vague recollection of bringing it back to install a pressure adjustment screw. If so, then it's here ... somewhere ....

Other than that I need:
- a replacement plastic circuit board for the binnacle (I think I saw somewhere that they're still available)
- a new seal for the rear window (I stole it for my other mk1 convertible in Sydney)

I'm back in Brisbane in May so more progress after that.

[TomBob]

Update.

The fuel has separated and the tank is coated in a rich layer of tar. Tank removed and with repairer - will get back today. New lift pump and cleaned fuel gauge sender ... it looked like it was from the jurassic.

I'm hoping the high pressure pump and fuel accumulator are OK but we'll see. The injectors and fuel distributor were sealed in a plastic back with lots of WD40 so they're good. I've flushed the injector lines with WD40 and compressed air so I think they're good.
I plan on putting back the tank, disconnecting before the fuel filter and running the pump to flush out the line. Wish me luck.

Tom.

[sports racer]

Good to see another MK1 being looked after.

[The_Hawk]

...and we still don't know if it runs!

Waiting on the next update

[TomBob]

New timing belt, plugs, rotor and rotor cap but the car only sort-of starts, and only runs while the starter is engaged. We figure the cold start valve is energised with the starter ... so stops when we stop cranking. The engine stops immediately we stop cranking but the car does run with AeroStart so the issue is obviously fuel.

The fuel accumulator leaks a little but I'll worry about that later. Colin at K-Jet Specialists suggested the accumulator is only needed for warm starts, so I'll worry about that later. He said the symptoms sound like lack of pressure so we replaced the high pressure pump. It's better but still not right - now the car sometimes starts and remains running but peters out after about 30-45 seconds. Just touching the throttle usually makes it stall but I did coax a high rev out of it ... once. It usually starts when cold so I'm speculating the mix is lean and leans further as the WUR heats, hence stalls.

Colin still suggests fuel starvation and speculates the lift pump is not working properly ... or a line is blocked. Apparently the lift pump is essential on these cars (I heard it is less critical on others ... go figure). The house is sold so the car is in commercial storage and I'm now in Melbourne. My local mechanic friend is recovering his old BMW K-Jet skill set from deep memory archive and will carry on the work. I think we're close but maybe I'm overly optimistic. We'll see.

I'll start a new thread for the new Sonnendeck roof, if anyone knows a good Brisbane trimmer (that has installed tops on these cars before).

I'll also start a new thread on electronic repairs as the flexible circuit board at the back of the binnacle is broken. They don't seem to be available anymore ...

Wish me luck.

Tom.

[sports racer]

Sounds like you know what you're doing.

Twins are much easier.