Another reader letter (well, email!) asking about the engine "hunting" at idle speed, and asking what I know about the K-Jetronic fuel injection system. The answer to that is very simple" "absolutely hee-haw". He has an S1 with the 2.8 engine, which has the Bosch K-jetronic mechanical / hydraulic fuel system, but the later 2.9 cars like mine, have the Ford EEC-IV fully electronic system, which is totally different (not necessarily better), but different!).
As I was reading his description of symptoms, my first thought was “air leak”, regardless of the injection system used. As I read on, he explained that his garage thinks the same.
I suggested that he should look first at all the intake hoses, between the air flow meter and the plenum, and every single vacuum line around the intake manifold and the auxiliary air valve etc for any splits or loose connections. The vacuum hose to the servo is also worth a look. Rubber hoses perish and crack, and it's often a tiny split or pinhole in the simplest, most annoying little hose.
He has read about my home-made smoke machine (see January 2014 and then the Mk 2 version in March that year), which I would lend him, but I've lost the lid down the insulation gap in my garage walls. Easy enough to make though!
I also suggested gradually spraying wd40 or carb cleaner or eezy-start or similar on to the inlet hoses and joints, and see if the engine revs rise slightly if more “fuel” is sucked in, instead or air.
Whatever method, I warned that inlet air leaks can be a bugger to find , and can lead to the kind of frustration that would result in even the Dali Lama losing the head, and kicking fuck out of his wheelie bin. You have to take your time and be methodical.
Whatever, I wouldn't start taking any of the fuel injection components to bits until I'm 100% sure there's no leak.
In the meantime, amongst all the angst of the past few weeks, I make time to have some garage therapy. Nothing major, but I've noticed when I drive the Vixen in the rain (which seems to be every time I drive it recently), I get water running down the front of both both door trims, just where the inner door handle is. It's not critical, but it does sort of get on your nerves. Not to full wheelie-bin kicking level, you understand, but still...
So here's the inside of the passenger side door trim. Through the wonders of computer technology, I have shown where the water runs down the inside
of the door trim when it rains.
With the garage lights off, I shut the door and shine a bright light from inside the car, to see if any light gets out (and therefore where any
water might get in). The light seems to be shining out just where the window frame meets the door.
I remove the wood door trim from the top of the door, and then remove the screw that holds the front of the door card on. Then I make a wee
gasket from some spare neoprene sheet that I have kept. This isn't so much to seal the gap between the door card and the door (although it helps!)
but mainly to push the top of the door card out a tiny bit so that it seals better against the seal around the door frame and windscree pillar.
That sticks on the inside of the door frame...
and then a wee thin strip along the edge of the window frame. This might be better done with a strip of sealer, but (a) I haven't got any, and (b)
even if I did, I'm not opening a whole tube just to do that tiny bit.
Then I do the same to the driver's door. So we'll see what happens the next time thee car is out in the rain. If it still leaks, hide those wheelie bins!