gregg911

I've been having a problem with my 80SC since I ran it out of gas last year. I replaced the fuel filter and pump and I could never get it to run right. The idle would hunt up and down and it ran rich most of the time no matter what adjustments I made. I finally took it into the shop and they are telling me I need a fuel accumulator and a fuel distributor. Labor included, this is going to cost me $2,000.00 plus for a car I bought for 10K and already have 5K into. What to do?

At this point any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

CDiercks

Sorry I cannot help too much, but. I haven't heard of too many fuel distributors going bad, and I think they can be rebuilt. You can also get rebuilt ones on Pelican. I would think that you can do the work yourself for quit a bit less than $2000. Good luck.

Bill Gregory

This may be a long shot, but do you know when the oxygen sensor was last replaced? If not, you can test it for proper working condition (voltmeter to see if it outputs between 0 and 1 volt, and that the output varies as the gas is applied) or you might just replace it, cost is maybe $40-$65. I'd also throw a dwell/duty meter on the test lead to see how the engine FI is responding, might give you some more diagnostic information.

Otherwise, make sure the shop tells you why they want to replace those parts. Have them show you the fuel pressure test results that led them to their recommendation. Are they providing new parts or rebuilt? See if you can source them for less yourself and have the shop do the installation labor (some will do that, others don't).

MRFLATSIX

It sounds like the oxygen sensor to me. I have an '84 VW Scirocco with Bosch CIS injection that exhibits the same symptems when the sensor goes bad. VW recommends replacement at 30,000 miles, but I don't know what Porsche says. That's where I would start,fuel distributors don't go bad very often. Good luck

1FastRedSC

Only way i could see the your distributor went bad is because you ran out of gas. All contact to seals, plumbing, basically everything in the cis system has some sort of contact with fuel. Whether this would contribute to the distributor failing i don't know. But investing in a dwell seems to be a good option so that for future purpose you'll know that your shops not trying to screw you when working on the cis system.

911SOUK

Running out of gas should not hurt the CIS, esp. not the fuel distributor.

Start at the tank, scene of the crime. If you have a lot of debris in your tank, some small enough not to have been caught by the tank strainer/screen, then at low fuel level, the debris may pool up around the strainer. Some may have gotten past the strainer and through your pump into your filter. The filter should have caught the debris.

I would start with a new fuel filter, probably old anyways.

The O2 sensor suggestions are good too, and easy to test.

Did the shop perform a fuel pressure test? Unless there is a busted part inside the fuel distributor, it should not be problematic. A gummed up fuel dist. can be cleaned reasonable well after it is carefully removed from the air sesor housing so as top not damage the plunger. Though I don't think that is your probelm.

Start with the O2 sensor.

bones

Totally agree with you , I suggest you check the tank filter and as a matter of course replace the fuel filter AND accumulator after you have run the best fuel injector cleaner you can find through the system several times.
There are technical articles on these maintenance procedures at Pelican's website . Also as many peeps say check the oxygen sensor . The workshop who quoted you big bucks for that job is way off the mark .
let us all know how things turn out , good luck .

Hladun1

Try something different, troubleshoot the system rather than throwing money at it.

1. Check the system pressures with a CIS pressure tester (J.C. Whitney sells a good one for ~$60). This will also verify your fuel pump delivery pressure.
2. Check your injector fuel delivery flows.
3. Do a CO measurement to find out where you actually are.

Noel

I agree with Hladun1. My theory is this. You replaced your fuel pump, but has the CO mixture been adjusted since? If your fuel pump was dying and the CO was adjusted to match a slight decrease in pressure that many dying pumps exhibit, your car may be running rich, now that proper pressure from a new fuel pump is there. Anyhow, check the pressure to make sure it is within spec (Many CIS problems are caused by incorrect pressure). Then check the CO levels. Hopefully that is all that is wrong.

Guys, does that theory make sense?

Noel