Hi, let's try this again. My computer is acting up!
I have a 1985 245 turbo that has been acting up lately. I took the car to the shop for them to repair the cooling system. It turned out to be the head gasket. $1300, a week and many headaches later I got the car back. They wanted to charge me $200+ for a new fan clutch before I left. I decided to do it myself for $40. It worked out great and the car is cooling perfect. Now the car won't start when the engine is warm!

It starts okay when the engine is cold. I have to try a couple of time and keep the gas pedal on for 30 seconds to keep it running. When I drive it around then try to start the car it doesn't even start to "catch on". I mean it just turns over and doesn't even come close to starting. I have a air to fuel ratio meter connected to the O2 sensor. Normally when the engine is cold the meter will stay in the Stoichiometeric area and not move until the engine is warm enough. I think this is becuase the O2 sensor doesn't really work until it gets to a certain temp. When I got it started cold the meter was going quickly from rich to lean. I could hear the fuel system pulsing to this sound. The meter and the pulsing noise were moving to the same rythim. Could my O2 sensor be broken? Or what could it be. I know it's getting fuel because I have flooded the engine a couple of time trying to get it started. I have new spark plugs and wires, but I haven't done the cap and rotor yet. What should I check and do? Thanks a lot. You guys have saved me $$$$ and have given something to do.

Charles 1985 245ti 134K

$200 for a fan clutch?

Man. What I do with my car(s) is this. If the parent wants something fixed, he can spend the money to fix it, or let me fix it. This generally means I get to learn how to fix whatever. Which is more than fine with me (less so with the neighbors for sure).

That said, I see one of two scenarios:

1.) They messed up putting everything back together.

or

2.) Something was adjusted to compensate for the blown head gasket which is now resulting in your hard starts.

When you get the car started (warm) does it run okay? If so, I would suspect all the doodads designed to help prevent vapor lock (in-tank pump, accumulator, and impulse relay). The best thing you could do would be to measure the fuel pressure, and make sure you're also getting enough fuel.

Other, simpler things to try:

Visually inspect everything. Look for loose wires, etc. If you don't have a component location diagram for all the fancy K-Jet doodads, lemmie know and I can send one to you.

Hook up an LED to the cold start injector. The CSI is pulsed by the impulse relay when warm. If you don't see the LED blinking on a warm/hot start, start tracking everything down. Is the CSI plugged in? Impulse relay? Coolant temp sensor?

Hook up an ammeter to the main pump circuit, and then the in-tank pump circuit. High current draw would be indicative of a dying pump, no draw.. the pump isn't working.

BTW, when the O2 sensor is warmed up, it is designed to cycle between (hence the name lambda sond) lean and rich fuel mixtures. IIRC this is to allow the two main components of the three-way catalytic converter to function. As a result, you should hear the frequency valve (the thing on the back of the fuel distributor with the electrical connector on it) buzzing.

- alex

'85 244 Turbo
'84 245 Turbo

Thanks for the help you guys. I have always wondered why it went from rich to lean all the time. I found out that the PCV hose was cracked and replaced it and now it works fine:)

Charles 1985 245t

If this has been occuring as a result of the head gasket change, then likely they f____d something up putting it back together. I would check all intake ducting for leaks. Also, chech the connections to AMM and temp sensor. Clean all connections. tighten all air duct clamps. Check codes.

See if you have spark, see if you have fuel at cold cranking. Does the fp relay click when cranking starts? Check the conenction to the crank position sensor.

Greg Mustang