'95 TSI fuel/starting issues

[TSIflyer95]

Hey guys,

Yes I am new here, I have been searching but I just can't seem to find anything that is definitive.


I recently bought a '95 TSI with a 6 bolt swap. It has some mods too it. 1g rods, 2g pistons, he claims it has BC272's but I don't believe it as they are SUPER quiet, S-AFC, and it had a walbro 255 in it.

Well when I bought the car I knew it had an issue. I was pretty darn sure it was the fuel pump. He said it was about 2-3 years old and the problem was that when going into boost, around 5 PSI it would start to miss.

Well I was positive that it was the pump as my buddy was having the same issue in his car.

I took out the fuel pump and checked the filter, it was black as black gets. FILTHY. So I got a new one and then when trying to boost it would now go up to 12 psi then start missing.


So this is where I am at now:


I was driving today and the car just crapped out. It wouldn't stay running. If I got the car started and had about %50 throttle it would run but not idle. It would die out.

So I got my new 255 today. I was in the parking lot changing it where it broke down. The pressure line ripped so I replaced that.

Well now, with the BRAND NEW pump in, I turn the key, and the pump no longer primes, no noises, no nothing. I try to turn the car over. It turns over perfectly. But WILL NOT FIRE.

I am thinking the full pump relay shot due to over running the old pump. I am unsure.

I need help asap. This is the only car I have that is road worthy right now.


Also, I am newish to DSM. I work on cars a lot but have never owned a DSM.

 

[Tyeler18]

Make sure you're getting power to the pump first. Take a multimeter and test the hot wire on the pump while someone cranks the engine.

 

[98spydereugene]

Is there an adjustable fuel pressure regulator??With a 255lph you could be outrunning the stock one

 

[TSIflyer95]

I still need to do that. I was just wondering weather or not the wire could just crap out.

ALSO, I just remembered. There is/was an intermittent issue as well. I would just be cruising along in any gear and on occasion there would be a miss occur, I would have to shut the motor off and restart it and it would be fine for quite some time. Until it acted up again.

 

[Tyeler18]

Not that quick he won't be, he said it's not priming either. Make sure that you know it primes ONLY when cranking, not with the key in the "on" position.

 

[TSIflyer95]

Is there an adjustable fuel pressure regulator??With a 255lph you could be outrunning the stock one

No. It is still the stock FPR. I do have a pressure gauge that read 40 PSI at idle, then when I replaced the filter it sat about 50 psi at idle. I do not know what it was at under boost.

 

[98spydereugene]

Like tyeler18 said test power at the pump with a multimeter, and I'd definitely get an adjustable fpr, that's definitely a must with a walbro 255lph pump..

 

[TSIflyer95]

Not that quick he won't be, he said it's not priming either. Make sure that you know it primes ONLY when cranking, not with the key in the "on" position.

I've never had a car that didn't prime. Is it normal for a 2g to only prime at crank?

 

[98spydereugene]

True...take out engine fuse maybe and check fuel pressure with the key in the "ON" position???That'd be what I'd try first. Then go to the pump and make sure it's turning on and there's a good ground and good power...???

EDIT: I mean try to start it not just turn it to on position....??

 

[TSIflyer95]

Also, I did notice that after I took out the old pump to install the new filter, when I hooked everything back up, the car became hard to start and the fuel pressure when off became 0 psi, as before it held pressure at 40 psi.

 

[Tyeler18]

All dsms prime on crank not on "on."

 

[TSIflyer95]

True...take out engine fuse maybe and check fuel pressure with the key in the "ON" position???That'd be what I'd try first. Then go to the pump and make sure it's turning on and there's a good ground and good power...???

EDIT: I mean try to start it not just turn it to on position....??

After I installed the new pump my buddy did look at my fuel pressure gauge and when turning the motor over he said it was doing nothing...

 

[98spydereugene]

Still sounds like a fuel pressure regulation problem...

hmmm...test power at pump

 

[Tyeler18]

Oooo good information. Question, when installing the new pump, did you swap over the o-ring, spacer, and retainer cap from the neck on the old pump? This cause my no start when the previous owner installed the pump. Took me two weeks to get that thing to start because he didn't swap those parts over.

 

[TSIflyer95]

Oooo good information. Question, when installing the new pump, did you swap over the o-ring, spacer, and retainer cap from the neck on the old pump? This cause my no start when the previous owner installed the pump. Took me two weeks to get that thing to start because he didn't swap those parts over.

I did swap all of that over. The only thing I didn't have anymore was the pressure line, it ripped so I made one out of air compressor hose and it was a lot easier to take on and off over the stock line. No leaks though. When trying to start the car no fuel was coming out of the connections at the lines.

 

[98spydereugene]

Oooo good information. Question, when installing the new pump, did you swap over the o-ring, spacer, and retainer cap from the neck on the old pump? This cause my no start when the previous owner installed the pump. Took me two weeks to get that thing to start because he didn't swap those parts over.

That definitely could be the problem, especially now that his gauge is reading 0psi

 

[Tyeler18]

You're probably not getting power to the pump then, or your pump is dead.

 

[TSIflyer95]

Still sounds like a fuel pressure regulation problem...

hmmm...test power at pump

Thats what I am thinking it must be. I can't find anything evident that leads to why it would just crap out.

The previous owner said that there was no problem until about a month ago or so. Then it started.

You're probably not getting power to the pump then, or your pump is dead.

Even my BNIB pump? I got it today in the mail. I would think it wouldn't have any problems.

 

[98spydereugene]

Gotta test power to pump then

 

[TSIflyer95]

Cool. I guess I'll be doing that tomorrow. I hate wiring issues.

 

[98spydereugene]

If it isn't getting power, wire it directly to battery for more voltage(good thing to do anyway), and that should tell you if there's a problem with the wiring somewhere a long the way...you did ground the new pump right?I mean reconnect your ground?

 

[TSIflyer95]

If it isn't getting power, wire it directly to battery for more voltage(good thing to do anyway), and that should tell you if there's a problem with the wiring somewhere a long the way...you did ground the new pump right?I mean reconnect your ground?

I don't recall disconnecting a ground??? The only things I touched were the 2 rubber hoses on top and the one pressure line, then the 2 wire connectors that are right there. The white one and the black one.

I was thinking there may be a bad ground but I never touched one.

 

[98spydereugene]

While your testing for power couldn't hurt to make sure the ground is good, should be grounded right there next to the pump look up and to the left towards passenger side...couldn't hurt at least while your there

 

[TSIflyer95]

Yeah that makes sense. Thats what one of my buddies said. I was just trying to figure out how it could just GO bad, out of no where. I drove a little but, hit maybe 4 psi in 1st then after a few hundred fit it just starved for fuel.

 

[98spydereugene]

That said, it sounds like the pump isn't getting power,weak,dead, or dumping entirely too much fuel because of the stock fpr and fouling your plugs in the meantime...with that 255 your going to need an adjustable either way so I would invest in one anyway. Check power,ground, make sure you installed everything you needed with the new pump, and I'm sure you'll find something...you have an extra stock fpr to throw in just for sh*ts and giggles??