Hi there, my name is Stuart.
Last week I hauled a 72 Tangerine 1.7 out of a barn. PO parked it in 1988. SN 2901578
#1: Idle RPM = 2400 and climbing. As I try to track what seems to be a vacuum leak, I need help identifying some FI components.
#2 The air hoses are all in terrible shape so I'm considering buying the AA Vac hose kit for this car. Any reason to cut my own instead?
#3 Should I sort this mess out with engine in or out of the car? Engine-in lets me check one system at a time. Engine-out looks a lot easier, but I won't learn anything specific even if the hose replacement works. Maybe there are other considerations?
I've cleaned and lined the fuel tank, changed the rubber fuel lines, oil, etc. This is the third air-cooled vehicle I've brought back after a long nap but I've never worked on FI before. Right now I'm finding it difficult to ID components and keep track of their systems.
There was low PSI in the fuel line so I cleaned the fuel pump in a diesel bath by reversing the power leads (credit to "Tram" posting on the Samba FI "sticky") That worked well and now I get 30 lbs pressure at the test nipple on the FI rail. Engine fires right up but it idles at 2400 and creeps up toward 3K. After starting the engine, if I plug one of the two big hoses that enter the air filter assembly the engine dies, but after engine warm-up, plugging that hose brings idle down to around 800.
I cannot ID the origin of this hose since it comes from a T that connects the throttle body and a small can on the engine right with the air cleaner (fig. 1). Lots of suction on that hose even after I unplug it from the AC.
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Figure 1
The other big hose attached to the air cleaner comes from the (I think) PCV valve (fig. 2). Plugging it has no effect on idle.
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Figure 2
I tried blocking the aux. air valve? (fig 3). by pinching the hose from it to the throttle body with needle nose vice grip. I'm sure it was blocked. That worked to...until after about a minute the idle went back to 2,000 + RPM.
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Figure 3
Can anybody offer some advice or encouragement? Thanks for your help and for supporting this excellent forum.