Hey Marcus...
The title of this thread casts D-Jet as a villain, when in the end it was not about 'that bad boy D-Jet' at all.
Would you consider changing the thread title to not deprecate D-Jet and more accurately reflect the reality of your experience? D-Jet gets enough of a bad rap...when in the end its a perfectly good system if used and maintained correctly.
Full Version: Yet another D-Jet problem
Marcus, I remember the Star Hustler.
Glad to hear you're back to chugging along. Sorry it didn't come with superpowers--the Xray-vision would come in handy to see some of the crap that's wrong with your motor, that's for sure!!
Keep up the writing, you've got a gift!
--DD
Glad to hear you're back to chugging along. Sorry it didn't come with superpowers--the Xray-vision would come in handy to see some of the crap that's wrong with your motor, that's for sure!!
Keep up the writing, you've got a gift!
--DD
QUOTE(Jeff Bowlsby @ Aug 2 2016, 01:32 PM) 
Would you consider changing the thread title to not deprecate D-Jet and more accurately reflect the reality of your experience? D-Jet gets enough of a bad rap...when in the end its a perfectly good system if used and maintained correctly.
Jeff, I respectfully ask that the title be kept as is -- it's easier to find in a search on "d-jet problem" and, together with the really good info here, allowed me not to post to all. Just my 2 cents.
D-Jet gets blamed for pretty much everything, when its not justified.
The title should be changed because it is misleading.
At the very least "Engine issues not a D-Jet problem"
The title should be changed because it is misleading.
At the very least "Engine issues not a D-Jet problem"
QUOTE(Jeff Bowlsby @ Aug 2 2016, 04:29 PM)
D-Jet gets blamed for pretty much everything, when its not justified.
The title should be changed because it is misleading.
At the very least "Engine issues not a D-Jet problem"
I don't disagree with that. Just didn't want to mess up the ease of searching.
IMHO
Probably not what you want to find in a D-jet search since it is not a great thread for diagnosing D-jet. The actual problem was a bad cylinder so all the tests and results are tainted.
Knowing at the very beginning, that the whole thread was started on a false assumption that D-jet was the problem would help. But someone is going to attempt to use info here without realizing the engine had a bad cylinder.
Jim
Back on the subject of D-Jet problem diagnosis...I resurrected this old thread because I had found it while researching what my current problem could be.
Back in late 2013 I bought a rust free and running 914 in TX for $5,600. It sat at my brother's place for almost 2 years while I invested in my "white car" project in SoCal. Last year I had it's (black car inTX) engine rebuilt among other work before having it sent over here to Munich. Just before it was sent, somehow
the AAR valve stopped functioning. I was forewarned that I'd have to replace it. It was idling at about 2500 RPM when it arrived and I bought an AAR (obviously used) and not reconditioned and put it in. It seemed to me to have solved the problem, but my idle was still (usually, but not always) at 1300. I've been driving it for a few months now and have had it out at night only twice or so. Interesting and perhaps a clue here, on those occasions it idled sweetly right around 1000. Any ideas on what this could indicate?
Measuring my gas mileage, I'm only getting 20 MPG, which is minimally 20% more consumption than what it should be.
The idle adjustment screw is all the way in. I have not yet adjusted the screw (counter clockwise) on the ECU but I will do so today. I believe however, that if this works for the idle issue, it is only for the idle (??) and that it won't solve my consumption issue, which could well be due to running too rich, which I've been told by the guy who worked on the car in TX is most likely because the AAR isn't closing all the way. (??). I haven't tested the AFR yet. As far as checking for vacuum leaks, the hoses are apparently all in very good condition and at a glance nothing seems to be poorly connected. But I haven't yet done a smoke test or any other significant assessment of the numerous possible places where extra air could be getting in, of which there is a list in this link I'm adding right here...
This is a great Rennlist contribution on D-Jet: http://members.rennlist.com/pbanders/djetparts.htm
When I first start the car it idles at about 900 or so but very quickly (less than 1 minute) goes to 1300-1400, well before the car is even warmed up.
I think I'm going to pull the AAR out and do what this guy on Rennlist suggests: squirt a LOT of WD-40 into it and let it sit, upside down, for a day. Apparently this may restore its full functionality. (??) If that doesn't work, reconditioning the thing seems to be a tough job, so I'll be looking for a reconditioned one and see what happens then. If the problems with idle and consumption persist after that, if I'm not mistaken, the MPS adjustment would be the next culprit...(??). But first things first, right? The AAR is the most likely suspect, right?
I'll stop here. What are your thoughts on these various (??) I've inserted gentlemen? As always, informed input is always hugely appreciated!
Thanks for your advice and feedback!
M.i.M.
Back in late 2013 I bought a rust free and running 914 in TX for $5,600. It sat at my brother's place for almost 2 years while I invested in my "white car" project in SoCal. Last year I had it's (black car inTX) engine rebuilt among other work before having it sent over here to Munich. Just before it was sent, somehow
the AAR valve stopped functioning. I was forewarned that I'd have to replace it. It was idling at about 2500 RPM when it arrived and I bought an AAR (obviously used) and not reconditioned and put it in. It seemed to me to have solved the problem, but my idle was still (usually, but not always) at 1300. I've been driving it for a few months now and have had it out at night only twice or so. Interesting and perhaps a clue here, on those occasions it idled sweetly right around 1000. Any ideas on what this could indicate? Measuring my gas mileage, I'm only getting 20 MPG, which is minimally 20% more consumption than what it should be.
The idle adjustment screw is all the way in. I have not yet adjusted the screw (counter clockwise) on the ECU but I will do so today. I believe however, that if this works for the idle issue, it is only for the idle (??) and that it won't solve my consumption issue, which could well be due to running too rich, which I've been told by the guy who worked on the car in TX is most likely because the AAR isn't closing all the way. (??). I haven't tested the AFR yet. As far as checking for vacuum leaks, the hoses are apparently all in very good condition and at a glance nothing seems to be poorly connected. But I haven't yet done a smoke test or any other significant assessment of the numerous possible places where extra air could be getting in, of which there is a list in this link I'm adding right here...
This is a great Rennlist contribution on D-Jet: http://members.rennlist.com/pbanders/djetparts.htm
When I first start the car it idles at about 900 or so but very quickly (less than 1 minute) goes to 1300-1400, well before the car is even warmed up.
I think I'm going to pull the AAR out and do what this guy on Rennlist suggests: squirt a LOT of WD-40 into it and let it sit, upside down, for a day. Apparently this may restore its full functionality. (??) If that doesn't work, reconditioning the thing seems to be a tough job, so I'll be looking for a reconditioned one and see what happens then. If the problems with idle and consumption persist after that, if I'm not mistaken, the MPS adjustment would be the next culprit...(??). But first things first, right? The AAR is the most likely suspect, right?
I'll stop here. What are your thoughts on these various (??) I've inserted gentlemen? As always, informed input is always hugely appreciated!
Thanks for your advice and feedback!
M.i.M.
Hey Jeff and others -
I understand the idea of editing the title, tagline, and text of the original post to better describe my problems. What isn't noticeable is that this thread was (and I say "was" because it's three years old) written by me after a previous year of D-Jet threads where I went through and repaired and rebuilt every D-Jet component on the car. For a few months it actually managed to drive, but never correctly - high idle, only full throttle really worked, super lean conditions. After sitting for several months, then it just didn't run at all. Compression was good and no oil leaked. The valves adjusted correctly. So yes, I assumed the D-Jet was at fault and I might have let my previous years' bias filter my thinking. But since the engine was otherwise running it seemed reasonable.
With hindsight it's clear that the problem was (a) cylinder #3 and (b) mismatched D-Jet parts. But that all disregards the previous year of nothing but D-Jet failures, diagnosis, and repairs. To this day I still don't know if the parts in the D-Jet storage box contain a working system.
Another thought is that since my background is in library science and film preservation, I feel weird about editing elements from the past to suit modern thinking. Han Solo shot first, you know? But I also understand that web forum threads are active "living" documents that have cloudy expiration dates. They provide useful information regardless of age, especially with timeless faults found throughout the 914 ownership experience.
I'm open to the idea of editing the title and/or tagline, but I want to stew on it and consider my words carefully. Additionally, I might ask to have the whole thing deleted because it started as a troubleshooting thread and now has become a journal for every thought that spills from my brain, and that's of no use to anyone. So I need to reconcile this thought with the thought found in the previous paragraph.
Like I said, let me stew.
marcus out
I understand the idea of editing the title, tagline, and text of the original post to better describe my problems. What isn't noticeable is that this thread was (and I say "was" because it's three years old) written by me after a previous year of D-Jet threads where I went through and repaired and rebuilt every D-Jet component on the car. For a few months it actually managed to drive, but never correctly - high idle, only full throttle really worked, super lean conditions. After sitting for several months, then it just didn't run at all. Compression was good and no oil leaked. The valves adjusted correctly. So yes, I assumed the D-Jet was at fault and I might have let my previous years' bias filter my thinking. But since the engine was otherwise running it seemed reasonable.
With hindsight it's clear that the problem was (a) cylinder #3 and (b) mismatched D-Jet parts. But that all disregards the previous year of nothing but D-Jet failures, diagnosis, and repairs. To this day I still don't know if the parts in the D-Jet storage box contain a working system.
Another thought is that since my background is in library science and film preservation, I feel weird about editing elements from the past to suit modern thinking. Han Solo shot first, you know? But I also understand that web forum threads are active "living" documents that have cloudy expiration dates. They provide useful information regardless of age, especially with timeless faults found throughout the 914 ownership experience.
I'm open to the idea of editing the title and/or tagline, but I want to stew on it and consider my words carefully. Additionally, I might ask to have the whole thing deleted because it started as a troubleshooting thread and now has become a journal for every thought that spills from my brain, and that's of no use to anyone. So I need to reconcile this thought with the thought found in the previous paragraph.
Like I said, let me stew.
marcus out
Woah dude, I reckon you may be over-thinking this just a wee bit too much. 
Hey Mike,
Let's make another thread with this text as the first post, okay? I think we should let this thread die naturally.
The AAR is actually quite fun to bench test, or at least it's my idea of a fun evening. I'm not sure what you do with your evenings.
p.s. I'm going to be in Berlin in October. Finally I'll have my chance to visit a BMW motorcycle factory. Ever been to Berlin? Anyway, can we start up a separate thread?
-marcus
Back on the subject of D-Jet problem diagnosis...I resurrected this old thread because I had found it while researching what my current problem could be.
Back in late 2013 I bought a rust free and running 914 in TX for $5,600. It sat at my brother's place for almost 2 years while I invested in my "white car" project in SoCal. Last year I had it's (black car inTX) engine rebuilt among other work before having it sent over here to Munich. Just before it was sent, somehow the AAR valve stopped functioning. I was forewarned that I'd have to replace it. It was idling at about 2500 RPM when it arrived and I bought an AAR (obviously used) and not reconditioned and put it in. It seemed to me to have solved the problem, but my idle was still (usually, but not always) at 1300. I've been driving it for a few months now and have had it out at night only twice or so. Interesting and perhaps a clue here, on those occasions it idled sweetly right around 1000. Any ideas on what this could indicate?
Measuring my gas mileage, I'm only getting 20 MPG, which is minimally 20% more consumption than what it should be.
The idle adjustment screw is all the way in. I have not yet adjusted the screw (counter clockwise) on the ECU but I will do so today. I believe however, that if this works for the idle issue, it is only for the idle (??) and that it won't solve my consumption issue, which could well be due to running too rich, which I've been told by the guy who worked on the car in TX is most likely because the AAR isn't closing all the way. (??). I haven't tested the AFR yet. As far as checking for vacuum leaks, the hoses are apparently all in very good condition and at a glance nothing seems to be poorly connected. But I haven't yet done a smoke test or any other significant assessment of the numerous possible places where extra air could be getting in, of which there is a list in this link I'm adding right here...
This is a great Rennlist contribution on D-Jet: http://members.rennlist.com/pbanders/djetparts.htm
When I first start the car it idles at about 900 or so but very quickly (less than 1 minute) goes to 1300-1400, well before the car is even warmed up.
I think I'm going to pull the AAR out and do what this guy on Rennlist suggests: squirt a LOT of WD-40 into it and let it sit, upside down, for a day. Apparently this may restore its full functionality. (??) If that doesn't work, reconditioning the thing seems to be a tough job, so I'll be looking for a reconditioned one and see what happens then. If the problems with idle and consumption persist after that, if I'm not mistaken, the MPS adjustment would be the next culprit...(??). But first things first, right? The AAR is the most likely suspect, right?
I'll stop here. What are your thoughts on these various (??) I've inserted gentlemen? As always, informed input is always hugely appreciated!
Thanks for your advice and feedback!
M.i.M.
Let's make another thread with this text as the first post, okay? I think we should let this thread die naturally.
The AAR is actually quite fun to bench test, or at least it's my idea of a fun evening. I'm not sure what you do with your evenings.
p.s. I'm going to be in Berlin in October. Finally I'll have my chance to visit a BMW motorcycle factory. Ever been to Berlin? Anyway, can we start up a separate thread?
-marcus
QUOTE(MikeInMunich @ Aug 2 2016, 11:20 PM)
Back on the subject of D-Jet problem diagnosis...I resurrected this old thread because I had found it while researching what my current problem could be.
Back in late 2013 I bought a rust free and running 914 in TX for $5,600. It sat at my brother's place for almost 2 years while I invested in my "white car" project in SoCal. Last year I had it's (black car inTX) engine rebuilt among other work before having it sent over here to Munich. Just before it was sent, somehow
the AAR valve stopped functioning. I was forewarned that I'd have to replace it. It was idling at about 2500 RPM when it arrived and I bought an AAR (obviously used) and not reconditioned and put it in. It seemed to me to have solved the problem, but my idle was still (usually, but not always) at 1300. I've been driving it for a few months now and have had it out at night only twice or so. Interesting and perhaps a clue here, on those occasions it idled sweetly right around 1000. Any ideas on what this could indicate? Measuring my gas mileage, I'm only getting 20 MPG, which is minimally 20% more consumption than what it should be.
The idle adjustment screw is all the way in. I have not yet adjusted the screw (counter clockwise) on the ECU but I will do so today. I believe however, that if this works for the idle issue, it is only for the idle (??) and that it won't solve my consumption issue, which could well be due to running too rich, which I've been told by the guy who worked on the car in TX is most likely because the AAR isn't closing all the way. (??). I haven't tested the AFR yet. As far as checking for vacuum leaks, the hoses are apparently all in very good condition and at a glance nothing seems to be poorly connected. But I haven't yet done a smoke test or any other significant assessment of the numerous possible places where extra air could be getting in, of which there is a list in this link I'm adding right here...
This is a great Rennlist contribution on D-Jet: http://members.rennlist.com/pbanders/djetparts.htm
When I first start the car it idles at about 900 or so but very quickly (less than 1 minute) goes to 1300-1400, well before the car is even warmed up.
I think I'm going to pull the AAR out and do what this guy on Rennlist suggests: squirt a LOT of WD-40 into it and let it sit, upside down, for a day. Apparently this may restore its full functionality. (??) If that doesn't work, reconditioning the thing seems to be a tough job, so I'll be looking for a reconditioned one and see what happens then. If the problems with idle and consumption persist after that, if I'm not mistaken, the MPS adjustment would be the next culprit...(??). But first things first, right? The AAR is the most likely suspect, right?
I'll stop here. What are your thoughts on these various (??) I've inserted gentlemen? As always, informed input is always hugely appreciated!
Thanks for your advice and feedback!
M.i.M.
Yeah, overthinking is my thing. It's what I do.
Woah dude, I reckon you may be over-thinking this just a wee bit too much.
QUOTE(MikeInMunich @ Aug 3 2016, 12:17 AM)
Woah dude, I reckon you may be over-thinking this just a wee bit too much.
QUOTE(r3dplanet @ Aug 2 2016, 11:20 PM)
Yeah, overthinking is my thing. It's what I do.
QUOTE(MikeInMunich @ Aug 3 2016, 12:17 AM)
Woah dude, I reckon you may be over-thinking this just a wee bit too much.
Fit Corvair it
All of the worlds problems are blamed on djet
Update: Discovered I have a SIGNIFICANT fuel leak today at one of the injectors! Stuck my head into the engine compartment and discovered this while the car was idling right after I had started it up. This is obviously why my consumption is so high, but strangely, after I had warmed up the car on a 12 minute drive, it wasn't leaking anymore. Hmmm. Any ideas why this could be the case?
More idling issue description: it idled today at 1000 after starting up, quite steady...just a wee bit rough. After it was warm...1400...pegged.
Hoping for some insight!
Thanks!
Mike
More idling issue description: it idled today at 1000 after starting up, quite steady...just a wee bit rough. After it was warm...1400...pegged.
Hoping for some insight!Thanks!
Mike
Yah, a massive fuel leak might be a problem.
I had a massive fuel leak in 1977. Was driving in the south Bronx, NY. Lost 8 gallons of gas in 6 blocks. I could see the line of gas in my rear view mirror. Barely made it back to my Dads shop, top speed about 20mph. If I didn't make it back to his shop the car would have been stripped in a matter of minutes, and I probably would not have it today. Leak was due to a completely deteriorated fuel line at the injector. Pre-recall for the battery cover and improved lines.
QUOTE(rgolia @ Aug 3 2016, 07:32 AM)
I had a massive fuel leak in 1977. Was driving in the south Bronx, NY. Lost 8 gallons of gas in 6 blocks. I could see the line of gas in my rear view mirror. Barely made it back to my Dads shop, top speed about 20mph. If I didn't make it back to his shop the car would have been stripped in a matter of minutes, and I probably would not have it today. Leak was due to a completely deteriorated fuel line at the injector. Pre-recall for the battery cover and improved lines.
OK, THAT sounds like a massive fuel leak alright. Maybe then mine's not "massiv". Let's say, substantial.
Any ideas why it stopped after the car was warm?
M.i.M.
Hi Marcus, sorry, I didn't realize I was kinda hijacking your thread. I'll start a new one, when I get home later.
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