Driving a diesel - throttle response & IP reseal

TonyB · Post by **TonyB** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:47 pm

Took my new (to me) Dasher 1.6na out for it's first spin yesterday. I noticed that when I accelerate, the response is very mediocre unless I put my foot almost to the floor. The car never hesitates or stumbles, but compared to my long gone 78 Rabbit gasser, acceleration is very slow unless I almost floor it. I know this is kind of subjective - it acts like the fuel flow increases maybe 25% during the first 75% of pedal travel and then goes from 25 to 100% in the last 25% of pedal travel. This is my first diesel and I'm wondering if this is normal or whether something is amiss. The car has new injectors & no air bubbles in the clear line to the IP. Transmission is a 4 speed. I sure could use some feedback on this. Thanks!

TonyB
Jacksonville, FL
81 Dasher 1.6na

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:53 pm

Any smoke at full pedal? If not, then you could increase the max fuel screw a bit and the whole fueling map will move toward idle opening up more at the full pedal position.

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:32 pm

Make sure you're also getting full throttle cable movement, not partial cable and partial cable jacket movement. Likely if this was happening, it would mean sluggish and not getting full throttle, but something to just check quickly.

Post by **Fatmobile** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:36 pm

... and make sure the accererator lever is going all the way to the stop when you floor it.

I got an injection pump off an audi 4000,
had the 1.6 diesel, sits the same direction as your dasher.
I put the pump in my Rabbit and it acted the same way.

I always figured that's the way it was supposed to be,
smoothest takeoffs of any car,..
and it has power if I step on it.

I figured it was a special governor spring, for the fancy Audi.

Op-Ivy · Post by **Op-Ivy** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 12:49 am

Make sure there is no dead spot as you start to push down on the pedal. Your cable may need to be adjusted.

TonyB · Post by **TonyB** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 11:45 am

Many thanks for the advice & suggestions. I will make the checks noted. The way it's working now isn't causing a problem - just different from what I'm used to.

TonyB
Jacksonville, FL
81 Dasher 1.6na

TonyB · Post by **TonyB** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 6:47 pm

It turns out that I did not have full travel on the throttle. The throttle lacked almost 3/8" of hitting the full throttle stop. Cable adjustment solved that one. Thanks to all for the help.
The bad news is that it looks as if I have a rather nasty leak from the IP main shaft seal. The timing belt is soaked with fuel and the pump sprocket has fuel all over it. The rest of the pump is dry. I'm not too concerned about reasealing the pump due to all the good info here. I'll order the seals, belt & tensioner and probably pull the pump after Christmas.

Tony B
Jacksonville, FL
81 Dasher 1.6na

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 7:21 pm

You definately don't want to be running the car with a diesel soaked belt.........