Erratic EGR light - L-jet beetle

[al_kaholik]

Guys,

EGR valve is disconnected and the light flashed nice and steady, bulb removed. Had a short and it blew, and continues to blow my side lights circuit, possibly something to do with the rear circuit to the LH tail light as this doesn't work even though the bulb is good. YES I know I should fix it and am going to look this weekend.

Idle is slightly rough and lights dim noticably - might up the idle speed slightly.

However since the short, the EGR light is erratic, not a steady flash. Flickering faster on acceleration and slower deceleration. Also on decel, I can feel a definite tug of the engine, though maybe clutch related but adjusted and it's still there.

Today my Fuel Pump ran on for about 10 seconds after I took the key out, which isn't good considering its meant to be connected to the safety circuit on the AFM. Any hints on tracing what is going on, has anyone had these symptoms before? Going to have a look tomorrow.

Al

[Amskeptic]

Guys,

EGR valve is disconnected and the light flashed nice and steady, bulb removed. Had a short and it blew, and continues to blow my side lights circuit, possibly something to do with the rear circuit to the LH tail light as this doesn't work even though the bulb is good.
Today my Fuel Pump ran on for about 10 seconds after I took the key out, which isn't good considering its meant to be connected to the safety circuit on the AFM.

EGR warning light is completely independent of the EGR valve. It is merely a mileage counter triggered light. Look up at the black box and check the wiring in the vicinity to see why your left taillamp is involved.

Next time you get a fuel pump run-on, tap the double relay as quickly as you can.
If it kills the pump you have both a sticking relay and/or an incorrectly wired relay.
Colin

[al_kaholik]

Thanks for the tip on the relay, I'll keep an eye on it - couple of times out since and it's been fine.

Regarding the EGR, there is no little black box on the beetle. It seems that it is a warning light connected to the lambda, and if the connector is pulled off the EGR valve it does/did nothing before. I did look for a black box when I first got it, but there was nothing. What I thought this was actually was a speed warning buzzer which has been removed.

Let me make myself a bit clearer because I know that it wasn't great last time!

The short blew on the side light circuit however since then the EGR bulb has flashed erratically instead of in a steady fashion as before.

Didn't get a chance to look yesterday so I'm going out this morning to have a look.

[Amskeptic]

Thanks for the tip on the relay, I'll keep an eye on it - couple of times out since and it's been fine.

Regarding the EGR, there is no little black box on the beetle. It seems that it is a warning light connected to the lambda, and if the connector is pulled off the EGR valve it does/did nothing before. I did look for a black box when I first got it, but there was nothing. What I thought this was actually was a speed warning buzzer which has been removed.

Let me make myself a bit clearer because I know that it wasn't great last time!

The short blew on the side light circuit however since then the EGR bulb has flashed erratically instead of in a steady fashion as before.

Didn't get a chance to look yesterday so I'm going out this morning to have a look.

The Beetles all used the same technology as the buses re: EGR lamps. Black box in the speedo cable with a reset. Are you speaking of a CAT warning lamp that was incorrectly installed in the wrong slot warning lamp cluster? Do your other warning lamps work correctly?

Can you give me your model, year, emissions certification. I see something in your signature line '77 Jap import FI ??
Colintard

[Lanval]

Colin,

Click on that sig line about 77 Jap import: it's a link. It'll take you to some nice pix of the car. From the looks of it, the car was German built, imported to Japan, exported to the UK at some point, and is now in the possession of the owner.

Here's the link itself ~ note the UK in the link:
http://www.volkszone.co.uk/VZi/showthread.php?t=542373

According to that link, he lists his engine as a 1.6:

"and some interesting things under the lid; 1.6 fuel injection engine with a cat."

He also notes it has dealer installed A/C. On a bug! No friggin way!!

Perhaps the Japanese import did things differently; I would expect so, given what I know of the Japanese/European auto markets.

Best,

Lanval

[al_kaholik]

Hi guys, don't have an emissions certificate to hand, but I do have a readout from the last MOT (yearly road worthiness check) I'll dig it out. There is definitely no buttons or switched on the speedo wire box, its just a buzzer that comes on at around 95kph. The light, and everything else was bone stock when I got it. I've done little to change most bits :)

The car is as far as I can tell is California spec, with cat and lambda. Pretty convinced there is current escaping somewhere which I need to have another look at, got rained off yesterday - I don't think we are out of winter just yet...


**edit** now I'm at a computer and not on the phone!

[dtrumbo]

Hi Al,

Wish I could help, but that description of how your EGR light behaves (or misbehaves) is completely foreign to me (pardon the pun!). My '79 Beetle is as Colin describes with a very simple light that comes on by a simple switch that closes after a set amount of miles have elapsed. The switch is in a black box under the front bonnet (that's how you say it, right?). The light doesn't flash, it just comes on steady. Perhaps if you could trace the wire on the back of your speedometer and find out where it goes we could collectively figure out how it's supposed to work. If nothing else, it would be very interesting to learn of how Japanese or European cars were different than the ones we're familiar with here in the US.

Wish I could help more.

[Amskeptic]

Hi Al,

Wish I could help, but that description of how your EGR light behaves (or misbehaves) is completely foreign to me (pardon the pun!). My '79 Beetle is as Colin describes with a very simple light that comes on by a simple switch that closes after a set amount of miles have elapsed. The switch is in a black box under the front bonnet (that's how you say it, right?). The light doesn't flash, it just comes on steady. Perhaps if you could trace the wire on the back of your speedometer and find out where it goes we could collectively figure out how it's supposed to work. If nothing else, it would be very interesting to learn of how Japanese or European cars were different than the ones we're familiar with here in the US.

Wish I could help more.

Man, I was beginning to think I had jumped my own shark.
That's a boot, a front boot with a rear louvred bonnet.
Right,
Colin

[al_kaholik]

Problem of the erratic EGR solved, I put the cat light back in the wrong socket when I replaced the bulb!

So what would make the cat light erratic when it was steady?

I need to sort out the sidelights and hope that it'll sort it out. The cat and proper exhaust is going to be going back on as soon as the parts arrive from the classic parts centre in Germany. :)

And here its "bonnet with boot underneath" and at the back a vented decklid ;)

Another slightly off topic question - how much resistance does the air flap in the AFM have? I'm installing my megasquirt for a test bed and don't know whether to either loosen the spring or whether the airflow will be adequate to shift it without it being too restrictive. I'm thinking that I should loosen it really? But by how far would be good, OR would i be best off just using some silicone sealer and something to hold it until it sets just to hold it open and keep it reversible?

Ta,

Al

[Amskeptic]

how much resistance does the air flap in the AFM have? I'm installing my megasquirt for a test bed and don't know whether to either loosen the spring or whether the airflow will be adequate to shift it without it being too restrictive. I'm thinking that I should loosen it really? But by how far would be good, OR would i be best off just using some silicone sealer and something to hold it until it sets just to hold it open and keep it reversible?

Ta,

Al

The flap does not restrict the airflow in any way under any condition. It merely reads the volume of air flowing into the engine. The spring is only to make the potentiometer read "leaner" or "richer". Do not change the spring unless you are performing actual dynamic mixture adjustments.
Colin

[al_kaholik]

Excellent, I'll leave it as it is then - I read on some BMW forum that they gutted the AMF when converting to MS, not that I want to do that.

[Amskeptic]

Excellent, I'll leave it as it is then - I read on some BMW forum that they gutted the AMF when converting to MS, not that I want to do that.

BMW forum moths also recommend that you get rid of the perfectly fine factory air filter and put in a K&N filter that is KNOWN to filter less efficiently so you can wear your expensive Nikasil cylinder walls to death for a 2% increase in upper end power that they couldn't possibly know how to extract in their hurry to where?
ColinCrab

[Hippie]

...put in a K&N filter that is KNOWN to filter less efficiently so you can wear your expensive Nikasil cylinder walls to death for a 2% increase in upper end power that they couldn't possibly know how to extract in their hurry to where?
ColinCrab

If even 2%. The vast majority of airflow restriction is in the total air piping, not the filter element.

Besides, as one who drives slow cars fast, I can attest that most people run out of testicle before they run out of throttle. I pass BMWs, Jettas, etc. in my 4 banger truck at 95+ on a regular basis.

[al_kaholik]

The air temp sensor had been placed, albeit heath robinson, but where it will work. Amazingly some if my problems have been solved by correcting some work my local specialist did :( the pedal linkage on a RHD cart had a cover plate on the passenger side which supports every thing, it wasn't fitted - accelerator and clutch issues followers and I couldn't work it out till this weekend.

[al_kaholik]

The air temp sensor had been placed, albeit heath robinson, but where it will work. Amazingly some if my problems have been solved by correcting some work my local specialist did :( the pedal linkage on a RHD cart had a cover plate on the passenger side which supports every thing, it wasn't fitted - accelerator and clutch issues followers and I couldn't work it out till this weekend.