230ge Engine stutter misfire Jetronic
Looking for some details of the fuel and ignition side of a 230GE which starts well and runs smooth but has a regular stutter and misfire when on the road. The stutter prevents the G progressing to a comfortable cruising speed.
There are a lot of good forum threads on here pointing towards: the Bosch K Jetronic injection "is all about fuel pressure and vacuum pipe airleaks."
Some of the electronics have been renewed (distributor), and there is a new/replacement metal petrol tank and pump.
But the pump is running continuously. And on another 230 the pump runs for a few seconds and stops (up to pressure?). So why is this replacement pump continuing...maybe never getting up to pressure? how is that detected?
I found a good generic description of the K Jetronic system (attached), and see that pumps have a pressure relief valve in it that opens and releases fuel back into the inlet side when pressure reaches a high level. But there should be a switch somewhere to activate the fuel pump relay...how is that working?
And then there is a petrol 'accumulator' which is a device that smooths out the fuel delivery and has a spring and plunger in it to maintain steady pressue to the Jetronic when the pump stops. #130GBP plus for such a little thing.
Maybe the pump is struggling to get fuel flow from the tank due to a blockage? Or through the Accumulator. But the engine runs smooth until you get on the road and then in each gear there is the stuttering, faltering behaviour.
Any ideas?
Oh... this G is harder to start when warm. That apparently points to the Accumulator?
Generally these things are caused by renewing other parts and upsetting something accidentally, was the distributor renewed same time as the fuel tank? Have you double checked all the vacuum pipes for cracks etc?
Could also be a failed temp sender or dribbling 5th warm up injector
Could possibly be not shutting off the cold start properly and over fueling when warm ?
That's good news, also thank you for reporting back, too many of these posts ( not just on here) don't tell us what the solution was
So the warm-start issue is often linked to a failed fuel line accumulator, but the stuck/dripping warm up regulator cause is one to check also.
But the main issue is the stutter, or misfire.
We noticed the (new) fuel pump doesn't switch off. It's supposed to run, pressure the pipeline and cut off. I know the pumps have a relief valve that lets excess pressure fuel back to the inlet, but then its supposed to stop. But how would the fuel pump relay know the fuel is at pressure and cut the voltage? Is there a pressure switch somewhere?
The pump is definitely running though, so checking the flow would be a good thing to do. It will happily rev when stationary and hold without misfire at 3-4k rpm... so fuel delivery can't be that bad. Why the misfire when underway.
I'm going to try to look at the wiring diagrams.