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1979 VW FI Engine -

Murbella – Day 17 – FI Engine – Top End – Part 2

Posted on 2020-05-122020-05-12

I continued disassembling hoses and wires from the top end today. The next step will be the removal of the rear tin and then, the slow removal of the engine from the car.

Hoses and wires continue to come off easily with no major force needed so far.


1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine – Plenum

I finally got a good view of the seam that I learned exists on the plenum of the throttle body assembly.

I really would like to clean all of this up and disassembly prior to putting a coat of paint on it but there’s a gasket there that is no longer available and I doubt I could find a NOS one (though I am looking).

The open tube is where that long wide OD tube comes from the Decel Valve and connects.

If there’s one thing this engine has it is tons of spots for hoses to connect.

1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine – Cold Start Valve

The cold start valve up top also has a gasket that is not made anymore. The exposed part feels hard but I don’t know if that is the result of years of heat exposure or if the gasket material is supposed to be this way.

Basically, other than the EGR gaskets, most of the ones on the throttle body (or in it) are no longer made.


1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine – Oil Filler

You can see how the oil filler differs significantly how the plenum now serves as the alternator stand. The Zundfolge (firing order) is listed here. Now a reproduction of this part is available, and it has the gasket, so I’m tempted to buy one just to be able to remove this for cleaning and restoration and then use that new gasket here. It looks like a rubber gasket but it is hard to tell in the product photo.

1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine – Oil Breather Connection

The oil breather remains attached to the oil filler, as is typical of carb engine configurations, and it is part of the plastic oil filler assembly but faces to the fan shroud and is normally hidden.

This then goes all the way up to the rear of the air filter assembly to equalize pressure and feed any fumes back into the combustion chambers through the throttle body.


1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine -Manifold Boots

Unlike the carb units that use the rubber manifold step-up boots, these engines use a cloth braided boot on each side of the plenum.

Now Murbella’s are fraying and no doubt sbould have been replaced years ago.

Now I don’t think they are leaking fuel vapor, but it is so hard to tell from the general gunkiness of all these deeply hidden parts.

1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine – Cylinder 3/4 manifold boot and Throttle Body

I am going to assume that some things have leaked here over the years, and debris and dust have collected.

There was no indication when Murbella was running (prior to the fuel line leak) of any issues with any of these areas.

The vacuum intake here is actually what connects to the T that drives the fuel pressure regulator (hidden behind the fan shroud) and then Ts off to yet another thing that escapes me at the moment.


1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine – EGR Pipe to Tin

The EGR pipe shifts down to a hole in the FI rear tin to connect to the EGR filter that should be underneath.

1979 VW FI Engine – EGR Filter Pipe snipped off

I mean, under that tin someone just cut the pipe and crimped it. I think they may have welded it shut too. They did the same thing to where the secondary pipe connected to the muffler.

1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine -EGR Valve Connector to the throttle body

Up top, the valve has a large pipe that turns 45 degrees and then mounts to the rear of the air intake. You can see the hole just inside where the exhaust gasses would be introduced to be recombusted. And look! 2 more vacuum hose connections!!!


1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine – Fuel rail that feeds injector 2 and 1

I disconnected all of the wiring harness points to the injectors and this all became much easier to look at.

I am going to assume all of these rubber hoses is original to the car and in desperate need of replacement.

1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine – Harness Connectors for Injectors 2 and 1

I need to figure out how to properly clean all of these contact points without risking any damage to them. All of this is irreplaceable as nobody makes any aftermarket replacements. Hell, I’d be happy knowing there was even a questionable quality one out there that could be used with some modifications. But no. This is it.

1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine – Fuel rail that feeds injector 3 and 4

I can see I am going to have to remove the mounts for the rail, sand them all down, and repaint them.


1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine – Cylinder Head Temp Sensor

Another difference on the FI engine is that the Cylinder 3/4 tin has a cutout to allow for the insertion of a Cylinder Head Temp Sensor that feeds back info to the ECM.

Now the wire on this has been questionable since I purchased the her. There are aftermarket replacements out there and I’m thinking that it is probably in my best interest to put it down on the order list.


1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine – It almost looks like a carb engine

The engine is starting to look similar to a carb engine with all of the parts removed from up top.

1979 VW FI Engine -
1979 VW FI Engine –

I’m debating about just purchasing a new Bosch coil to have on hand to replace this one. I don’t know the age, but if I’m going through all of this effort I may as well consider replacing it now since I’ll have the easy access.

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