Running like a bag of nails!!!

[betsy!]

Ok, I got back from a roadtrip to Germany in my bug last week. It started running a bit crappy so figured I would sort it after new year.

Went to start it this morning and it wouldn't fire up. The only way I managed to start it in the end was by turning it over and with my foot completely on the accelerator, so it's as though it had flooded which had stopped it starting before.

Drove to my mates and it juddered really badly all the way and stunk of fuel along with backfiring. It seems as though it's overfuelling really badly.

I haven't got a clue where to start and can't really afford to take it to a garage at the moment so would like to eliminate some problems that it could be myself before having to resort to a garage if necessary.

So can anyone give me advice on where to start, I'm going to stick some injector cleaner in tomorrow but that's about as far as I'v got.....

Oh and it's a 2.2 legacy engine.

Thanks in advance!!

[Joel]

first thing to check given those symptoms would be your fuel pressure regulator

its on the manifold at the back left looking at the engine
it has a vacuum reference hose that runs to the manifold but it ifs the culprit then its probably the internal diaphram gone bad
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1974 1303 Germanlook Suba-Beetle
Subaru EJ254, BoostR 17", 4 Wheel discs, Topline suspension and A/C

[baconchaser]

i had a really bad overfuelling problem a couple of months ago,it turned out to be the MAF had gone up the creek. around 15 mpg or so and major jjjjudders like running on 2 .
took a lot of faffing around to determine this though!
also check you have the cold start relay wired up.........i forget the pin numbers from the ecu, have a search on here to find out,easy fix if its not connected!
also worth checking that the injectors are holding pressure.get it running and clamp off the fuel reurn pipe and the pressured side of the system.if it goes soft you have a sticky injector,or dodgy pump depending on which pipe obviously.
could also be the coilpack/ignition module failing......

[betsy!]

Thanks for the replies, will bear them all in mind.

Most things seem to be pointing to the o2 sensor having packed up, so I'v ordered a new one last night to see if that sorts it, if not I'll have a proper tinker on the weekend. A friend has forwarded me some pdf files of workshop manuals so that should help a novice like me understand a bit more!

[hansend23]

my maf did that.
i also had my injectors leak twice.they needed to be pushed down harder.
changed the little rubber pads in the hold down clamps.
not good to get the maf wet,or even damp.
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just do it!