OK wicked confused!!!

[reycycle]

1987 cabby- what kind of efi do i have? cis or cis-e how to check. what are the different componants? i have this vacuum hose going to what appears to be the fresh air ducting and then to this little check valve looking thing. if i could figure out how to post pics here i would show you.
any way i am frustrated. if there is a new symptom every time where do you start looking. yesturday it ran for a few minutes then died. today i checked the fuel injectors, had good spray, and started up but surged at idle. well if i didnt give it gas it would stall, but with a slight steady accelleration it surged a good 2000 rpms up and down, up and down. so i just shut her down and stared at my bently with dumbfoundedness. i dont want to but the next time i get it running i think i have to take it to a shop. i dont want to replace things i dont have to but even the bently tells me to replace things if certain criteria are not met. but i get on here and people tell me that..."oh thats no big deal and shouldnt be a cause for the problem." i am to the point where i wish i didnt buy the car and would like to get rid of it and find something with a few less problems. but whos going to buy a car that doesnt run? i would like to know how the guy i bought it from got it to run for me!!! please some one help with my problem. i am even starting to doubt myself as a mechanic and its effecting my job. it may even be causing ulser. HELP!

[CalAltaDubber]

All Cabriolets up to 1990 (could be 1989) are CIS

To help check this link http://www.therustyrabbit.com/RustyRabbitSchool.html

This guy is a little (shall we say different), but he gives good information in his how to videos.

At least he is fun to watch

He explains CIS very well and the difference between CIS and CIS-e.

[tolusina]

Cabriolets never came with CIS-E, studying that variation is likely to confuse you.
Cabbys did come with CIS through the '89 models. A Basic system with no electronic controls was used in '79, maybe in '80 in some markets.
From '80 or '81 up, an oxygen sensor and electronic feedback controls (primarily the frequency valve) were added, along with electronic ignition.
BTW, CIS is VW's name for Bosch's 'K-Jetronic'. Early CIS is known as CIS, CIS basic and/or CIS plain.
CIS with feedback is also known as CIS, also CIS lambda (lower case 'l' in lambda).
Your car has, or should have, CIS lambda.

Here's a link to a pretty good explanation of CIS basic.......
http://www.auto-solve.com/mech_inj.htm
Come to partial grips with that, then add the feedback controls.

This link doesn't explain why, it does explain how to make basic adjustments on CIS lambda systems, Cabby specific.
http://www.cabby-info.com/cis.htm

There is a CIS forum on the vwvortex, http://forums.vwvortex.com/zeroforum?id=986 , I suggest you DO NOT go there, I see more incorrect, confusing and misleading information there than the sort of experienced, knowledgeable answers desired.

[tolusina]

i have this vacuum hose going to what appears to be the fresh air ducting and then to this little check valve looking thing....
Um, that could be the evaporative system canister vent valve, or if it's way upstream on the air cleaner snorkel, it's the Thermostatic Air Control (TAC) thermo-valve and actuator.
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if i could figure out how to post pics
There's an idea!!
You first need to upload your pics to a web hosting site, linking to on-line e-mail accounts will NOT work.
http://www.tinypic.com/

http://photobucket.com/ I don't know why this one is so popular, file life seems time limited.

http://www.dropfiles.net/

http://www.photodump.com/

Then you need the url of the uploaded pic, right click and select properties, the url should be apparent. Copy/paste the url between the img tag like so...
[#img]http://www.somewebhost.com/useryou/somecabbypic.jpg[#/img]
but leave out the '#' symbol.
You'll also see a button just above the new post composition window labeled Img, click it once and the Img tags will be inserted with the cursor between them, paste your url there.
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if there is a new symptom every time where do you start looking.
Rule #1, maybe it should be rule #0!!, always start at the beginning. Make sure all the basic tune up stuff is correct, proceed from there.

Copy'pasted.......
"Start with a complete tune up, plugs, cap, rotor, wires, (use BOSCH ignition parts, USE ONLY W7DC or W7DTC plugs!!) air and fuel filters, replace your injector seals and idle screw o-ring, tighten the injector holders, replace the injector holders if needed. Replace all the old and frayed cloth covered vacuum hoses, silicone hose suggested. Check your Jetronic grounds. Test your oxygen sensor. Check your throttle switches and idle boost valves, check your CIS system and control pressures, check your distributor's centrifugal and vacuum advance mechanisms, set your timing with a closed throttle plate. Set your mixture while monitoring the duty cycle of the frequency valve, adjust the base idle.

Also, to help put all this in the proper perspective, consider the following quote from
http://volkswagen.msk.ru/vw_doc/eva2/FU01/ch3.html

"Do not try to correct engine trouble by making simple adjustments to the idle speed or the idle mixture (CO). Changing these settings without the proper measuring equipment will only be a hindrance when trying to locate the real fault."

A dwell meter or a DVOM capable of measuring duty cycle and a Bentley Repair manual are absolutely essential tools for any DIY CIS owner.

Once you've made sure all the basic stuff is working as designed, should you still find improper idle conditions, report back with your findings and we'll discuss it to a conclusion, more likely several conclusions."
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people tell me that..."oh thats no big deal and shouldnt be a cause for the problem."
Hey! I resemble that remark!! And I'll repeat, get a CIS specific fuel pressure gauge
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Prod ... 10/c-10101

Keep in mind it is an old car, there's been lots of time for basic setting drift and general component deterioration. To restore like new performance, start at the beginning. You've got several good links above worthy of study, get after it.

[reycycle]

wow you guys. i appreciate all the helpful links and info. i would like to get all that testing equipment eventually but cash is limited. contrary to popular belief uncle sam doesnt pay military all that well. add all the life stuff, ie kids wife house etc. but i will do my best with what i have. if i come off a bit crude at times im sorry i am just frustrated. but on a good note. I got it running this afternoon. something is killing my fuel pump relays. i took one of the bad ones and dispite the warnings, built a jumpered one. with the relay jumpered the car runs... well at least it ran this evening. why do these things go bad so easily? so for the time being i plug the jump-relay in, start the car, drive wherever, pull the jump-relay, car stalls, turn off key. wah-lah. not the safest but it gets job done. attatched a small eye-bolt to the black box part of the relay. put a red wire lanyard attatched to the eye, which hangs down by the hood release. this is how i pull the relay out to stop engine. sounds pretty shade tree...huh. now i will wait for replies telling me why the relays go bad or what to check, and how bad it is to drive the way i got it. but again i want to thank you all for your help