golf mk3 1.4 strong fuel smell,urgent help!

[gor131-x]

hi guys
first time posting i think

i have a mk3 golf 1.4 aex engine code.i have a 10+page thread on golfgtiforum and still stumped!heres' the link:

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=134402.120

basicly,the head gasket went,got another engine from scrappers,that was knackered,got another engine which sounds and runs fine,however a few problems:

1. there is a strong raw unburnt fuel smell coming from the crankcase breather hose,changed the throttle body,still no change,

2.the temperature needle drops to zero when i drive and goes to 90degrees when stationary,ive changed temp sensor and thermostat but stil the same

3.the radiator hoses get airlocked but when i unscrew the expansion tank cap,they go fine,however,upon driving the car again,they will become airlocked again.ive bought a new expansion tank and cap and still same problem.

its had a new lambda,temp sensor,thermostat,throttlebody,inlet manifold,new spark plugs,I AM ABSOLUTELY STUMPED

any input guys

thanks

[BobProperty]

Join the "I can get my 1.4 AEX to work properly" club. I'm a member already.
Fuel sounds like some sort of overfueling or leak. I'm reading though the other posts.
I see tank sender has already been suggested. I'd also check the joints on the feed and return pipes as being old and having been pulled of and put on a few times the ends may be damaged.
You can't alter the timing by moving the distributor, the ECU corrects for it sort of, IIRC. It has to be done with VAGCOM and a strobe light.
Also consider the coolant pump, they seem to me to be very fussy on this engine (or maybe most Golfs I don't know) but the slightest damage or fault and it shows up in the cooling system somewhere. I've swapped one where there was a small segment missing out of the impeller but several people had said that there was a problem with the pump.
Not having clips on the pipes to and from the carbon filter in the front corner of the engine bay may be a cause of you smelling fuel.
Agree with another poster that the ECU being duff is very unlikely.

If you can afford the fuel ;) and can get over to me I have a compression tester we can use.

[gor131-x]

right,ive had a compression test done (thanks to bob property off gticlub forum) and the results came back as 150 per cylinder which means the engine is fine

BUT I THINK IVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM!

yeterday,i pulled the manifold off and this morning decided to fit the new one i bought from scrapyard(same manifold from the engine that is in the car now),i took the fuel rail off the old manifold and it wouldnt fit on this new one,so i went back to the garage and looked at my 1st engine,i pulled the fuel rail off that and put that on and it worked.

what the garage guys had done was before this engine,i got given a knackered engine by another scrapyard who claimed it was 1.4 but was actually a 1.6aee,he had put that manifold and injectors on to this engine,the manifolds are totally different,theres no niple fo the fpr vacuum hose to go into,anyway,i put the right manifold and fuel rail on and took it for a 30mile round trip on the motorway,the fuel needle ever so slightly dropped (compared to 1 whole bar dropping after 15 miles!)

also the temperature goes to around 70 degrees when driving rather than dropping to zero and the hoses dont get airlocked anymore?

im going to drive it for a week and see if the mpg has improved

i changed the oil and filter as the old oil stank of fuel

THANKS GUY FOR HANGING IN THERE WITH ME AND HELPING UT,COULD NEVER HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!

SILLY ERROR BY THE GARAGE MECHANIC CAUSE OF ALL PROBLEMS!

[BobProperty]

right,ive had a compression test done (thanks to bob property off gticlub forum) and the results came back as 150 per cylinder which means the engine is fineActually I'm off here and have only just joined there ;).
Hope it keeps behaving itself. Nice to meet you.