Beetle dies when braking

[Jack Nel]

does it die as soon as you touch the brakes or only a little later?
If it is as soon as you touch them, then you have an electrical short that is causing your ignition to "go to ground"

No, not as soon as I touch brake, I will have my foot on the brake while slowing down when for instance approaching a Stop street and then revs will start dropping lower and lower until engine cuts out

[Jack Nel]

No, whe car is standing still it runs perfectly, problem only when slowing down while braking

What I actually mean is when standing still, idling and pressing brake ?

When car is standing still it idles and rev perfectly, also when pressing brake and standing still

[Tony Z]

check for vacuum leaks and also double check your timing. Advance it 2deg if you need to.
If your oil light is flickering when idling, then increasing your idle speed by 50 or 100rpm to keep the light off. Your idle speed might be too low. (my bus can idle at 400rpm - it sounds fine, but you cant pull away smoothly without stalling it - its back up to 900rpm now, maybe you have a similar issue?)

[Tony Z]

it also sounds like your carb isnt returning to "zero" properly. When running and coming to a stop, the rattles and bumps allow the linkage to move to zero and you stall. After doing a quick tap with your foot, there are no more bumps and jerks and it idels a little higher until eventually is moves to zero.
Check it out, you might be able to push on the throttle arm by hand and replicate the problem. If it is, turn out your screw a half turn or more and try to free up the linkage

[Jack Nel]

does it die as soon as you touch the brakes or only a little later?
If it is as soon as you touch them, then you have an electrical short that is causing your ignition to "go to ground"

No, it doesn't die as soon as I touch the brakes.
I will drive while slowing down when approaching a Stop street with my foot on the brake, and the revs will start going slower and slower and the engine will cut out when I come to a standstill or even before.

[Haans]

If all else fails,............you have the answer!,.......just don't brake !!!!!!

I am intrigued by this issue!,......the above is meant to cheer you up!

Could it be that an electrical wire is shorted out when braking ?,.......if not fuel,....then electrical related?

Keep us informed of the outcome!

Haans

[retrovan]

Lets do some tests to see where the problem lays.

1st set your idling very high, something like 1500rpm.

Drive it and see what it does.

if it still dies, it will be electrical

If not, it will be a fuel issue.

Herman

[Jack Nel]

Lets do some tests to see where the problem lays.

1st set your idling very high, something like 1500rpm.

Drive it and see what it does.

if it still dies, it will be electrical

If not, it will be a fuel issue.

Herman

Thanks Herman, I’ve fiddled some more this afternoon, If it’s not right with my morning test drive I will set the revs higher and see what it does

[73type2]

I had a similar issue on my '71 1300. Car would idle but would die as I slowed down to a stop. I found a small leak in the fuel hose between the fuel pump and carburettor. I have to admit that it was near impossible to set the carb properly prior to fixing the fuel line.

[Jack Nel]

I just know it's going to be something silly when I eventually find it, but in the meantime it's driving me nuts....
Have been playing around with float level adjustment some more and fuel volume screw this way and that way, but still no joy. It definitely seems worse in the mornings when cold.Next I will check all the basics again, air leaks etc and then set the idling high as Herman suggested to see what it's showing us.

[slak]

show us a couple of foto's of your engine from different angles

[Terry Phillips]

What you want brakes for they slow you down just joking.
I am not sure on the vw carbs but the electric idle switch on Toyota bakkies we just use to cut the plunger off put the switch back no problems.I am not sure if the VW carbs will be the same I must say.

[fig]

If it were the idle cut-off solenoid the car wouldn't idle at all.

This is a long shot, but have you tried replacing your condenser? And reset points gap?

[73type2]

Not related to your problem but last night, after entering my neighborhood my Beetle slowed down and died. I knew immediately what the problem was as I experienced the same problem twenty years ago with my first Beetle - fuel tank is empty! And the gauge showed 3/4 full! It was like by some divine intervention the fuel lasted until I was close to my house! Need to sort out the fuel gauge - float system!

[Haans]

C'on Jack !.......some of us are running out of time here !!!!,.....don.t keep us in suspense!,....its bad for the digestion!!!

What is the latest ?

Haans