Aircooled VW South Africa

Welcome one and all to this week's edition of 'The Bain Of My Life'...

Firstly, I picked up a 'clanging' sound in the left rear on Friday...I'm fairly certain it's the exhaust, and that the thousands of @#%$ing speedbumps in the office park have just broken the seal loose between the J-pipe and the header. I hope...

...more importantly, the bug is running very sick, and quite frankly, I'm ready to put a match to the car.

Some good friends of mine, known here , recently helped me out with redoing the linkage on the carbs, as well as doing a very nice tune-up on the bug.

It ran beautifully, but we did pick up that the carbs were in need of rebushing, so I wasn't surprised when things got a bit out of play soon after.

I don't think this current issue to due to just carbs though...

This engine is one big flat spot. From start to finish, the car just bogs down and does little.

It's had a flat spot for as long as I can remember, but this is just ridiculous.

It only really starts moving way up in the rev range, and anything less is doomed to dropping gears.

Some info...

1600 TP (stock), with a 009, twin Weber ICHs, custom linkage, and a lightended f'wheel.

I spoke to IMPI about the engine last week and he suggested checking these things...

1 vacuum leaks at carb and manifold
2 dirty carbs especially idle cirquit
3 stuffed coil
4 stuffed advance system (mech or vac) will make it difficult to rev up
though
5 dirty filters
6 Dragging Brakes.

1. Not sure how I check this?
2. Carbs are clean and as stated, were recently checked and adjusted. In need of rebushing, but not yet critical.
3. New hi-po Bosch coil, from Calooker.
4. No issues with revving engine. Running Accu-fire points-replacement.
5. See above. Cleaned with a filter cleaning and oiling kit, on Saturday.
6. We all know this story...JUST been done by the brake shop. NOT dragging. Fact.

Since about Friday or so, this car wants to die when I give it juice. Pulling off slowly is impossible, and I'm sure anyone at CITP will attest to this when I was trying to park, and later pull away, there, yesterday. I was on a slight incline and it just wants to die without severe clutch work on my part.

Pulling away from traffic lights is dangerous and frustrating. It doesn't go. It's almost like it's choking itself.

If I'm driving up a hill, (twice in 4th gear today), it looks steam like crazy. The speedometer looks like the stock market of late...drops rapidly, forcing me to crawl uphill in 3rd, high in the rev range.

I just got back from a drive, so the exhaust is too hot to check, but surely a loose exhaust can not cause such troubles?

Any ideas?

I'm no expert, but it appears to be firing on all cylinders. Had my Fleetline get a loose spark plug lead recently, so I know the related power loss.

please.

Thanks, Nic

check your plug leads,it might not be loose but can still be losing spark

Check - or replace?

I've got a new set at Home for one of my buses...perhaps I should do a run around the block with that set fitted.

Thanks, N.

allso check that your timing is correct

We did the tune-up about a month ago, so what could cause it to go out so quickly?

Will check it nonetheless.

A guy that has helped me out ALOT is Mark from Wichwood Moters in wichwood,primrose,next to the N3,he has given me alot of advice,and has helped me free of charge a number of times,and his sons also work there,and are as helpfull.They work on all makes of cars but ask 4 mark senior when it comes to acvws

Drove past Wynchwood Motors on the N3 just more than an hour ago (right before van Buuren, to your left heading towards Gilloolys), they have a number of Bays standing there as well, but doesn't want to sell parts though

I put $5 on vacuum leak

I'll put cash on a vac leak as well. But before I forget it.... check that you have not got a spark plug that is busy unthreading itself.
Exhaust is HOT, so you are prob running lean

Buy some quick start. (how many times am I going to put this up on the forum....) hmmm, remind me later to make a how to then Eben can sticky it....
Start the engine, in Neutral and hand-brake on.
Open the engine lid.
with engine running spray a tiny amount into the air filter. You will hear the engine change revs, sound, whatever, it will do something. Take a note of how it changed, you will be looking for something similar soon.
Now at each joint, rubber and gasket spray a bit of quick start around it. You can be a bit more liberal here than at the air filter. If you have a vac leak, the quick start will get sucked in and you will hear the engine sound change.
Check for more leaks.
Once you have found and noted any leaks, go back to them. Spray quick start again to check if you got it right.
Spray again, this time a lot less - this makes 100% sure you are not feeding the carbs indirectly with quick start.
Be 100% sure you are feeding the leak and not the air filter with quick start.
Repair
Test by doing the same.

Good luck

Thanks guys.

I read your post on the vacuum leaks, Tony. Duly noted.

Been a while since I've been past Wychwood, K'. Wasn't impressed then. Hopefully they've changed their tune a bit.

Cheers, N.

All the busses there belong to clients,iv asked a number of times about them,always got the same answere.