TheSamba.com :: View topic

Mon Aug 04, 2003 8:33 pm

I'm having trouble with my 74 SB. Running a stock 1600 DP, 34 pict 3 carb, etc. For the last two or so weeks, while driving at a nice pace (usually 3rd or 4th) the car sometimes seems to stumble or surge...hard to tell sometimes. It keep running an all, but when I come to slow down at all...the engine quits. It does however start right back up again. I'm not really sure what it is. Then it also just while driving down the highway gets that feeling like I just let off the gas all together, then jolts a bit, and is back to normal. All in the span of like two seconds.

Is it my fuel pump? I checked out if it was pumping ok, and it seems to be. Also replaced a line that looked a bit old. Any help would be great.

I'm also trying to get ahold of Jeff H. from Minnesota. If anyone talks to him, please mention that I'm lookin for him.

Thanks everyone.

Mon Aug 04, 2003 9:26 pm

Here are a few old posts I found dealing with this symptom...

trackmagic originally said... (2/10/2003 at 0:47AM PST)

Car has 34PICT and wont idle. I just bought it and it was this way when I got it. On the left side of the carb is a little solenoid with a wire hanging loose that looks like it broke off of something. Any ideas as to what this may be?

keifernethotmail.com said... (2/10/2003 at 7:15AM PST)

That part is the "electric Idle soleniod" and the car will not idle if the power is not connected and or if it is loose in the carb body or has failed.

Is the spade connector itself broke off the plack plastic insert in the end of it?
If so it is junk, but here is what you can do for now. take it out of the carb and with some wire cutters cut off the aluminum plunger and rod flush at the body of the solenoid. this way the fuel will pass through and the car will run much better and idle.

It may make it run a tad bit rich and it also could "diesel" when you shut it off.
So you need to get another.

The power comes from the + side of the coil.

keifernethotmail.com said... (1/23/2003 at 8:54AM PST)

What carb do you have? it could be alot of other things in the mix, valve adjustment, points closed up/burnt timing off ect ect.

But for the momemnt lets say... if you have a 30 pict series or a 30/31 or a 34 pict -3 then check to see if the electric idle solenoid (electric thing on the left side of carb) is tight in the carb body and has power to it and when the key is on it "Clicks" when you touch the power wire on and off the spade plug in... if it is loose the car won't idle and it will buck and sputter when being driven.

on a 30-pict 2 or 3 carb you may have an electric idle "jet" on the right side of the carb by the choke. simlar but not the same as the above device. same tests apply make sure it is not loose, has power and clicks....

check that much out first and see....

Andrew M originally said... (7/1/2003 at 5:50PM PST)

I can start my engine and it will run as long as I keep reving it. It dies at idle. Also, if I rev the engine to any rpms and hold my foot exactly still (like gas pedal halfway down) the engine will run for about 4 to 6 seconds and then sputter out if I don't rev it up again. Is this dirty jets? Also when I drive the bus it backfires up through the carb (there is a poping sound and a quick loss of power) and the engine has no low rpm power. The bus was fine when I was driving it home from storage and halfway home it started doing this. Any ideas?

keifernethotmail.com said... (7/1/2003 at 7:33PM PST)

Andrew, what carb do you have? sounds like a tiny piece of trash in the "idle pilot jet" or a loose in the carb body /or bad electric idle cutoff or electric idle solenoid... (depends on which carb has what, talking stock solexs here right???)

But for the momemnt lets say... if you have a 30 pict series or a 30/31 or a 34 pict -3 then check to see if the electric idle solenoid (electric thing on the left side of carb) is tight in the carb body and has power to it and when the key is on it "Clicks" when you touch the power wire on and off the spade plug in... if it is loose the car won't idle and it will buck and sputter when being driven.