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Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:30 pm

I had some carb problems and still probably do but this is where I am at.
The engine has 120 psi all around and fuel pump is working great the problem i am having is the engine seems delayed.
I have to pump the gas to keep it runnning and when checking the spark plugs the right side seems wet like and black and the left side seems dry and dark gray.
When driving it stays running(sounds sloppy) so i dont think it is the carb. the valves were adjusted and thats when i ran into all the problems.
anyhelp is apprecitated i am at a standstill at this point.

Fri Sep 05, 2008 6:37 pm

geteminline wrote: I had some carb problems and still probably do but this is where I am at.
The engine has 120 psi all around and fuel pump is working great the problem i am having is the engine seems delayed.
I have to pump the gas to keep it runnning and when checking the spark plugs the right side seems wet like and black and the left side seems dry and dark gray.
When driving it stays running(sounds sloppy) so i dont think it is the carb. the valves were adjusted and thats when i ran into all the problems.
anyhelp is apprecitated i am at a standstill at this point.

well for starters,

what size engine?

what carb?

any other mods?

and did you recheck the valves after you did them? i know ive messed up doing them before and had to go back through them.

Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:07 pm

1300, solex 34 pict 3, and the motor has no other mods

I have not rechecked them but
what do most people set their valves to?

Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:55 pm

geteminline wrote: 1300, solex 34 pict 3, and the motor has no other mods

I have not rechecked them but
what do most people set their valves to?

most set them to .006 but with 1300's ive heard it recommended that you run them tighter, but .006 should work.

Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:15 am

runslikeapenguin wrote: geteminline wrote: 1300, solex 34 pict 3, and the motor has no other mods

I have not rechecked them but
what do most people set their valves to?

most set them to .006 but with 1300's ive heard it recommended that you run them tighter, but .006 should work.

(CUT & PASTE FROM http://www.vw-resource.com/34pict3.html#valves )
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Valve adjustment is always done with the engine stone cold.

0.004 inches (0.1 mm)is the factory setting for pre-71 engines. Some folks find that this is too tight after the engine warms and use 0.006 inches (0.15 mm). That's engines with a number starting B..., D..., E..., F..., H..., L..., or a plain number. (I've always used the factory setting on my H... engine without any problems.)

0.006 inches (.15 mm) is used on 71 and up engines. That's engines with a number starting AB..., AC..., AD..., AE..., AF..., AH..., AJ..., AK..., AR..., AS....

The aim of the tappet (valve) setting is to provide virtually NO gap when the engine is at operating temperature.

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A stock 1300 motor is spec'd to have a 0.004 gap. I read somewhere that it was bumped up to 0.006 because people got lazy and didn't check their valves regularly. The increased gap would allow them to be lazy. Others say the larger gap is used on larger motors because they run hotter. If it sounds sloppy, you can go down to 0.004.

Sat Sep 06, 2008 12:19 pm

ok i feel like i must be doing something wrong when adjusting the valves.
when i first put the motor in it ran well but after driving it down the street i saw the push rod holders were plastic and had melted. so i pulled the engine apart and put new ones in during that time i originally adjusted the valves. this is when the problems started. Any ideas what could have gone wrong.

Sat Sep 06, 2008 12:56 pm

geteminline wrote: ok i feel like i must be doing something wrong when adjusting the valves.
when i first put the motor in it ran well but after driving it down the street i saw the push rod holders were plastic and had melted. so i pulled the engine apart and put new ones in during that time i originally adjusted the valves. this is when the problems started. Any ideas what could have gone wrong.

heres a questions, do you have the idiots guide? the muir Manuel book? if not go buy it, it will save you a ton of time and answer alot of questions.

Sat Sep 06, 2008 7:05 pm

geteminline wrote: ... so i pulled the engine apart... this is when the problems started.

Did you put it back together correctly?
Did you torque the heads properly?
Did you put the push rods back into the same tubes?

If you're not sure you did the valve adjustment right, then how are you doing them?

Follow these steps exactly. http://www.vw-resource.com/valveadj.html

Double check your timing marks on the pulley and dizzy. You may be doing it 180* wrong. Follow these steps to make sure: http://www.vw-resource.com/tune-up.html#tdc

Sat Sep 06, 2008 7:16 pm

is the motor new or used ?
If its used how used ?
did you start with 4 new plugs ?

Sat Sep 06, 2008 8:37 pm

[/quote]

heres a questions, do you have the idiots guide? the muir Manuel book? if not go buy it, it will save you a ton of time and answer alot of questions.[/quote]

no but that might be me next objective.

Sat Sep 06, 2008 8:40 pm

Lotrat wrote: geteminline wrote: ... so i pulled the engine apart... this is when the problems started.

Did you put it back together correctly?
Did you torque the heads properly?
Did you put the push rods back into the same tubes?

If you're not sure you did the valve adjustment right, then how are you doing them?

Follow these steps exactly. http://www.vw-resource.com/valveadj.html

Double check your timing marks on the pulley and dizzy. You may be doing it 180* wrong. Follow these steps to make sure: http://www.vw-resource.com/tune-up.html#tdc

i am sure i put it back together correctly (did it twice to make sure lol) and i thought all the tube are the same size.
i followed that guide thats why i am not sure how it could be messed up.

Sat Sep 06, 2008 8:42 pm

QRP wrote: is the motor new or used ?
If its used how used ?
did you start with 4 new plugs ?

The motor is used and I bought it from a guy that said it was recently rebuilt after i looked at the heads and pistons and did a commpression test iI believe him.
I replaced the plug wires and plugs.

Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:43 am

piston 1 and 2 dont seem to be firing. i bought the book and was playing around and i only feel colder low pressure air out of the right side with 1and 2 piston so i pulled the spark plug wires off of 1 and 2 and i dont notice a difference at all. what could be causing this??

Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:02 pm

i also pulled the spark plugs and made sure i was getting spark and i was. could the pistons be overflooded since spark plug wires 1 and 2 were in the wrong spot since they were switched.

Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:12 pm

what do the plugs look like ?

Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:34 pm

they have a wet look on the side of 1 and 2 and dry on 3 and 4 both look like a chalky black. i put new plugs in today

Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:55 pm

you have a 34 pict on a 1300.
is your motor single port with an adapter for the carb ?
I think a 1300 should have a 30 pict.

Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:48 pm

geteminline wrote: i also pulled the spark plugs and made sure i was getting spark and i was. could the pistons be overflooded since spark plug wires 1 and 2 were in the wrong spot since they were switched.
You gotta have the wires on the correct plugs. Now that you fixed it, is it running?

Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:55 pm

The spark plugs are now in the right place and the engine is still not idling or running good. I had a couple carburetors sitting around and I put the H-30/31 on and am having the same problem. Whenever you drive it in first gear and you accelerate to the top of the gear you can hear piston 1 and 2 kicking on so I think this might be a low rpm problem but I am stumped.

Sun Sep 07, 2008 3:16 pm

check for a loose head.