TheSamba.com :: View topic - Engine shutting off when coming to a stop and taking turns

Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:04 am

For some time now my engine would shut off when I would go downhill and coast to a stop. Then in the past two weeks, it happens anytime I pick up speed and then come to a stop. It's happened on the highway when coming down a slope, and it's even been happening when I slow down to take turns. I usually have to scramble like hell and fire it back up so I don't skip a beat.

Also, it doesn't idle at stops normally anymore, and progressively gets weaker until it just shuts off. When driving though, it runs without any issues whatsoever.

I thought it may be a timing or carb tuning issue, but I just took it in to the local shop to timed and the carb adjusted. Also, a guy at the local shop told me to clean the fast idle jet on the right side of the carb (something I also read in a thread here), which I did tonight, but it didn't solve the problem.

I only have one more week to deal with this godforsaken, yet hard-working engine, but I'd like to not have to worry about it shutting off on me on the highway, or when taking turns. I've been lucky so far no one's been close enough to rear-end me, but it's making me more paranoid every time it happens.

What else should I check?

Thanks in advance

Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:08 am

check the connections on your idle cutoff valve.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:16 am

norcalvw wrote: check the connections on your idle cutoff valve.

Good call. Just read up on Rob and Dave's aircooled pages and it says how to test it. I'll check it tomorrow morning.

http://www.vw-resource.com/jets.html#idle

Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:23 am

Actually, it seems I have all the symptoms of air inleakage:

http://www.vw-resource.com/air_inleakage.html

If that's the case, I'm just going to put up with it for the rest of this week...no sense in fixing manifold or throttle shaft issues if I'm not going to run this engine much longer.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:09 pm

I had similar stuff happening to my bus. Replaced the float and it cured the problem.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 2:16 pm

Mike C wrote: I had similar stuff happening to my bus. Replaced the float and it cured the problem.

yep any change in speed or turning will flood the carb if the float is set too high. That was going to be my guess.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 2:36 pm

float level X3

Sat Nov 07, 2009 4:39 pm

float or lose wire. Many carb kits were installed that had those darn black hard foam floats. They soak up fuel and get heavier over time. Try to find a kit with a brass float if you have one of those black floats.

Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:39 pm

Hey guys, just got back from camping overnight.

Can you point me to a resource on how to take care of the float issue?

Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:59 pm

The float issue is something that you can definitely do yourself. I took the top of the carb off with the carb still in the bus. Just need a stubby screwdriver. I also use a mirror to see the back screws. I had 5 screws to take off in all. Using the mirror I saw that my float was mostly submerged in the bowl. When I put in the new float it immediately floated. You might check your oil to see if gas has mixed in. That was going on with mine as well due to the float issue. Make sure the float retainer pin is installed correctly. The u shape faces the edge of the bowl. A couple good posts that helped me out:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=300739&highlight=float+retainer+pin

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3...mp;start=0