TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:08 am

First Post on TheSamba.com - Love the site.

I've got an '74 VW beetle with your standard 1600cc engine with a basic carb. The car has been sitting for a while, which has happened ever since my wife forced me to buy a newer car with air conditioning - picky picky. Anyway, the carb is always getting gummed up by old gas. Last time this happened to me I just decided to go out and buy a new carb since it was in bad shape anyway. Now, 6 months later and only a few starts every month or so, I find that the carb is again gummed / clogged. I tried using gas additives, but that didn't work well - or well enough.

So, here's what I've done so far. I've replaced the gas filter which was horrible. Gas does seems to be getting up to the carb bowl. I dumped it out by removing the bowl screw / plug. I sprayed out what I could get to with carb cleaner. I'm not sure if I should take out and clean the two adjustment screws (idle /air?). I really don't want to try to rebuild the carb. What's my next step?

Thanks in advance,
Jeff
Orlando, FL

Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:00 am

you pretty much have to clean it. remove, disassemble, soak, bla bla bla

Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:55 am

Hey, I had a similar problem with my '73 just recently, you are starting at the wrong end! I had to pull the gas tank, pressure wash inside, to get all the gunk out of the bottom of the tank. Pulled the in-tank filter, there were alien looking chunks of crap there. Replaced all rubber hoses on both ends, blew out the metal hoses as best I could. THEN, dealt with the carb. Runs like a charm, now. You would not believe how badly gasoline breaks down until you take a gander at the gunk that comes out of your tank.

in8angst

Wed Nov 11, 2009 2:22 am

Read the post below by the above title. Also a link to what you will be looking at.

in8angst

Wed Nov 11, 2009 5:13 am

jjwdesign wrote: I really don't want to try to rebuild the carb. What's my next step?
Well, your next step is to rebuild the carb, really. That's what needs to be done.

What's most likely gummed up is one of the two jets that feed the idle circuits. They're on the right side of the carb sort of below and in front of the choke element. One looks like a hex-head brass bolt. The other's right next to that one, if you take out the thing that looks like a screw, behind it is another jet that has a slot-head. Those need to be taken out and soaked in carb cleaner. While they're soaking, get some carb cleaner into the passage that goes DOWN from the hole the hex-bolt-like one was in.

That should help things.