TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:23 pm

I just bought a '70 model beetle a couple of weeks ago. I love it. It was in Atlanta, about 100 miles from where I live. Drove it home, did absolutely wonderful. I drove it around town for a couple days, and it performed just as well. Then I started to notice that it was losing that "zip" to it. I replaced the fuel pump, because a friend of mine agreed with me that it was definitely the problem (or so it seemed). We also checked all the fuel lines at that time, and they're all good. Helped for a couple of days, then it started acting the same way. So then I did almost a full tune-up (everything except the points, they look brand new), and it didn't really help.

Basically, when it's cold it wants to cut off when you give it gas to move from first gear from a stop. I basically have to slam the gas to get it moving. Then when I shift into 2nd gear there's a major lag, and then all of a sudden it catches up. When I shift into third it doesn't do that, but sometimes if I'm cruising and let up on the gas then resume it'll lag some. It has a perfect idle when it's acting up though, and it almost never does this when it's hot. And the same perfect idle. By hot I mean having driven around for 20-30 minutes. I know these are cold-natured, but this is ridiculous.

I did give the carburetor some thought. It sounds damn good, but I don't know much more than that. Could be crap for all I know. A friend of mine who has the same motor as I do (1600, dual-port) seems to think the carburetor is fine too, and he knows a lot. I seafoamed it a couple of days ago (took the air cleaner off, poured directly in), and it didn't do much of anything. So we're stumped now. Is there an adjustment that needs to be made? Should I buy a new carburetor? Is it something completely different? I don't know what else to do for it. I can't drive around the neighborhood for 30 minutes all the time just so I can get on the main road :lol: Anything that will help or fix this problem is greatly appreciated.

Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:36 pm

tune it up

Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:41 pm

See if you can swap carbs with your buddy to rule it out. Could save you a lot of time and money.

Wed Nov 11, 2009 8:29 am

I had a 73 that acted the same way when the weather got colder. I was missing some hoses for the pre-heater and some around the air filter. If your air filter isn't stock, or if you are also missing hoses I would say that this might be your problem. Another possibility is the carb needs to be rebuilt. If your car wasn't a daily driver before you bought it, there might have been crap in the gas that got unsettled now that it is being driven more often. Just a couple of thoughts...

Wed Nov 11, 2009 8:36 am

Might want to check the timing and make sure whatever dizzy you have is advancing properly. My 1600 DP had the Weber 32/36 which was a horrible carb but I had to advance the timing more than stock to get it to get off the line a bit better, once into the advance it would run like a top though.
If the timing is good try to lean it out just a bit and see if that helps.

How cold is it outside? Do you notice that if you run it, shut it off, and get back in to drive within 10-15min will it run better? If so that's an issue with carb heating. I ran into that with over carburetion. Leaning it out seemed to help. Remember that a carb'd engine will run differently during different parts of the year.

Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:06 am

A few items:

What engine do you have? What carb? What distributor?

Are all of your vac hoses connected correctly?

Do you own a Bentley Manual, or does your friend own one.

If you have a stock engine, everything you need to know about tuning and maintaining it is IN THERE.

M