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Sat Feb 14, 2004 5:25 pm

Ok i woke up this morning and my car is running like crap it won't accelerate at all top speed on a straight away is around 35 to 40(if wind is on my back). I drive to school and back but when i get home i throughly look over my car. My cylinders Number 1 and 2 are hot maybe a lil more than normal not much tho if at all and numbers 3 and 4 are cold like the engine hadnt even been running.??? So i took off the valve cover to look further into this mystery. and there was this white foam stuff on the round part of the valve cover i was thinking gas. I looked at the plug connections and at the dis but they both looked good. Please help this is my baby. If pictures are needed of anything plz ask i took pictures of the foam post if you want to see them. car specs 1600 dual port Super beetle.

Sat Feb 14, 2004 8:01 pm

Did you check your spark on three and four. Take the #3 plug off at the dizzy, hold it close to the dizzy cap and have someone (hotchick) turn the engine over. As the engine is being turned over you should see a spark from dizzy to wire. Check all cyl. wires for spark. Check your three and for plugs too. Oh also your condenser might be going out, and if it is it should run for long. :arrow: -wEs- P.S. as far as I know I might be helping you I might not

Sat Feb 14, 2004 8:04 pm

I get the same foam on my carb sometimes when its cold, but I just think its some kind of water condensation. :?:

Sat Feb 14, 2004 8:09 pm

White foamy stuff can sometimes indicates excessive blow by from bad rings or broken piston.

Although a well worn motor can run fine and produce some foamy stuff so the above statement is not an absolute.

If something happened to an intake valve on that side it could mess with both of those cylinders operation.

A compression check should help with the diagnosis. If no compression in one of the cylinders you are going to need to pull the motor and remove the head to see what has happened.

Is the motor making any clacking sound?

Sat Feb 14, 2004 8:15 pm

It is on 1 and 2 not 3 and 4. I had my numbers backwards cuz i am new at this whole beetle thing sorry again its 1 and 2...............

I don't know what you mean by clacking it sounds like it is engaging roughly when i hit the gas but its done that for a while now.

Sat Feb 14, 2004 9:12 pm

Oh sweet jesus, so this is when you know your valves broke off. :lol:

Sat Feb 14, 2004 9:38 pm

How much do you think a rebuild would cost me? If i did it on my own?

Sun Feb 15, 2004 9:44 pm

A barrel and piston kit and a head or two?

heads are about $130ea and the pistons and cylinders are anywhere from $150
Whats that 260both heads+150=410?

If that's even the issue!

Have you checked the compression yet??

Tue Feb 17, 2004 9:08 pm

I checked spark it was there. I cleaned up the plugs it runs again but there is an out pour of smoke from her. I have never had white smoke come from her. I figure its time for a rebuild, but as always there is the money factor. Now its a question of when not if. Does any one know what the minimum i can do if the heads are fine and pistons are fine?

Wed Feb 18, 2004 8:05 am

1. Valve Adjustment
2. Compression Check

Do this before proceeding.

Wed Feb 18, 2004 5:41 pm

proced with what driving or rebuild?

Wed Feb 18, 2004 7:50 pm

SBeetle1971 wrote: proced with what driving or rebuild?

Proceeding to decide what to do next.
Without the compression check, It is difficult to know what's going on.