TheSamba.com :: View topic - I luv to drive it... hate to fix it... help!

Fri Dec 31, 2004 2:14 pm

OK... live in Hawaii and while I was at work the other day, we had a big rainstorm come through and because I have my engine lid propped 24/7 for more air, tons of water soaked my engine. When I tried to start my car, I got a click, click, but no vroom...

I replaced the ignition coil, wires and battery and everything was cool... until this morning when I got a click, click again (no rain last night).

Me thinks my external regulator for my alternator has crapped so I picked up a new one... problem is (as you can see by the pics attached) it looks totally different, but the guys at the VW shop say the Bosch one they sold me is the correct one that the thing I've got on there (which has been there for about three years) is the "cheap kind"...

Any ideas? P.S... I SUCK at fixing my car, but this is my daily driver so I need to fix this thing myself this weekend because of the holiday!!

Thanks,

Sean
'57 Beetle

Pics at: http://plazticpaddy.blogspot.com/

Fri Dec 31, 2004 3:02 pm

want to buy a rear decklid prop that moves bottom out instead of top? my son makes them. i can send pict. to your email address.

Fri Dec 31, 2004 3:26 pm

Im going to post your thread in the beetle forum. I think you will get more views and advice there
:wink:

Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:00 pm

bill may wrote: want to buy a rear decklid prop that moves bottom out instead of top? my son makes them. i can send pict. to your email address.

Yeah Bill... that might help me out in the future -- can you send me a pick?

Thanks,

Sean

Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:44 pm

flagwriter2003 wrote: When I tried to start my car, I got a click, click, but no vroom...

Hi flagwriter2003,
Could be due to bad starter solinoid, bad starter motor, battery going bad, or bad electrical connections. We would check the voltage thoughout the wiring from the battery on through to the starter soliniod from the ignition switch for any voltage drop. Should be alot less than a .25 volt drop. Then clean the battery cables. Plus clean and tighten the battery ground cable where it mounts to the body and the tranny to body cable at both ends. If still no good try a new or known good 12 volt battery and/or starter.
Eric&Barb

Sat Jan 01, 2005 9:16 pm

How about closing the deck lid so your engine doesnt get soaked?

Sat Jan 01, 2005 10:53 pm

Hey flagwriter2003-

I'm with ya on the rain hassle. Which island? I have been waiting weeks to work on my bug because of the rain (no garage.) Thing is, engine getting wet shouldn't cause a problem by itself, unless you already had a problem in the making (faulty connection, exposed wire, etc.)
How long was it ok after replacing parts? Was it more than one start? Did you try tapping on the solenoid with a hammer? Sometimes when it is worn it will not always mesh right with the starter and you'll get that clicking-it can be one of those infuriating intermittant problems. A firm but humane whack with a hammer may knock it back into behaving, temporarily.

Good luck tracking it down!

Sun Jan 02, 2005 3:07 am

You didn't say what you have for a carb or air filter. One very likely possibility is hydrostatic lock. I think that water may have gotten into your intake and you have a cylinder or cylinders filled. You need to pull the plugs and rotate the engine by hand. Do not try to start the engine until you check this out!!

Sun Jan 02, 2005 7:36 am

click click and not varoom. you did not mention that the engine turn over at all.
can you push start it??

Sun Jan 02, 2005 8:10 am

Do not try to push start it until you confirm that you don't have water in one of the cylinders. Things can bend and break if you do so; rods, valves etc. A full cylinder will cause a "click". The starter engages, but can't crank the engine because of the hydrostatic lock. This may not be your problem, but it is easy enough to check before you do damage to your engine. Almost everybody who has a dual carb doghouse shroud engine in an older body style has experienced this. The water comes in through the grill and runs right onto the carbs. With your standoffs, you might have experienced the same thing.

Sun Jan 02, 2005 8:59 am

TWD may have nailed this one. A friend of mine with a boat once sucked water through the exhaust. The starter would click but there was so much pressure inside the cylinders it wouldn't turn over. He pulled each plug and cranked it up and water shot out of each cylinder. Problem solved.
Good luck with yours.

Sun Jan 02, 2005 2:51 pm

TWD wrote: Do not try to push start it until you confirm that you don't have water in one of the cylinders. Things can bend and break if you do so; rods, valves etc. A full cylinder will cause a "click". The starter engages, but can't crank the engine because of the hydrostatic lock. This may not be your problem, but it is easy enough to check before you do damage to your engine. Almost everybody who has a dual carb doghouse shroud engine in an older body style has experienced this. The water comes in through the grill and runs right onto the carbs. With your standoffs, you might have experienced the same thing.

I do have dual carbs (baby weber 40's).... but I bought a new battery and the engine started up fine and ran for a day or so... I noticed in the a.m. that when I went to start it, the engine kinda lulled (like a low battery) before it started.

After work, it was dead again... really sounded to me like a bad altenator, but I wanted to replace the regulator first... have the battery charging right now.

I really do suck at fixing my car and y'all SCARING me with all of these potential problems!! I'm gonna try and swap out my regulator -- if that doesn't work, I will probably just take in in :evil:

Thanks!

Mon Jan 03, 2005 1:25 pm

Neal wrote: How about closing the deck lid so your engine doesnt get soaked? you shouldn't have to. i have mine propped open and it's always reliable in the rain.you should have new wires and the rain airfilter with the downwards louvers though.that click click your hearing could be your starter relay is bad and if you dont have one in your bug you should put one in(about 15-20 bucks). i had put in a brand new starter thinking it would solve the same problem but it turned out to be the relay. peace