Running on 2 cylinders

[Rothco8]

Hi i have 1967 karmann ghia and ever scene i switched my oil bath oil filter to a paper filter i have been having problems. at first it back fired and knocked alot then i switched it back to the oil bath and that stopped the knocking. now it stopped backfiring but only runs on the left 2 cylinders. what really confuses me is when i drove it yesterday the other cylinders kicked in when i was going down a hill at high rpms but quickly cut back out. if anyone has any ideas what is going on please help or im going to have to drop the motor and do a rebuild.

[scotty timmerman]

is it a stock engine? first take a compression test of all 4 cylinders. if 1 and 2 cylinders are low u can try to re torque the heads and do a valve adjustment. might also want to check for spark on 1 and 2
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71 ghia coupe
71 type 3 fastback auto
71 type 3 fastback manual
73 super beetle

[ovghiaguy]

I think you might be jumpimg the gun alittle. Would be a bummer to rebuild motor and have same problem afterward. comp. test all 4 cyl. check valve clearances. most likely something simple.

[Rothco8]

im trying to get my hands on a compression tester and do you guys know the torque specs for the valves and the heads because i have no clue any of those. i will post the results of the compression test when i finish the test probally with in the next couple of days. thanks for the help

[Volfandt]

After rereding your op, I suggest you check the plug wires on the right side, cylinders 1 & 2 and make sure of the following:
1) make sure the plugwires aren't crossed.
2) make sure they are fully plugged onto the spark plug.
3) make sure the plug wires aren't damaged and replace them if they look suspect and/or very old and worn.
4) make sure the right side of the intake manifold is good and tight and not knocked loose.

If the above doesn't turn up anything, you'll need to go deeper.

Good luck
Dave

[Rothco8]

i have replaced the plugs and wires i will have to check the intake and recheck the plugs and wires i will let you know how it looks hopefully tomorrow thanks for the help

[Endopotential]

Please excuse a quick question from a newbie, but how do you tell when a cylinder isn't firing? Based on just the sound of it, or feeling vibrations on that side when you're up close?
How do you know when those dead cylinders "kicked in" when you went downhill? Just from a extra kick in engine power? I don't imagine it would be easy to tell just by listening from the driver's seat?

Thanks for your collective patience!

[Rothco8]

the way i know the right side inst firing is by pulling a ignition wire one by one and listening to the engine rpm drop and there was no change with the right side and a major change in rpm from the left which lead me to the assumption that my right side is not firing as well as a significant loss in power. the kicking in of the cylinders going down hill was a sputter of power. i was going down a hill in second at around 30mph and all the sudden i get pushed back in my seat and the motor gets louder and i gain speed. by that happening i figured that my right side kicked in for a quick second. i hope that answers your question.
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1967 karmann ghia (first project car)

[NOVA Airhead]

Given the oil bath air filter is on the right side of the engine and that is where the problem is I think you need to check the ignition wires and plugs again to be sure you are getting spark.

It sounds like something got messed up it the air filter switch particularly since its intermittent at times.
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1971 Ghia Convertible Autostick
1974 Thing

[Rothco8]

i drove it today to bugfest after doing some timing, cleaning of spark plugs and tightening the head and rockers and it seemed to fix it but it leaks like crazy. it is leaking towards the right side i think i didn't put the gasket right back on the valve cover and it leaks quite a bit on the oil pan. any ideas on what is going why its doing that.
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1967 karmann ghia (first project car)

[OLD VW NUT]

How can you screw up a motor to the point that it'll only run on 2 cylinders after replacing the oil bath air cleaner with a paper filter?

First off that old air intake had a clever function that most people don't know about. It holds the fuel standoff fog that is produced by the VW motor. Look inside a beetle air cleaner and you'll see this more clearly - the Ghia cleaner isn't the best for illustrating this point. The beetle cleaner is funnel shaped and contains the fuel fog - replace it with a paper element and the fuel fog has no where to collect but on the filter element. The Ghia cleaner does the same thing - it just isn't funnel shaped. Either put a small (2" or so) extension on that new air filter or go back to the oil bath cleaner.
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71 Ghia Coupe - stock - no rust! - 2110 power

650 Burgman 'scooter' - fun stuff! (Yup - sold the Harley)

POLITICIANS AND DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN -- AND FOR THE SAME REASON

[NOVA Airhead]

[ovghiaguy]

get a copy of the Bently manuel for your year. A must have to work on these cars

[Rothco8]

ok i did check my valve cover and my gasket was not seated properly i fixed but haven't driven it to see if it stopped the leak completely. ill check out that manual. thanks for the help
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1967 karmann ghia (first project car)