'71 Super 1600DP Won't start when humid/wet

[Ryanqzqz]

160f0DP with 34PICT3 carb and a Pertronix Flamethrower SVDA dizzy. I've had repeated issues with starting in moist weather or after a wash... She'll crank, blow plenty of fuel but not catch. The other morning I ran into the same problem after a night of hard, heavy rain... I started checking everything, pulled center wire off the top of the dizzy to check spark and got good spark off the fan shroud, plugged it back in, no go. Unplugged again to check inside the center terminal just in case water or corrosion in it, and my wife happened to crank, I got spark between the center wire and the cap and it started!!! I figured I had a cap issue or wire issue. I switched for a known good center wire and a new cap off a NIB dizzy I have.... no change... weird.

So at work, I bought new wires, coil, rotor and seemed okay, but of course things dried up over the course of the 90+ degree day

This morning it was very foggy and humid, not even wet on the back of the bug, not wet on the cap, or shroud, but same issue, no start unless there was a gap between the center coil wire and the cap...... It would catch and if I would immediately plug back in, would die. I let it run for about 60 seconds, plugged in the wire, and ran fine. Turned it off and restarted, again, fine....

What in the world have I got going on???? I'm suspecting maybe the electronics in the Pertronix spark sprinkler are going out??? But not sure. Hoping someone has had this before because google is pulling me up all sorts of "no start when wet" stuff but nothing like this.
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- '71 Super Beetle, Cal look
- '73 Std. Beetle, donor car.

[Ryanqzqz]

Well. I suppose I'll try a new dizzy and see what happens. I should be able to get one around here somewhere.
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- '71 Super Beetle, Cal look
- '73 Std. Beetle, donor car.

[Cusser]

[ach60]

When it does this spray the cap/wires with a good shot of WD40.
You have a shorting problem being caused by moisture.
WD40 means water dispersal formula 40.
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Good Luck
Al

[Harleyelf]

Plug wires. Old school American car fix is to wet a rag with kerosine and pull the plug wires through it. The solvent draws the water out of the tiny cracks and then evaporates.

Or you could fix it right and replace them if it failed in the driveway at home.

[Aussiebug]

[ashman40]

If this is a common occurrence you might look at a urethane waterproofing kit for your distributor & coil to keep the water out.

https://www.doghouserepair.com/store/item/6768/946...hane-empi/
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AshMan40
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'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}

[gears]

Next time this happens, liberally pour rubbing alcohol into the cap, wipe it out, and let it dry. This will usually cure a moisture-related hard start, at least temporarily.
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aka Pablo, Geary
9.36 @ 146 in '86 Hot & Sticky
'90 Syncro Westy SVX
'87 Syncro GL 2.5
https://guardtransaxle.com

[Ryanqzqz]

Coil, wires, dist cap, rotor, and electrical terminals going to the coil from the wiring harness were all less than a day old the last time it did it. I tried wd40 the first time around to no avail.

Cusser I have a VW06 Rick Porter dizzy 009 clone I can try next time there's rain forecasted.... I also have a Vw10 on order.
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- '71 Super Beetle, Cal look
- '73 Std. Beetle, donor car.

[Ryanqzqz]

Update. Got my dual carbs in. Changed the dizzy out for that vw10 and got everything setup. Guess what... It rained this morning... And i'm running without a deck lid right now... And she started no problem
_________________
- '71 Super Beetle, Cal look
- '73 Std. Beetle, donor car.

[jamesdagg]

Did you put the electronic ignition in the new distributor? If not maybe that was the problem.

Jim
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'72 FI Westy
'71 Super rear inside defrost vents no longer available