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gacoogan Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2011 Posts: 27 Location: Oviedo Florida
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Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 10:52 am Post subject: 71 Super won't go. Starts but no power. |
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Hey Folks,
I was driving my 71 Super when it backfired and lost power. I couldn't get it to restart and had to get towed home. The next day, I attempted to drive it, and it started but when I got it moving, there was no power, and I limped around the block until I got home. When it was cold, I checked the compression, and got 120 on every cylinder except 32 which was about 95. The plugs were black, which could indicate oil is getting into the pistons, but I don't seem to be burning much. I have checked for spark, and it all seems OK, as does the timing. Also, the engine has around 80,000 original miles on it.
So my question is, what next? Is the engine cooked? Do I need to do a rebuild? I can't drive it anywhere this way. I realize 80k is close to what I can expect from this kind of engine. Could it be a vacuum leak? Any guidance is appreciated. |
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Volks Wagen Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2013 Posts: 2926 Location: Germany
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Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 1:36 pm Post subject: |
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Hard to tell without more info. Meanwhile I wouldn't go thinking about replacing a motor unless there was oil and metal all over the road... Check the valve adjustment, and do a tune up. If your plugs are black you're running rich - if they're black and oily then you're getting oil in there. Pic helps. Maybe your timing is off - check your distrib. Post your carb and distrib models here and a bit more info. Check in case any wires or hoses fell off your carb.
Compression:
Check the compression again and then squirt about a teaspoon of oil down the spark plug hole of the low cylinder, then test it's compression again - if it comes up to about 10-20% or so then it's maybe worn rings, if not it might be worn valves. _________________ 1973 1303 with AB-motor - sporadic
reconstruction as time permits, 1986 ex-Bundeswehr Doka - on the road again.
I'm definitely, probably, the worlds greatest lover.
Aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile. |
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texson Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2009 Posts: 180 Location: Nacogdoches, Tx
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Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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Also clean the carb. You could have some trash that could cause a non-run condition as well as running rich. If the solenoid cut off valve (assuming you have a solex) is bad, it will keep it from running. |
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gacoogan Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2011 Posts: 27 Location: Oviedo Florida
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 11:49 am Post subject: 71 VW not going e.g. |
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Hi Guys,
Thanks for the replies. I had recently changed out the carb because of a vacuum leak on the throttle bushings. I also replaced the cut off valve, and I will check that to see if it's functioning. Also relook at the valves. I noticed one was hard to adjust, but I don't remember which one, so that might be it.
Gr |
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toddb_67 Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2003 Posts: 1313 Location: Hansville, WA
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gacoogan Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2011 Posts: 27 Location: Oviedo Florida
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Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 10:26 am Post subject: Bug won't go - Stuck valve? |
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OK this is a puzzler.
Here is what I know. My 71 super was running great. I had upgraded the carb to a 34 pict 4, and for the first time in it's life, the car started perfectly without even touching the gas. Great! Absolutely happy!
Drive the car two miles, park and come back in an hour, and it won't start. Takes fifteen minutes to get it to start, and it stalls multiple times on the way home. I finally get it back, and try it in two hours, and it starts right up. Back it out of the driveway, start driving, and it has absolutely no power. Engine doesn't stall, but I can't even get to five miles of hour.
Could this be a stuck valve? What could cause such a traumatic loss of power? the car had been running great.
Thanks for your help! |
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scrivyscriv Samba Electrician
Joined: October 04, 2011 Posts: 2922 Location: Memphis
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Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 12:41 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not too great at troubleshooting poor running but if you've got a known good carb, swap it back out with the new carb and see if the problem changes.
Other than heading down that road, I can only suggest the basics. Clean and gap plugs, adjust and lube points & distributor, check to make sure coil wires are on the correct terminals, check and re-seat plug wires, check coil and distributor for carbon tracks, check for a clogged fuel filter. As you probably know, the ignition system is usually at fault before the fuel system is.
When you installed the new carb, did you check float height? Is the carb new, used, rebuilt? _________________ Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help. |
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superblue72 Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2014 Posts: 52 Location: ohio
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Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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Same thing happened to me once aand the fuel pump was shot.Had no power at all _________________ Lets go Ocho! |
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gacoogan Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2011 Posts: 27 Location: Oviedo Florida
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Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 2:05 pm Post subject: Reply |
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Hey guys,
Thanks for the response. The carb was purchased on ebay, and it had been running like a champ, so I don't know why it would stop. I now have 3 carbs, and this new one is giving trouble that is identical to the other, so I think we can rule that out.
I have checked the fuel filter, and it appears fine. I get a lot of smell of gas, so I don't suspect that I am not getting fuel. I do like the fuel pump idea however, as maybe it's failing intermittently. That would roughly fit the description of how it's failing. I will attempt to swap out and report back.
It's a great thing to have a bug, as a spare carb, fuel pump and more are cheap and easy to keep in the trunk. I can swap out such things in a few minutes, and off I go! |
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gacoogan Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2011 Posts: 27 Location: Oviedo Florida
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Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 10:06 am Post subject: Fuel Pump |
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Hi Everyone,
I thought I would report back that I replaced the fuel pump, and it seems to have fixed the problem. I haven't driven it extensively since, but a quick run around the block showed no problems at all. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Greg |
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gacoogan Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2011 Posts: 27 Location: Oviedo Florida
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 1:58 pm Post subject: Finally solved it! |
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Hi everyone,
One of the things I love best about my bug is how low tech it is. That and how cheap the parts are. Anyway, my problems with intermittent failure continued. It was puzzling. Eventually, I couldn't even get it started, which lead me to the conclusion I had no spark. I reviewed the instructions for my solid state distributor and came to the conclusion that I should have replaced my coil when I installed the new distributor as the instructions recommended. Apparently, if the coil isn't over 3 ohms, it will lead to an eventual problem with overheating and finally total failure. Bingo. I replaced the coil and distributor, and I am back on the road. I got both parts for less than $125.
Sooo... thanks for all the tips, and chalk this up to learning by doing! |
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