Official Mexican / Brazilian Beetles - All years

[TechionDigit]

Hello all, I’m debating whether to make this a separate thread or to keep all of my reportings here, of course no good post is one without images. I’ve come into possession of a 1994 Volkswagen Sedan Firebeetle, besides small cosmetic things like radio not wired up, missing seat bushings, and weird cracking paint on the front right fender, there’s no real problem with this low, 35K US mile car.

However.

It doesn’t like to drive! (What’s the point of the automobile then?) the guy I had purchased it from has been chasing his tail for about a year over this car, talking to many notable people in the community. He’s replaced fuel pump/ECU relays, TPS, IATS, Cold Air Valve, Vacuum lines to fuel regulator and ECU, verified ECU internal line was plyable, O2 Sensor, all of the parts he has used have been Brück brand, I’ve thrown a new distributor cap and rotor on in mean time, I’ve performed basic settings with VAG1551, later tonight I will replace the fuel pump and further test the fuel pressure system after I make the valve stem adapter. -after note, the passenger side intake boot is missing but simple rubber pipe fittings have been added, I do have the double barrels however Im not looking to pull the engine at this time.

The vehicle has no charcoal canister and no line to the N80 Purge Valve, however I have plugged this off temporarily, I have another canister with lines at home.


A more detailed explanation of the symptoms; it starts decently, the idle fluctuates slightly, upon giving it throttle without driving it, and slowly moving the throttle it will rev fine, but if you’re quick with it, it’ll hesitate and pick back up. BUT once you drive, it will die on you, if it starts up again it’ll run terribly and ANY throttle input will stall the engine, with load or no load. If you let it sit sometimes maybe you’ll get lucky for it to drive you another 500 feet.

Also on an slightly unrelated note, I have an “E” ECU laying around, is it possible to put it in this car? I understand they received better performance and overheating protection.

Let me know what y’all think, and oh yeah, pictures.

[GArBa]

what errors does the scan give you? the symptoms sound vacuum-related.
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cars:
'97 type 1 1600i
'14 type AA Seat Mii (sadly dead after 270.000 km)
'22 type C1 T-Cross
'23 type AC3 Hyundai I10 (VW no longer makes small cars!)
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moped:
'82 Benelli Magnum 3v

[hopkin]

A member in our local club here had similar symptoms on his '02 and chased it for a year or so.

The problem ended up being the throttle position sensor.

_________________
1971 Super Beetle (past)
1971 Super Beetle (past)
1974 SunBug (past)
1972 914 (past)
1991 Honda Civic (Original Owner)
1996 'Open Air' Mexican Beetle (current)
2015 Golf (current)
2017 Dune Edition (daughter's car)

[Root_Werks]

[TechionDigit]

No fault codes are present on my “B” ECU, TPS has already been replaced with a new OEM VW one.
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1974 Texas Yellow Super Beetle
2004 Passat 1.8T Wagon
1994 Sedan Firebeetle

[TechionDigit]

So using a vacuum tool, plugging off the end of the line at the manifold and sucking from the ECU side, it does not hold pressure, it does slowly die down, the vacuum line is ran through the wiring harness, is there any trick to pull out the old one while chasing the new one through?
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1974 Texas Yellow Super Beetle
2004 Passat 1.8T Wagon
1994 Sedan Firebeetle

[TechionDigit]

So I had performed a vacuum overlay temporarily, running a hose from the ecu out the door and into the engine bay, performed basic settings and no difference was made, so I had to re-analyze my situation, I couldnt perform a proper fuel pressure or delivery since I don’t have the correct adapter for the fuel rail so I took a complete shot in the dark, ran home (literally.) and grabbed a stached away Brück brand fuel pump. Noticing the fuel return line was kinked at 90 degree angles, twice, into the pump, I replaced all the hosing and started the engine up, and it actually drives nows! Performed basic settings again just incase, it still hesitates occassionally but this car is due for spark plugs and an injector cleaning anyway.

Long story short, a 20 year old fuel pump that’s been sitting for years is probably bad.

And man, these cars are FAST compared to my Super beetle with a 3.88 rear end.
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1974 Texas Yellow Super Beetle
2004 Passat 1.8T Wagon
1994 Sedan Firebeetle

[Root_Werks]

Your vacuum leak is likely inside the ECU. There's a short 3mm hose that fails.

You can take the cover off the ECU and replace the hose.
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When I set my timing, why do I flush, then take a pee?

[TechionDigit]

Already done that, minor vacuum leak in the actual line itself rather then ECU, and with performing the overlay for the vacuum problem was still persistent which helped me conclude on a fuel issue, just need to find out now how to route a new vacuum line through the body of the car.
_________________
1974 Texas Yellow Super Beetle
2004 Passat 1.8T Wagon
1994 Sedan Firebeetle

[hopkin]

[Root_Werks]

Got my Berg 5spd back in the Bug a week ago. Loving the new gears!

Before, my 3-4 were too close together and annoying to drive. Swapped out 3-4-5 for 1.48, 1.04 and .82. Only about 75 miles on the new gears, but wow, what a nice change!

Hasn't been above freezing here for about a week, but dry.

-Dan

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When I set my timing, why do I flush, then take a pee?

[radstude]

[Root_Werks]

It's not, weird angle of the pic.
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When I set my timing, why do I flush, then take a pee?

[coolbugfan]

O2 Sensor Routing.

Hi Sambas,

So, I've got my 1995 1600i back (finally!) and it's running. The tin still needs to be installed between the engine and the back apron. The O2 sensor is plugged in and just coiled up and zip tied where it won't touch anything hot. What is the best (factory) rooting for the O2 sensor? Right now it's coiled up on the passenger side of the engine. A photo would be great.

Much thanks!

[coolbugfan]

Throttle pedal

Hi Sambas,

(A second question here.)

I'm not getting full throttle travel on the new engine. There's a new throttle cable and the throttle body lever seems to move smoothly.

With the accelerator all the way down, I still have over an inch of travel on the throttle. So the pedal assembly isn't moving smoothly and the pedal isn't traveling through its full motion (pedal doesn't go all the way to the floor).

What should I be looking at/fixing/adjusting to get a smooth, long pedal travel?

Much thanks!

[radstude]

[hopkin]

[coolbugfan]

Fantastic! Super helpful. Thank youHopkin & Rastude.

[Root_Werks]

Does anyone know what the "+4" means on the block? It's just under the distributor written in white.

Older picture when I updated to thick wall 88's and AA heads. Never paid much mind to it, but it's been there since new in 2003:

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When I set my timing, why do I flush, then take a pee?

[coolbugfan]

Hi All,

Still having issues with the car (1995). It seemed really gutless to drive, then I found out the throttle was only opening half way. I seem to have a little over half the necessary travel for the throttle. The cable is good. The pedal moves through the normal range of motion (compared it to a mid-60s German Beetle and the throttle travels were the same). I can adjust the cable for WOT at full pedal travel, but that means a VERY fast ‘idle’ once the clutch goes in as the throttle can never get close to closed.

Any ideas?
How to get more ‘throw’ on the throttle?
How to get more travel on the pedal?
Anything else.

I will include a photo of the current throttle body. Past owners have been very ham fisted with the car. Is anything set up wrong?

Much thanks