Having trouble getting her to run right

glifahrenheitcameron

Hello, I apologize if I am posting this in the wrong area.....I am new to the forums side of this website. I have a 65 bus that I am currently trying to get back on the road. She is almost ready, and it is only down to getting the motor going correctly in order to start driving her. My issue is that it just doesn't want to idle. I can hit the key and it'll fire right up, and as long as I pat the gas, it'll stay running. Might I also say that it runs fairly decent while I do this.

But like I said, the motor just won't idle. It sputters to a dead stop as soon as you let off the gas. I have replaced every electrical component that I can imagine (coil, dis. cap, dis. rotor, points, spark plugs/wires, condenser, new carb with new choke and cutoff solenoid, voltage reg., battery, and generator). With all of this replaced with new stuff, I feel pretty confident that none of these are causing my issues.

When I got the bus, the motor was out and there were bare wires sticking out into the engine bay. I am pretty sure that everything is hooked up correctly, especially since everything appears to be working as it should, but I am really not sure.

I should also mention that if I unplug the 3rd or 4th cylinder spark plug wire from the distributor, then the bus runs poorly (as it should). However, if I unplug cylinder 1 or 2, there is no change in how the motor runs. This just seems very off to me and I know that there has got to be something wrong.

Do I have something wired up incorrectly? Do I have a faulty part? Is there something inside the motor that is messed up (the driver side valve cover does leak some oil and I have yet to look into it)?

Please help me out guys....I am really tired of seeing her looking all sad. She hasn't been on the road since 87 and she's ready to roll again.

easy e · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 12:11 am Post subject:

How do plugs look?... gapped correctly?... verified spark on 1 & 2?
How old/new are plug wires?
Valves adjusted?
Checked timing?
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EDragnDean · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:15 am Post subject:

Dual carb?
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RPGreg2600 · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:33 am Post subject:

Firing order correct?? If you're only running on 2 cylinders, you either have the firing order wrong, no spark on that side, or something wrong with the engine. Verify firing order, check for spark(plug in a spark plug and set it on ground) if those both check out good, do a compression check.

otis_bartleh · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 10:51 am Post subject:

Choke properly adjusted? And definitely check 1 & 2 are firing...
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Campy · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 1:38 pm Post subject:

Your engine cannot be running well above an idle if there is no change when you removed the spark plug wire from the no. one cylinder or the no. two cylinder and it ran the same.
Did the new carburetor come with an electro magnetic cutoff valve? When it goes out, an engine will not idle.
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glifahrenheitcameron · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 6:45 pm Post subject:

easy e: The plugs are brand new, gapped correctly, and there is spark on 1 and 2. Plug wires are brand new, I have not adjusted the valves, and yes I have checked the timing.

edragndean: nope.

rpgreg2600: Yup the firing order is correct. I am getting spark on 1 and 2, it just isn't hitting inside the motor. I suppose that a compression check is next on the list.

otis bartleh: Yup the choke is adjusted correctly. 1 and 2 are firing, but as stated above, it isn't hitting inside the motor.

campy: the new carb did come with a new cutoff valve.

kirbyland · Samba Member Joined: December 17, 2010 Posts: 287

unplug 3 4- it won't run/fire at all? If you have spark and compression- you must be lacking fuel- something build a nest on one side of intake?

glifahrenheitcameron · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:11 pm Post subject:

Kirbyland: It won't run like that. I do have spark, but unsure on compression. I will say that sometimes I do get some excess fuel that comes out of the muffler.....blockage somewhere inside the the motor on the passenger side? Can I pop off the valve cover and look for anything there?.....or is it just asking for a tear down on the motor?

Z · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:23 pm Post subject:

Excess fuel? Or condensation from inside the muffler?

glifahrenheitcameron · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:29 pm Post subject:

z: I feel like the motor is getting fuel to the passenger side, but it isn't being ignited.

64 ragtop volks · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:38 pm Post subject:

Look inside the dist. cap mabey you simply have some carbon build up.you can scrape off with a pocket knife or try a new cap and rotor

RPGreg2600 · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:50 pm Post subject:

I would hazard a guess that if fuel is dripping from the exhaust, you are getting fuel to the passenger side! I have had this exact problem before, with a new set of NGK spark plugs. Somehow I had two plugs on the same side fail within a few miles, I swapped out the plugs and the problem never returned. Same thing though fuel dripping from exhaust.

Campy · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 8:57 pm Post subject:

Gasoline has come out of the muffler when the engine is not running or when it is running? Check the oil to see if there is gasoline in it. If there is, drain the oil away from a source of ignition. About 28 years ago, my 1957 bus had gasoline get forced down into the engine oil due to high pressure in the fuel tank because I was sold a gas cap that was unvented.
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kirbyland · Samba Member Joined: December 17, 2010 Posts: 287

I'd say if gas is present- then no spark-, or your valves are miss adjusted (thus no compression). switch plugs to the other side and narrow it down. Buy the "Idiots Guide to Keeping Your VW Alive" John Muir. It's a great starter book to get you on the way to understanding your bus-

glifahrenheitcameron · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2014 7:48 am Post subject:

64 ragtop volks: as stated in my first post, I have a new cap and rotor.

rpgreg2600: I know that I am getting fuel to the passenger side, but it just doesn't seem to be burning up. I'll try switching around some plugs.

Campy: When I crank the motor and let it run while i'm tinkering with it, no gas drips from the muffler. It isn't until after I shut the motor off that the gas drips out. I will check the oil...thanks Smile

Kirbyland: Gas is present and there is spark, but it just isn't hitting inside the motor. I haven't messed with the valves at all yet, but that is one of the next things on the list. I will also trying switching plugs around.

olliehank47 · Samba Member Joined: May 04, 2011 Posts: 1198

eric m · Samba Member Joined: January 14, 2004 Posts: 125

sounds to me that you have a vacuum leak on the dead side of the motor. with the motor running as low and steady as you can, spray some carb cleaner around the intake where it meets the head. if the engine speed picks up , you have a vacuum leak in that area. i would also spray along the entire runner to that side to check for cracks in the manifold . if you have a vacuum leak it , it won't ever idle low, but it will run at higher RPM's.

glifahrenheitcameron · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2014 9:09 pm Post subject:

Okay so I ran a compression check on each cylinder, and i'm getting between 90 and 95 on each. I also double checked to see if I am getting spark from the tips of each plug and I am. So what now? Adjust the valves and see what happens?

Also, I will be checking for vacuum leaks as mentioned by eric m.

Campy · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2014 9:59 pm Post subject:

You should always check the valves (tappets).
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