TheSamba.com :: View topic - When engine gets hot, Turns over very slowly and won't start

Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:08 pm

When I first start car it fires right up on first try, even after sitting for a week or more. After driving for a few miles when I shut off car it will not restart. If the car cools down it will start right up. When the car doesn't want to start it turns very slowly. I've gotten under car to feel starter for heat and its not hot at all. Could it still be starter ( its a rebuilt unit thats about 1 year old, and 200 miles). I has having some issues with old solex carb, so I replaced it with a new solex h30/31. Also just installed the Hot Spark 034 dizzy and high output coil. I'm thinking maybe its the float valve in bowl. Also I've noticed my engine ieems to be running a little hot. I have no gauges for temp, but everything in the engine bay gets very hot to touch "Everything Gets Hot". Could it be my timing is off? And I just pulled out my oil pump to check and replace. I'm working on getting my pressure relief valve out to replace as well. I've checked the cooler for leaks and its clean. All my tins are in place. I am running j tubes and a extractor exhaust. I have the special tins for the j tubes and the tubes are wrapped with exhaust wrap. Im thinking of wrapping the rest of the exhaust too, since its right near the oil pump. I was running deck lid stand offs and still had same issue. Im back to factory set up on deck lid now. Any idea what I need to check? I also pulled #3, #4 plugs and they looked normal. I have installed a new fuel pump, and filters too.
Would flooding of the carb cause an engine to run hot? Or just hard to restart. My oil is fresh , yet smells like fuel.

Thu Sep 29, 2011 12:21 am

Turning over slowly? Definately slower than when cold? I ask because if it fires up instantly cold, maybe you haven't really "heard" the crank-over speed when cold.

What type of starter - I've seen a couple and heard of a lot more non-Bosch rebuilds that aren't that great - people cashing in their lifetime warranty on a regular basis.

If you think it's that hot, I'd get some kind of way of finding exactly what your actual engine temperatures are - a digital or analog stem thermometer or an infrared thermometer of some kind.

Is your oil pump the type with a filter then?

I don't really recommend exhaust wrap, from experience. I tried it on my Baja, the areas next to my filter-style oil pump and it made zero effect on engine temps - but the way it held moisture caused my header to rust out way before it would have otherwise. I mentioned that in this thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=466877&

If you think the carb is "dry" when it's not starting - simply take the top of the carb off and see how much fuel is inside.

incidently, the H30/31, out of the box, does not give a correct vacuum signal to an 034, by the way. It's set up like the 30PICT-3 from 1970 - for a vac-only distributor. All the low to mid level acceleration will be from the centrifugal. The vac won't kick in until mid-to upper RPMs, which is totally opposite of how an SVDA is supposed to work. (too much advance)

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=185095&highlight=[/code]

-Andy

Thu Sep 29, 2011 2:20 am

Clean your starter connections. I had a similar problem and it turned out they were just dirty. Cranks and runs perfectly now. Although I also was missing my rear engine tin which once I got that in, now it runs waaaaaaaaaaay cooler. I can touch anything on the engine and it's not too hot. except the pulleys when it's running, I haven't checked those :lol:

Thu Sep 29, 2011 2:54 am

Clean the terminals for the starter and see if that helps. Check the wiring and make sure you don't see corrosion.

How long does it take before it starts normally?

No start when hot can also be caused by vapor lock I'd check the fuel pump and filter and see how the fuel looks at the time.

If you are concerned about the timing then would check it too. You've done a lot of work to it recently it sounds like so checking the timing is always a good idea.