TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:44 am

I have a 1971 Super Beetle that is in mint condition but it is hard to start after it gets hot .
It start quick when cold . Any suggestions appreciated . Thanks Wayne

Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:49 am

More details please...
What do you mean by "hard to start"?

Does the engine NOT turn over when hot? Does it turn over slowly? Does the starter solenoid just "click"?

Does it turn over (crank) normally, but won't "catch" and run?

Does it start but not idle?

Do you need to pump the accelerator pedal to get it to start when hot?

Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:29 pm

I'll bet he's experiencing a bit of choking up (flooded) when it's hot. If it's cranking okay, push the accelerator pedal to the floor all the way & hold it down while you're cranking. It'll dump the extra fuel & get you out of a flooded condition. Typical of these cars...
But yeah, Ashman can solve your problem if you give a more thorough explanation...
And welcome to the board! See if you can post a pic of that mint condition beetle!

Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:32 pm

1) bad starter
2) valve adjustment needed
3) carb adjustment needed
4) other

being "hard to start hot" is a very vague description

Thu Mar 24, 2011 5:55 am

I'm curious to see where this goes, as I experience a similar problem.

After short drives, the engine gets pretty hot. Then when I try to start the car, it turns over but doesnt catch.

I think my source is overheating, but I cant figure out what is causing it to overheat.

Thu Mar 24, 2011 6:23 am

Try replacing the coil.

Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:40 am

jlex wrote: I'll bet he's experiencing a bit of choking up (flooded) when it's hot. If it's cranking okay, push the accelerator pedal to the floor all the way & hold it down while you're cranking. It'll dump the extra fuel & get you out of a flooded condition. Typical of these cars...
But yeah, Ashman can solve your problem if you give a more thorough explanation...
And welcome to the board! See if you can post a pic of that mint condition beetle!

The owner's manual for these cars actually addresses this problem. From the 1972 manual:

Thu Mar 24, 2011 8:20 am

jlex wrote: I'll bet he's experiencing a bit of choking up (flooded) when it's hot. If it's cranking okay, push the accelerator pedal to the floor all the way & hold it down while you're cranking. It'll dump the extra fuel & get you out of a flooded condition. Typical of these cars...
But yeah, Ashman can solve your problem if you give a more thorough explanation...
And welcome to the board! See if you can post a pic of that mint condition beetle!

I thought pressing the pedal would squirt fuel, thus causing flooding. Is it different if you press and hold?

Thu Mar 24, 2011 8:39 am

Thats awesome RustySuper!! Thanks for that. Now i know my carbs rnt all jacked up or somthing.

Thu Mar 24, 2011 8:57 am

If you had the proper plastic tear drop inline fuel filter installed correctly between the fuel pump and carb you could eliminate several hard start problem's as to what exactly is going on with one look at the filter .
1) No squirt < unlikely hold choke open and actuate throttle while looking down carb throat to see if you got good healthy stream .
2) Too big of a squirt ? < more likely than no squirt adjust throttle pump shaft on carb to reduce squirt .
3) combination of excessive fuel pump pressure overideing the carb inlett valve causeing a fatt condition then you press the pedal givin a flooded condition a squirt more of fuel on top of it.
4 )Combination of 2 and3 in conjunction with closed up pitted / burned
point's , badd timming ( Most probable )
5) In addition to this you should also runn a hard start relay on your starter with a new starter shaft bushing for a good dependable spinn of the engine .
Note : If fuel pump pressure / Carb inlett valve is addressed so that your engine isnt supporting a fatt or flooded condition it will allow you to adjust the carb throttle pump rodd to maximize your throttle pump squirt and will increase performance .
I use a plastic inline tear drop fuel filter between fuel pump and carb installed correctly to trouble shoot fuel problem's .
Use of any other filter or installed inncorrectly can and will start an engine fire ( Metal or glass filter's should never be used )
:twisted: Sean :twisted:

Thu Mar 24, 2011 9:00 am

holding the throttle open will help clear out the extra fuel, sounds like its overheating check all ur cooling componets

Thu Mar 24, 2011 10:04 am

Abandonhope16 wrote: I thought pressing the pedal would squirt fuel, thus causing flooding. Is it different if you press and hold?
That was what I thought too. Maybe it is because it lets in a lot more air also?

Thu Mar 24, 2011 12:32 pm

Two common sources for flooding...

1) When the fuel pump pressure exceeds the inlet valve/float's ability to stop the flow (bad pressure adjustment or bad float/valve)... fuel will start pouring from the vent tube down the carb throat.

2) The driver who decides he needs to pump the pedal 10x while cranking this engine. This WILL pump LOTS of fuel into the carb throat. :shock:

A single pump & hold should not flood the engine. Give it a try with your engine/carb combo. Some engines don't need it. The vacuum created while cranking will draw enough air/fuel to start.
Other engines may need 1/4-pedal; 1/2-pedal or the full-pedal squirt to start when warm.

You do want to step in the accelerator pedal a bit when first starting in the morning. This is not for the fuel, but to allow the choke cam to fall into place and for the choke butterfly to close.

Thu Mar 24, 2011 5:39 pm

Abandonhope16 wrote: jlex wrote: I'll bet he's experiencing a bit of choking up (flooded) when it's hot. If it's cranking okay, push the accelerator pedal to the floor all the way & hold it down while you're cranking. It'll dump the extra fuel & get you out of a flooded condition. Typical of these cars...
But yeah, Ashman can solve your problem if you give a more thorough explanation...
And welcome to the board! See if you can post a pic of that mint condition beetle!

I thought pressing the pedal would squirt fuel, thus causing flooding. Is it different if you press and hold?

Pressing it once won't flood it; as others have said, holding it all the way down if it won't start while warm will actually clear the excess gas. (Read the manual)
Most of the younger posters are only familiar with fuel injected engines which don't take any thinking to start. Carb equipped engines lend personality to a car that the driver has to become accustomed to. It's just part of the deal...

Thu Mar 24, 2011 6:09 pm

jlex wrote: Abandonhope16 wrote: jlex wrote: I'll bet he's experiencing a bit of choking up (flooded) when it's hot. If it's cranking okay, push the accelerator pedal to the floor all the way & hold it down while you're cranking. It'll dump the extra fuel & get you out of a flooded condition. Typical of these cars...
But yeah, Ashman can solve your problem if you give a more thorough explanation...
And welcome to the board! See if you can post a pic of that mint condition beetle!

I thought pressing the pedal would squirt fuel, thus causing flooding. Is it different if you press and hold?

Pressing it once won't flood it; as others have said, holding it all the way down if it won't start while warm will actually clear the excess gas. (Read the manual)
Most of the younger posters are only familiar with fuel injected engines which don't take any thinking to start. Carb equipped engines lend personality to a car that the driver has to become accustomed to. It's just part of the deal...

AMEN!

Thu Mar 24, 2011 11:06 pm

i have a 74 super with the SAME problem it starts great cold, but warm it takes a bit longer to catch.

Tue Jun 14, 2022 6:54 am

I have dealt with this problem for the last year on my 67 VW Bug. I did install the hot start relay because after a while I would just get a click when the bug wouldn't start when it was hot. The rely did make this problem go away but I still had the problem of no start or difficult start when she was all nice and toasty. This seems to be a common problem on all the boards and everyone seems to have the same answer without listening to the problem. The motor is turning over! it's just not starting. I finally found a post from a guy with the exact same problem and he got the same answers but at the end of the thread, he said his son suggested changing the COIL. That made all the sense in the world to me so I did it and now problem SOLVED!

It's the freaking COIL - if its old and weak it gets weaker when it get's hot and doesn't give the spark you need to fire up.

Tue Jun 14, 2022 7:08 am

What jlex said. it's common on most all air cooled engine's .

Tue Jun 14, 2022 9:29 am

What carb do you have? Most of the chinese after-market 34-3 carbs are made of really light metals and I think are susceptible to heat soak, which, if hot enough, can cause the gas in the bowl to bubble and overflow into the intake. Basically flooding the engine making for a hard host start.

Tue Jun 14, 2022 11:46 pm

Arad06130 wrote: It's the freaking COIL - if its old and weak it gets weaker when it get's hot and doesn't give the spark you need to fire up.

May well be. I had this problem several years ago and didn't find the cause until the coil finally died and I replaced it.