TheSamba.com :: View topic - Anyone near The Algarve Portugal? Help me please

Wed May 23, 2018 7:59 am

Hi, I'm stranded at a campsite with my vw bus, drove from England to Italy thru France all the way to Portugal without a hiccup. In terms of describing - it starts up fine, idles fine and revs really well (you'd think it is running perfectly). 1st pull away and it will be smooth and almost normal (very slight hesitation through acceleration) and then after 500mtrs it will bog down fully, hesitate and will struggle to get above 40mph (even down hill). If my foot lightly rests on the pedal it will run smoother (but won't pick up speed) then if I put my foot down. The longer I drive it, the worse it gets.

What I have done
Plugs
Cap
Rotor
Leads
Fuel filter
Rebuilt carbs
Checked pump
Changed coil

I have a 2.0 with twin kadrons

Wed May 23, 2018 8:29 am

Sounds like fuel starvation. Change the fuel filter again. Depending on the brand of filter and condition of your tank, they can plug up fast.

Wed May 23, 2018 8:41 am

Is this your 75 Beetle we are discussing?, or some sort of bus?, if so what year?

Wed May 23, 2018 8:49 am

Try it with the gas cap off

Wed May 23, 2018 8:58 am

Could be fuel starved from the screen in the tank. Or a vacuum leak.

Wed May 23, 2018 9:19 am

busdaddy wrote: Is this your 75 Beetle we are discussing?, or some sort of bus?, if so what year?

It's a bus with a pancake 2.0 1980

Wed May 23, 2018 9:52 am

If you did not get a bath in gas, when u pulled the fuel hose off from the gas tank to the filter. Your gas tank is plugged.

Wed May 23, 2018 9:56 am

if you're searching for local contacts and help, try this: http://www.airmapp.com/mapp

Wed May 23, 2018 11:19 am

Tried no gas cap, didn't fix
Sprayed easy start all over for leaks , nothing
When I pulled the line off to change the filter lots of gas came out.

I have 40L in there currently but tomorrow I will drain out and check that filter.

I do think you're right on the starvation side but would any electrical faults cause this also? Or something deeper in the engine?

Thanks everyone.

Wed May 23, 2018 11:27 am

if the filter flows OK, then it's the wiring to your fuel pump, or the pump
itself can't deliver....I know there's a spec for the fuel injection pump, as
far as cc's per 20 or 30 seconds, I would think your pump is failing to deliver
if the fuel flows freely from the tank & filter isn't plugged up.
Would not start digging 'deeper in the engine' yet.

Wed May 23, 2018 11:35 am

Here is a video clip of what's going on.

Also will my tank have an in tank filter screen?

https://youtu.be/GU1CSU-lWWw

Wed May 23, 2018 1:11 pm

Defenitly fuel starvation, you can hear it puffing trough the carbs a typical sound for not enough gas in the carb bowl, could be the fuel pump, a clogged fuel line or dirty blocked jets?

Wed May 23, 2018 1:24 pm

I found a rag inside a tank once acting similarly

Wed May 23, 2018 1:30 pm

Literally cleaned every part of it. Loads of fuel in the bowls. Jets are clear as are all the carb pipes etc.

Also brand new tank was fitted 6months ago.

Wed May 23, 2018 1:38 pm

Does the engine have a catalytic converter on it?

Wed May 23, 2018 2:03 pm

SGKent wrote: Does the engine have a catalytic converter on it?

No cat converter. The spout on the tank is not removable. Is there still a screen inside the tank?

Wed May 23, 2018 2:23 pm

t-hardwick wrote: SGKent wrote: Does the engine have a catalytic converter on it?

No cat converter. The spout on the tank is not removable. Is there still a screen inside the tank?

no.

Electronic ignition or points?

Wed May 23, 2018 2:24 pm

If the bowls are full you can rule out tank or pump.

Wed May 23, 2018 3:19 pm

Ok, let's say that the fuel system is ok and it is an ignition fault. I have replaced all the leads, plugs, cap and rotor (the original rotor was melted at the end). Perhaps the hall sender? Measuring the voltage at the coil I get nearly 12v.
The hall sender plug reads at 10.81v where I plug it into my distributor. So I am losing 1v somewhere. Could this cause a problem? In terms of other ignition perhaps the timing or vacuum advance is at fault? I'm on a campsite in Portugal with no 'specialist' tools so hard to check timing etc. Cheers

Wed May 23, 2018 3:21 pm

SGKent wrote: t-hardwick wrote: SGKent wrote: Does the engine have a catalytic converter on it?

No cat converter. The spout on the tank is not removable. Is there still a screen inside the tank?

no.

Electronic ignition or points?

Electronic ignition