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Eric&Barb Samba Member

Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 26118 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2025 2:45 pm Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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Also please post at least two images looking up at underside of the engine just forward of the muffler showing the rear side of the engine. Looks like you are missing the lower rear cylinder pair of tins that need to be there to cool evenly #2 & #4 cylinders. If those tins are MIA, that will cause cylinders to warp due to uneven cooling and premature wear of those cylinders with loss of compression. _________________ In Stereo, Where Available! |
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Brinny Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2025 Posts: 17 Location: Northumberland
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 11:22 am Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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So I went out to take some more pics tonight and had a look round the engine bay in general, the rail to attach the seal round is absolutely mangled, I doubt I’ll be able to get the seal to sit in the rail properly if at all. It also looks like the engine is sitting too close to the rear of the car. I’ve attached some more pics of all around, some of the rails and some of the underside as well. I’ve also ordered an idle solenoid which should be here tomorrow hopefully so I can try to remove the one currently fitted that is unbelievably tight in the carb, more just to eliminate it.
I can’t find any numbers or anything on the carb itself which isn’t overly helpful. I’m worried I’ll never be able to get a decent sealed engine bay now after looking at all this tonight. I also have the heater pipe on the OS of the engine I’ve just not refitted it yet after messing on with the plugs and leads etc.
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volky1970 Samba Member

Joined: November 11, 2006 Posts: 413 Location: A very hot Island with BUGS that KILL!!!
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 11:28 am Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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Brinny,
Looks like you are missing the deflector tin between the cylinders. Can't be like that. Verify. _________________ 1970 Beetle Turbo 2109cc MS II EFI, W/M Injection, Intercooler, FORD Wasted Spark Coilpack, 48lb. Injectors. |
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Eric&Barb Samba Member

Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 26118 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 12:47 pm Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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volky1970 wrote: |
Brinny,
Looks like you are missing the deflector tin between the cylinders. Can't be like that. Verify. |
Concur those tins are missing, and lethal to run an air cooled VW engine without.
Guessing this beetle has only done in town driving for very short trips since this engine was installed. Probably in cooler weather for the most part has helped to have it not seize up the engine.
No muffler clamps, a good way to get monoxide poisoning.
No clamps between the muffler and heater boxes.
Plus heater boxes need welding repairs.
Rear apron has been hit causing the seal problem, but that should be an easy fix with a hand winch and some objects like trees to anchor the beetle in place. _________________ In Stereo, Where Available! |
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Eric&Barb Samba Member

Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 26118 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 12:52 pm Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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A fellow VW bus owner has a thread we are helping with. Engine for bus almost same as beetle, so good reference info and images there for you:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=805107
Especially check out the images OP posted early today. _________________ In Stereo, Where Available! |
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Brinny Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2025 Posts: 17 Location: Northumberland
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 1:21 pm Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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I’ve only driven to work and back when I’ve been able to drive him which is 5 miles each way. What do you guys think is the best plan of action at the moment? I’d like him to be right and run properly and be sort of reliable but the more I seem to look and fix the more I seem to find. I know for sure the floor pans and the heater channels etc are all solid and he’s fully under sealed so surely that’s worth keeping, should I pull the lump out and start a fresh engine build and get the engine bay right? Seems to be the easiest way to make sure it’s gunna be all right. |
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redhot Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2005 Posts: 532
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redhot Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2005 Posts: 532
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 1:44 pm Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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Also; the pre-heated air to air filter (see example below) and hence cold(er) weather and initial running may be releavnt to adress;
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Eric&Barb Samba Member

Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 26118 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 3:13 pm Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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Brinny wrote: |
should I pull the lump out and start a fresh engine build and get the engine bay right? Seems to be the easiest way to make sure it’s gunna be all right. |
Personally would get a core engine to rebuild or have rebuilt.
Meanwhile take a weekend to pull the engine you have now. Strip it down to long block, clean it up. Take one head off at a time so you can replace the under cylinder tin pieces, install new push rod tube seals. Then reassemble it back to a full engine, with all the missing parts replaced.
That way once you have the new engine rebuilt you have a spare runner on the shelf, or sell/trade it off if need be. _________________ In Stereo, Where Available! |
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Brinny Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2025 Posts: 17 Location: Northumberland
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2025 1:54 pm Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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Thanks for all the info and help on this everyone, looks like I’ve got some work to do haha! Now I’ve just got to find the right bits to order which is always another fun game I’ve found with this engine, for example the idle solenoid arrived today and it’s the wrong one  |
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Eric&Barb Samba Member

Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 26118 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2025 2:40 pm Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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Brinny wrote: |
Thanks for all the info and help on this everyone, looks like I’ve got some work to do haha! Now I’ve just got to find the right bits to order which is always another fun game I’ve found with this engine, for example the idle solenoid arrived today and it’s the wrong one  |
Just keep us all updated. That way all of us here can help to steer you from any pitfalls coming up. _________________ In Stereo, Where Available! |
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Brinny Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2025 Posts: 17 Location: Northumberland
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Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2025 12:06 pm Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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Evening all, so tonight I rebuilt my carb, replaced all the gaskets cleaned out all the jets by removal and spraying through everywhere with carb cleaner, cleaned the bowl out and changed the float and set it back to starting settings (2.5 turns out on volume and bypass screws etc). Cranked it over after rebuilding it and it wouldn’t fire so I popped the dizzy cap off and the timing was 180° out so I’ve corrected that, cranked it a few different times when it was obvious the timing was still out so I’ve done little adjustments to try get it close and it’s now cranking over freely again but still won’t seem to fire. Im pretty sure the leads are on in the right order, I’m not sure whether it might just be flooded after cranking so much while I’ve adjusted the timing or whether it’s something else entirely. Does anyone have a picture of the correct lead positions just in case it’s that or any other things I should check as to why it won’t start? |
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redhot Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2005 Posts: 532
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Eric&Barb Samba Member

Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 26118 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2025 1:13 pm Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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If you have compression, then check for spark (plus color of the spark) and if fuel is getting to accelerator nozzle in the carb.
Did you fill the float chamber of the carb so the entire fuel system does not need to fill??? Mechanical fuel pumps work much much better at a idle speed to suck the fuel from the tank to the pump. _________________ In Stereo, Where Available! |
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Brinny Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2025 Posts: 17 Location: Northumberland
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Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2025 3:14 pm Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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I think I’ve figured it out in my head but just to clarify with the 1-4-3-2 firing order, if my rotor arm faces cylinder 1 at TDC that’s where #1 lead will be then next in sequence clockwise would be #4 am I right? I currently have them in 1-2-4-3 if that’s statement is correct. |
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Eric&Barb Samba Member

Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 26118 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2025 3:17 pm Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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Brinny wrote: |
I think I’ve figured it out in my head but just to clarify with the 1-4-3-2 firing order, if my rotor arm faces cylinder 1 at TDC that’s where #1 lead will be then next in sequence clockwise would be #4 am I right? |
Correct. _________________ In Stereo, Where Available! |
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viiking Samba Member

Joined: May 10, 2013 Posts: 3254 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2025 3:40 pm Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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The stupid way I have always remembered the firing order has been to write an "X".
Remembering that you always start with the Cylinder 1 (Front right), if you write a capital X like I do (or maybe most do), you start with the top right, then cross down to the bottom left, then the top left to the bottom right.
That always gets me the 1-4-3-2 order. _________________ 1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3 |
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bluesuedevellies Samba Member

Joined: August 19, 2025 Posts: 6 Location: Cape Town, South Africa
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Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2025 1:06 am Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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Brinny wrote: |
So I went out to take some more pics tonight and had a look round the engine bay in general, the rail to attach the seal round is absolutely mangled, I doubt I’ll be able to get the seal to sit in the rail properly if at all. It also looks like the engine is sitting too close to the rear of the car. I’ve attached some more pics of all around, some of the rails and some of the underside as well. I’ve also ordered an idle solenoid which should be here tomorrow hopefully so I can try to remove the one currently fitted that is unbelievably tight in the carb, more just to eliminate it.
I can’t find any numbers or anything on the carb itself which isn’t overly helpful. I’m worried I’ll never be able to get a decent sealed engine bay now after looking at all this tonight. I also have the heater pipe on the OS of the engine I’ve just not refitted it yet after messing on with the plugs and leads etc.
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AS others have observed, there is a fair amount of vital engine tinware and air deflector plates missing. Most likely will have to remove engine to get these installed.
But the main S-shaped rubber seal that goes around L, R, and REAR (of car) of the engine can be installed without removing engine, though you will greatly test the Fruit of the Spirit (joy, kindness, patience etc.. ) in doing so.
Screwdriver and pliers to remove old hardened rubber and straighten out the c-shaped metal channel the seal slides in on the body. And then baby powder/mazina/soap to help slide the new seal in from one open end the whole way along. _________________ 1972 Beetle, "Karoo"
https://www.facebook.com/makeyourdayclassic |
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vamram  Samba Member

Joined: March 08, 2012 Posts: 8074 Location: NOVA
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Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2025 3:44 am Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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The missing engine tin is critical for engine cooling. I agree w/blues, you will have to drop the engine to fix that. Some pieces, like the underside cylinder deflectors, can't be installed w/out dropping the motor, loosening the head, and temporarily removing the pushrod tubes.
W/the engine out, you can replace the rear seal. I use the foam one sold for '72+ plus Busses. Every online vendor sells it. Super easy to install, can be done easily w/the engine in the car....which you need to drop. _________________ "Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition
to put moral chains upon their own appetites. -Edmund Burke
“If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.”
Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!
'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...languishing since 2022.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!! |
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Schepp Samba Member

Joined: March 22, 2020 Posts: 569 Location: NorCal
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Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2025 10:13 am Post subject: Re: 3 years worth of running issues, please help! |
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I would pull the engine and replace all the seals. While you're at it address the cooling tin and exhaust situation.
Then before you reinstall the engine sort out the body and get a proper perimeter seal installed as well.
Its good to see that it still has the thermostat and flaps.
Its a lot of work but it will have a huge impact on year-round drivability and reliability.
What you have here is a prime example of a typical neglected VW. |
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