Throttle shaft vacuum leaks - cheap fix

[texson]

Have had issue with high idle due to worn throttle shaft vacuum leak. Replacing carb, not affordable if desireable. Being a cheap bastard, I used what Had on hand. I found that a 3 mL syringe outer housing to be a good fit in the carb housing. It was not a tight enough fit on the shaft. I took some waxed thread from my leather work kit and wrapped the shaft to provide a tight fit in the plastic. Since the wax thread seals on itself, it has provided a good seal on the shaft. She idles right nicely now.

[vwkirb]

I'm glad it worked for you, for now... I'm not sure how long it will last that way.

Gasoline is a great solvent, and wax is polar... This may be a problem. Look into re-bushing it:

http://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=129722&hilit=throttle+shaft+bushing

[vwkirb]

I'm glad it worked for you, for now... I'm not sure how long it will last that way.

Gasoline is a great solvent, and wax is polar... This may be a problem. Look into re-bushing it:

http://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=129722&hilit=throttle+shaft+bushing

[texson]

With a vacuum on the inside it should not see at best a minimum of gas. Buys me some time to work on other problems.

[Tim Donahoe]

I'm thinking a little duct tape, wrapped around the carb, might last longer

Tim

[OLD VW NUT]

I've done backyard repairs to throttle shafts before. I had a Pict 34 3 that was so bad it made a sucking sound as the air whistled past the throttle shaft. It was nearly impossible to make the carb idle. I took it apart and repaired it with half an oring - half on each side with a small washer to put pressure on the oring halves to hold them to the throttle shaft until the vacuum pulled them to the carb body. Worked for great for quite a while - until I was able to buy a set of Kadron carbs. I split the oring with a razor blade.

While I had the carb apart and working on it I needed the car running so I took an old Rochester 1 barrel carb I had laying around that was from an old Chevy 6 cylinder and fitted it to the DP manifold. It made pretty good power and was easy to drive but I kept getting vacuum leaks at the base of the carb since it wasn't quite a match for the VW intake manifold. It also iced up faster than the Solex carb. Adding a VW type throttle arm to the Rochester was easy since I had a torch. I brazed it to the throttle shaft.

I often wondered why nobody ever marketed a manifold for using that old Rochester carb. There was one under the hood of every old Chevy car and truck sitting in the junk yards.
_________________
71 Ghia Coupe - stock body - no rust! Powered by a 2110 W/Dual HPMX 44's - Rancho Pro Street Transaxle - A/C by Gilmore

Other car - 2013 VW Golf TDI

[texson]

[texson]

[swhitcomb]

There's a guy on eBay selling new throttle shaft bushings. Might look into that instead.
_________________
My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster

[Tim Donahoe]

Tex, I was just messing with you.

If it works, it works.

Actually, if my 34 PICT 3 needs work again--while it's out being rebushed, or what not, I'll try your idea on an H30/31 that I keep as a spare.

Tim

[texson]

[Joey]

Back when I had access to a lathe I machined o-ring grooves in the shaft like so...

...still working after 5 years or so.
_________________
Joey

‘60 Kombi - '74 Bus - '79 Panel - '65 Beetle

[texson]

[aryue]

New bronze bushings are available - but have an O.D. slightly larger than the original hole.

http://www.rpmbearings.com/bearing-ina-p-a-p-0810-p-14

- Andrew in Austin, TX -
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OldandSlow - but still chuggin.
http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~yue/VW/VWBus.html