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60vwnewengland
Twin #2
Joined: June 25, 2003
Posts: 1784
Location: District of Columbia & Cape Cod
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 Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2018 4:12 pm Post subject: Leaky 32-34 PDSIT-2 |
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Ok, so I've got the Solex 32-34 PDSIT-2 dual carbs on my 1800cc motor. I got the motor with a single progressive carb, ditched that and went with a set of 32-34's off the samba.
The shafts seemed good and both carbs were in overall good condition so I just threw them on the bus. Got the motor running real well, carbs are synchronized, and I'm getting like 24 miles to the gallon. Life is good right?
Yesterday, I go to fire up the bus and it wont run right. Its kinda sounds like its running on two cylinders...? It was raining and cold so I bailed and figured I check it out later.
Today, I had time to check things out and I notice gas has soaked the intake manifold and a small puddle under the motor. It's gas.  I investigate more and notice the drivers side carb is leaking fuel out of the base. I took the pizza slice off the the top of the carb and notice that fuel is dripping from the bowl into the main shaft. Is this a sign that the float is too heavy and/or needs replacing. See video here:
Link
Here's another video explaining where my leak is coming from. I used a spare carb in my stash to help explain
Link
So I found this thread here that a guy had kinda of the same problem.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7585058#7585058 He rebuilt his carb and his leaky carb problem was solved.
I have a rebuild kit on hand. So, I probably should go ahead and do that. Is there any good procedure written up that I could use as a guide? Thanks guys.
Here's a third video explaining the problem. It's almost the same as the other above.
Link
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77 Westy - Cape Cod Sage
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Xevin 
Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2014
Posts: 7628
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| Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2018 4:37 pm Post subject: Re: Leaky 32-34 PDSIT-2 |
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His did you determine the thorttle shafts were good?
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60vwnewengland
Twin #2
Joined: June 25, 2003
Posts: 1784
Location: District of Columbia & Cape Cod
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| Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2018 5:00 pm Post subject: Re: Leaky 32-34 PDSIT-2 |
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| Xevin wrote: |
| His did you determine the thorttle shafts were good? |
No real quality control was completed. Everything seemed tight and not sloppy like a lot of carbs i've seen at swap meets.
I've driven about 1500-2000 miles on the carbs... so it's weird they didn't shit the bed right away, only after 6months of driving they decide to act up.
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77 Westy - Cape Cod Sage
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SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2018 5:26 pm Post subject: Re: Leaky 32-34 PDSIT-2 |
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doesn't Bentley have a chapter on carbs that includes everything one would need to know to rebuild and tune a set of those carbs?
Also - yes the float may be bad - heavy if foam or leaking if hollow, or a bad sticking needle from being bouncy around while off the bus, or even high fuel pressure if an electric pump is being used.
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xyzzy
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2014
Posts: 229
Location: Encinitas, CA
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2018 1:54 pm Post subject: Re: Leaky 32-34 PDSIT-2 |
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Ok. So this could be as simple as a stuck needle valve given how you're describing the spot where it's leaking from. Have you removed the lid from the top of the carb and checked the float?
There is a lot of info on the multiple PDSIT threads here.
If you're going to rebuild them, make sure you get your float right, and quality needle valves. If your throttle shaft bushing are toast, send them to Tim @ Volkzbitz to have them rebuilt and they'll be good as new in no-time:
Also, I don't think you should be getting 24mpg. 
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1973 VW Westfalia 2L hydraulic, dual Solex PDSIT
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60vwnewengland
Twin #2
Joined: June 25, 2003
Posts: 1784
Location: District of Columbia & Cape Cod
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2018 4:32 pm Post subject: Re: Leaky 32-34 PDSIT-2 |
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| xyzzy wrote: |
Ok. So this could be as simple as a stuck needle valve given how you're describing the spot where it's leaking from. Have you removed the lid from the top of the carb and checked the float?
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No I haven’t taken the top of the carb off and checked the float. Can I remove the float and put it in a glass of water to test if it floats?
I’ll look at the Bentley and rebuild kit to see where the needle valve is and see if that’s the culprit.
Should I replace the vacuum hose coming off the base of the carb that is going to the distributor because it’s soaked in fuel and I don’t want to start any fires. Should I also replace the seal between the intake manifold and the carb since it’s probably soaked in fuel?
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Last edited by 60vwnewengland on Tue Dec 18, 2018 7:50 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22668
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2018 6:23 pm Post subject: Re: Leaky 32-34 PDSIT-2 |
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Rebuilding a high mileage/age carb is beyond most DIY.
Back in the day you got a kit of good rebuild parts, now you get crap.
You also need a gauge and synch to get them set back up right.
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60vwnewengland
Twin #2
Joined: June 25, 2003
Posts: 1784
Location: District of Columbia & Cape Cod
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2018 7:52 pm Post subject: Re: Leaky 32-34 PDSIT-2 |
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| Abscate wrote: |
Rebuilding a high mileage/age carb is beyond most DIY.
Back in the day you got a kit of good rebuild parts, now you get crap.
You also need a gauge and synch to get them set back up right. |
Done the synch and have the snail, so I’m good there. That process should be fine.
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77 Westy - Cape Cod Sage
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SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2018 9:42 pm Post subject: Re: Leaky 32-34 PDSIT-2 |
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| Quote: |
| Can I remove the float and put it in a glass of water to test if it floats? |
you are in trouble already. Read the chapter in Bentley that refers to those carbs and if you are still with us then we can go further. Each float type has a different test. Generally anything hollow you can shake and listen to, or submerge in water and heat it gently then see if bubbles come out. If no bubbles or sloshing when shaking then generally a hollow float is fine. To check the hard foam type one must know the correct weight and weigh it. Otherwise one replaces. The originals were hollow I believe but you have no way of knowing what has been replaced inside the carb with replacement parts.
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Amskeptic
Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2002
Posts: 8568
Location: All Across The Country
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2018 9:56 pm Post subject: Re: Leaky 32-34 PDSIT-2 |
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| 60vwnewengland wrote: |
Should I replace the vacuum hose coming off the base of the carb that is going to the distributor because it’s soaked in fuel? |
Not necessarily. If it is pliable and holds a vacuum, it is good to go. Fuel does evaporate readily.
However, if the hose is not long enough to give you a nice little loop upwards before it heads back to the vacuum retard unit, replace with a correct length hose. You need the loop to prevent any inadvertent liquid fuel from running down to the advance/retard unit.
Do you have the '73-'74 "tall" manifolds with EGR, or the "short" '72 only manifolds that also require the oil bath air cleaner?
Colin
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60vwnewengland
Twin #2
Joined: June 25, 2003
Posts: 1784
Location: District of Columbia & Cape Cod
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| Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:29 pm Post subject: Re: Leaky 32-34 PDSIT-2 |
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Ok - so this government shutdown has given me extra time to fix this carb. So I did some reading in the bentley, watched some carb cleaning youtube videos and felt pretty good about this.
To recap, I got these PDSIT carbs off the classifieds and tossed them on my motor without rebuilding, synchronized them, and then drove from Massachusetts to DC no problem at all. A few weeks ago, I went to start the bus and it sounded like it was running on two cylinders and the driver side carb was overflowing with gas.
Per the Bentley, my symptom was: engine does not start (has fuel and ignition working). Probable cause: float needle valve sticking and carb flooding. Remedy: Clean or replace float needle valve.
I removed the top of the carb and everything was dry on the inside. I had a spare rebuild kit and so I replaced the needle valve with the one that was in the kit.
The float looked good so I blew out the passages in the top of the carb with carb cleaner and compressed air. I also removed the air correction jet in the bottom of the carb and blew some compressed air through there. Then I reassembled and put everything back together. The gasket between the top and bottom pieces looked fine, so I reused it. The gasket in my kit seemed thinner than the one that was on the carb.
I did an oil change in case any fuel got into the oil and boom, it started. It took a few minutes to warm up, but its not flooding and it seems like the needle valve was the problem.
Video of it running after top end carb rebuild.
Link
The idle seems a tad lower now and it may need adjusting since I probably blew some gunk out when I was working on it. Anyways, faulty needle valve, replaced and now it's working again.
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77 Westy - Cape Cod Sage
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