Fixing up 1994 bug

[tonysantacruz]

I really love my bug, but I've been having a few issues. I took it out the other day and the car stalled going up a ramp. I tried to start it again, but the stsrter wouldn't move much. Battery seemed kinda iffy and was from 2014, so I bought another. The car worked fine, but that very same day I had trouble with the start, as if the battery had lost it. I had been using the newly installed AC, so I thought it could be more than the alternator could give.

I used a multimeter and saw that the battery has 12.6 volts idle and when the car is running, it goes up to 13.4. With the AC on at full blast and the high beams, it goes down to 12.4.

But then I've had this issue:

Link
.

Car has been running for a few minutes, it's not a cold start and it feels like it has a hard time revving up and down. In the background you can hear the AC on.


Here's how the tense are the engine bands are.


Link


Any thoughts? Could it be electrical or the fuel injection-pump?
What do I need to check?

[stumper]

I would be careful welding that sheetmetal that you're using. Be sure to remove the galvanizing where you're welding. You could get really sick .....

[tonysantacruz]

I tried to use the car last weekend and I had a few issues starting it: nine to ten times, car turned, started and stopped...finally, It stsrted, but it had a tin on metal sound I didn't like.
Yesterday, I finally got the recommendation I wanted: a good bug mechanic-electrical guy, with the reputation to match. I took the car to him today, but the tripnto his shop was a mess: the tin on metal sound got progressively worse and Inthought I was losing power.

When I pulled into the mechanic's shop and he took a gander...the sound was gone. Damn bug.
Anyway, he got his diagnostics tool and went to town. The car was a bit off on the timing, the wires from the battery to the engine were not completely plugged, the engine tempmsensor is bisted (kept marking 122centigrade 251 farenheit) and the tin sound is because the oil is too thin and it goes away when the car is warm. Catalytic converter might need changing -'cause it looks like it's the original-

I'm going to see tomorrow at noon what's the diagnosis and what other things need attention, but I really like the guy.

[tonysantacruz]

So the guy wasn't as good as advertised.

I took the car 4 times to him, with the same issue: the car would stall and shut off while idle, and if I turned the AC on, it would flame out if I my foot wasn't on the accelerator.

He said it was improperly wired (which I believed...the wires in the boot were a mess) and that the on-board computer was not accurately callibrated.

Every time I went to pick-up the car, it would have the same issue 4 blocks from the shop. Last time I took it to him he said he was going to re-wire it. I said fine. I wasn't able to pick-up the car, so my brother did. The mechanic told him the problem was the fuel injection and that he wanted to replace it with a carburator. That's when I really lost faith in him.

I went to a fuel injection specialist, with a shop not precisely focused on VW's, but a good all-around place. They had the car for a week and they solved the issues. Apparently there were electrical issues with the wires and the AC compressor was pinching a wire. I'll pick-up the car at 3-4 toda and hopefully now I'll be able to have my weekend driver ship-shape.

[tonysantacruz]

230 bucks later and it's all fixed. Car works fine, runs the AC without a hitch and it even sounds like a proper VW. They changed the tempmsensor, a fuse and the wires.

They did mess up the seat, it's jammed all the way forward. I'll have to go over it tomorrow.

[tonysantacruz]

So, I’ve had the bug for almost two years now and I’ve had almost no complaints.

My only gripe is that, if I use the AC, the car will stall if I don’t keep my foot on the gas. Not always, no, the senaky bugger, but enough times to make it an interesting game of “will I stall in this stoplight?” Or “can I go,over the speedbump if I don’t accelerate?”

So what could it be? Do I need to change the stock alternator for one with more pep?

[AlmostHeavenWV_VW]

[GArBa]

the stalling may be due to a bad/dirty idle control valve. try giving it a good clean and see if things improve.
_________________
cars:
'97 type 1 1600i
'14 type AA Seat Mii (sadly dead after 270.000 km)
'22 type C1 T-Cross
'23 type AC3 Hyundai I10 (VW no longer makes small cars!)
-------------------------
moped:
'82 Benelli Magnum 3v

[tonysantacruz]

I've been using the car more lately, no AC, and it hasn't stalled once. I'm going to see about the idle valve. I also heard someone tell me that maybe I need to put a vaccum pump (?) to keep the acceleration from crapping out when I'm slowing down. He also insisted it was something that could help the carburetor, (mine is FI).

Also, I've been getting some advice for my bus regarding the tins and the deflectors and whatnot, and that mede me realize mine doesn't have a couple of tins installed. And, I don't know where, the rubber engine seal was misplaced. I'm fixing that immediately.

So, I have the left and right tins:

,

which will be installed when the rubber seal arrives.

Do I need

for the cylinders and

for the sides?

Thanks.

[vamram]

Yes, you must have the deflector that goes under and between the cylinders, and the other two pieces as well.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
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'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
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[tonysantacruz]

I jacked up the car and took a good look under.
I found that I do indeed have the tins installed (except the right sled one, but that'll be fixed soon). I don’t like how the underside is splashed in old oil. I dunno if there is a fresh leak (dipstick shows full) and the oil seems caked. I think I’m going to tell them to find the leak when they take it down to fit the rubber seal.

The thermostat is toast, car was stone cold and it’s completely extended. Also, one of the heat exchange boxes is in a very sorry state. I’m going to find a replacement.

[tonysantacruz]

The mechanic fixed the issue with the car stalling when I’m using the AC, however, today I noticed this:

The fat hose in the middle, going up:

It’s not connected behind the engine. To what it should be connected, I don't know.

And there’s also this thin, white tube:

Cut on both ends. Any clue what is it?

[GArBa]

the white one is the breather from the tank expansion chamber, the black one the gas vapor recover valve, they should both be connected to the charcoal canister low on the rear firewall on the right side of the car.

schematic courtesy of hopkin:

_________________
cars:
'97 type 1 1600i
'14 type AA Seat Mii (sadly dead after 270.000 km)
'22 type C1 T-Cross
'23 type AC3 Hyundai I10 (VW no longer makes small cars!)
-------------------------
moped:
'82 Benelli Magnum 3v

[tonysantacruz]

Got the canister and the mechanic should rebuid the evap lines on Monday. I haven’t been using the car every weekend like I used to, because of the missing canister and the disconnected hoses. The other day I moved it at night and niticed a fairly consistent drip on the ground. I thought it was the AC, but I haven’t used it. I bent down to touch and smell it, then I looked under it to see where it came from:

Gas leak. The hose was cracked, so it was replaced. I’m glad I wasn’t driving it.
I’ll run a checklist next time I board my bug.

[mascrappo]

YAY! Car is now 25 years old and can be registered in USA! I am so jealous

[tonysantacruz]

Leak has been fixed and I obtained the canister. Looks good and it will be installed soon. I need to a) put in something to hold it in place and b) reconnect the evap hoses to the evac in the trunk. I'll get the hoses and see if I can do that myself. The mechanic from the shop stood me up on Monday and my patience -and my faith in humanity- has run out (it's the mechanic from the same shop in my bus restoration thread).

[tonysantacruz]

[tonysantacruz]

After running the engine a while, I check the dipstick and I cannot hold it comfortably. I thought that would change when I put in all the missing tin and seals, but it hasn't, so I'm pretty sure my bug doesn't have the Hoover bit.

question: I need to take down the engine and take it apart to put the Hoover bit in, correct?

[vamram]

[grandpa red]

I dropped mine to install missing tin,a Hoover bit and to replace some seals.

I don't see how it would be possible to install the bit with engine in.
_________________
'72 Beetle