TOP 10 causes of break downs in an air cooled VW

wcfvw69 · Last edited by wcfvw69 on Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:51 am; edited 1 time in total

I was out this morning enjoying a beautiful morning in Arizona in my 69 bug convertible. As I was driving down the freeway, I was thinking of what causes the most break downs leaving VW owners on the side of the road to include my own past experiences.

Here is my list not in any specific order- The asterisks indicated what has caused my own breakdowns.

1) Broken fan belt
2) Bad fuel pump *
3) Bad ignition coil *
4) Worn out cap, rotor or points
5) Burnt condenser
6) Broken accelerator cable
7) Seized wheel bearings*
Cool

Clogged fuel lines
9) Broken clutch cable
10) Engine failure

What's your list and what has caused your break downs?
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ScottK · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:08 am Post subject:

I only have 2 so far:

1) Ignition switch. I had a spare with me, so I was able to fix it.

2) Pertronix failed. I didn't have a set of points with me. I walked.

vwluver74 · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:10 am Post subject:

burnt points

bad master cylinder

sewer lid covers

stripped wingnut on clutch cable

bugntjw · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:12 am Post subject:

2 fuel pumps
clutch cable
accelerater cable
#3 exhaust valve
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2true · Samba Member Joined: December 13, 2004 Posts: 1218

Gremlin.

Seriously a gremlin chewing on something. I get out wiggle some wires and giggle some stufff and it starts back up.

Here he is (with his buddy):

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

George Evans · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:52 am Post subject:

1. nut in intake manifold (pre-owner)
2. bad starter
3. old poor wiring

cal57 · Samba Member Joined: November 27, 2006 Posts: 30

ear on the t/o bearing fork, bowden tube cracking. The nut that holds the steering wheel. Laughing

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Iowa Mark · Samba Member Joined: May 06, 2004 Posts: 1071

Clutch cable
Throttle cable
Fuel pump
Vapor lock
Exhaust valve
Gas tank vent plugged
Generator quit
Belt
Wheel bearing
Drunk owner (a few years ago)

John M. · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:09 pm Post subject:

Pressure Plate Failure.
Distributor dis-engaging.
Condenser failure.

That's about it. So far. Razz

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Cusser · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:29 pm Post subject:

Stopping it unable to be driven:

For me (driving VWs from 1970):
wire to coil shorted out
engine case cracked 10 years after machining for 92mm, and cam plug blew out (that I couldn't fix on the roadside, obviously)
clutch cable broke
one fan belt broke

For girlfriend driving mine:
accelerator cable broke

For wife driving mine:
accelerator cable broke
clutch cable broke
oil pan stud fell out, dumped out all the oil

For mom driving mine:
fan belt broke
generator pulley exploded
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

melville · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:05 pm Post subject:

1. The owner
2. The owner
3. The owner
4. The owner
5. The owner
6. The owner
7. The owner
8. The owner
9. The previous owner
10. Some miscreant copulating with my fuel filler, pissing in my gas tank. Took a tank drain and several fuel filters to straighten that one out.

Everything else has been my fault in maintenance, design, or usage.

My cars have never been on a tow truck, but I have had to do roadside McGyver shit from time to time.

Later

Mel
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79 R100RS
78 R100/7
75 R75/6
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57 Sedan

Towel Rail · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:23 pm Post subject:

1) Vapor lock
2) Broken throttle cable
3) Clamp on battery not tight enough
4) Bad coil

God, what lemons we drive! Laughing

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1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car

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Pedrovolky62 · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:28 pm Post subject:

Master Cylinder was my favorite. It went out on a street with a pretty steep grade with a stop sign and a very BZ intersection. I had to get up on the side walk to avoid the car @ stop line.It was bad because I had neglected to fix the e-brake. When I got to the bottom of the hill I dodged an F150 going about 45 and had a 3mile trip home avoid stopping the others werent too bad. Bad Starter. Fuel Pump and accelerator

KTPhil · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:29 pm Post subject:

Bad electrical connections (so I solder every one I repair)
Leaky fuel line (so I replace it every other year)
Stripped spark plug threads (so I use a little anti-sieze)
Battery (so I put in a larger than stock one and new cables)
Wear and eventual overheating (so I put in a doghouse)
Stripped bolts as other repairs are done (so I curse and use anti-sieze on assembly)
Minor oil leaks (so I... I... I learned to live with them)

With regular maintenance, the unexpected failures went way down. These were never "just drive it and forget it" cars; you had to have a look and take care of little mechanical things that will otherwise become big mechanical things.

Tram · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:09 pm Post subject:

Poor maintenance. Very Happy

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TimGud · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:27 pm Post subject:

1 bad coil
2 bad points (new, defective, lasted a few miles,)
Ive had crap plug the sock in the tank , but got it home
Had a clutch cable (or 4) break but drove em home without a clutch, once from Yuma to Nogales.
Had the igniton switch go bad, hotwired it and got home.
I dont count stuff that I was able to make it home as leaving me stranded.

KTPhil · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:48 pm Post subject:

notchback · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:56 pm Post subject:

drive a Type 3 and never worry about #1 again.
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90volts · Samba Member Joined: August 10, 2005 Posts: 2637

1. accelerator cable
2. bad fuel guage Shocked

wcfvw69 · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:12 pm Post subject:


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