1969 Volkswagen Beetle Stalls At Every Stop

[Dnunn1969]

I have recently bought a 1969 volkswagen beetle, it was sitting for about 3 years, I changed the fuel filter, spark plugs, spark plug wires, rear wheel cylinders, rear wheel break shoes, Distributor cap, distributor rotor, and I took the carburetor off and used about 3 cans of carb cleaner to clean it. My step father did a valve adjustment, and adjusted the timing. The bug is having a very hard time trying to idle. It does drive, I drove it around for about an hour but it stalls every time I come to a complete stop. My step father thinks we need to buy a whole new carb, anyone have any ideas of why the bug won't idle? I'm new to this site, AND to Volkswagen beetles, as well as my step father. Any help would me much appreciated, thanks - Dnunn1969

[jwold]

You might need to actually rebuild the carb first rather than buying a new one. This means getting a carb kit (cheap-get German parts if poss) and taking apart and soaking the carb overnight or so in some kind of solvent. I used lacquer thinner to do mine, then blow it out with compressed air. Just carb cleaner might not get to all the little holes and tunnels in these things probably didn't get anything into the float area which probably has a ton of gunk in it.
Make sure you're really careful when you blow these things out, you'll shoot air in one little port and it will come out from somewhere else...you don't want solvent hitting you in the face!

Is your auto-shutoff soleniod working properly?

Get into the habit of using the search feature as well...this problem comes up alot!

[Q-Dog]

A sticking needle valve in the carb can cause your problem. So, can a clogged idle jet and poor tuning.

If yours is original VW, you would be better off doing a proper rebuild than getting a new one.
_________________
Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[Realety81]

I had the same problem and did all the obvious adjustments to the valves and the timing, didn't work. Turned out the points needed adjustment. Get a feeler gauge and set the points inside the distributer to .016. After I did this, problem solved.

[Dnunn1969]

I pretty much got the whole carb cleaned, I might have missed a tiny jet. I will try to soak it over night to see if that helps. The distributor is already at .016, anyone know of a local auto store that sells rebuild kits? Or a trusted site I could purchase one at?

[Q-Dog]

Wolfsburg West
_________________
Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[jwold]

Make sure you don't plop any plastic or rubber bits into the solvent, like the float.

My local import auto store had rebuild kits, but I cleaned and reused the little needle jets from my orig. carb...the tips were much finer on the originals.

[Cadaver]

ok, no photo. so
we ask 1000 questions.
a 69 what,? exactly.
is the engine still 69 , ?
is it still single port heads?
is it still a 30pict 2 or 3 carb? made in Germany it states. on side.
is it still a 205 T distributor.
does your carb have the idle cut solenoid.? see wire to it.
does to choke open 100% when hot?
did you do a 13 part tune up, or less. less is fail time. (rotor to end)

did you time it by 69 motor specs,? or
if wrong carb and wrong distributor , why would you do that?
missing parts? (photos solve that)

now technically , it dies for only 3 reasons
bad motor (bad compression or valve lash is wrong. causing former)
bad spark (includes loss of 12v to coil)
or bad fueling.
the trick is which,? and there are test for each. and $100 in tools
got tools?

990 more.
did timing advance to near 20 degrees , just gunning engine parked.?
is fuel pressure at least 3 psi (i run 2)
is the float level at 19.5mm
is the idle nozzles all free and clean flowing, (ask how to test its easy and easy to clean,)

if it is fuel starvation
at idle and the idle cut solenoid works,(clicking is 10% of the deal)
this must be free.

there are are lots to check but this covers. most.
_________________
for sale now.
in Samba classifieds....1968 T1.

[mlsimmons]

[Zender0215]

My car had the same problem (1970 vw) ...I cleaned the carburetor many times and same problem...so i checked the two electrical wires that go from the coil to the carburetor and the one that went to the IDLE STOP SOLENOID did not give any spark so i got the wire and i tapped the fan cover and it sparked so this is how i knew that the wire did have current running through it (keep in mind that the key switch is on)(it may not be safe to do it the way i did) but i ended up buying a new IDLE STOP SOLENOID popped it in 14mm wrench is all i needed and problem solved i didn't have to turn my car on and hive it a little gas at every stop.... The only good thing about this was the experience... I can remove my carburetor take it apart clean it thoroughly. In 20 min lol

[jlex]

That was happening on my 30pict3 carb (standard on the '70 bug).
Turned out to be a vacuum leak at the throttle valve shaft. Had to re-bush the carb (thanks Keifernet) which solved the problem.
Spray a bit of carb cleaner there to confirm the vacuum leak.
_________________
jlex.
'70 std. "Elsie"
'88 Carrera

[marchanel]

[Ryanqzqz]

If you had the idle cutoff solenoid out of the carb, make sure it is tight and if it had a gasket or o-ring originally, you should replace it

You can get a practically undetectable vacuum leak there that apparently only affects the carb on decel.
_________________
- '71 Super Beetle, Cal look
- '73 Std. Beetle, donor car.

[blangston]

[Lola Racing]

Could be water in the fuel tank from condensation! A $4 bottle off treatment will work!

[Kramer79]

Hi All,

So I have a 69 bug that is stalling when warmed up coming to a stop at idle. I have a rebuild carb from volkzbiz Tim, that is amazing, new fuel, new plugs, replaced points with electric ignition, used the tester light timing... single port stock 1500. I have not explored the valve lash yet... was told it was done by previous owner... but prob not. Can the lash really cause stalling? Any thing I have not thought of? I adjusted the idle speed but not any other screws because it is running perfect otherwise?

Thanks!!!!

[hotsam]

[joey1320]