Car running great except when it breaks down :(

[irun5k]

'69 has been running great, if not perfect, in around town driving which is 99% of use. Within the last few months the Solex was recently rebuilt and fuel pump replaced.

On a couple of longer trips (rare for me), such as my drive to work (~45 minutes each way with some highway speed) I've had issues.

Today, coming back around noon, the car started sputtering at 55mph. I pulled off (which is what I did the last time it happened under exact same conditions), let it idle a bit, and then re-entered the highway w/o any trouble.

This time, however, after I got a few miles further down the road she died in traffic and would crank but not start. Rolled downhill into a Burger King parking lot, but with work responsibilities and no real ideas for troubleshooting I just called AAA for another free tow and went in and had lunch. Came out and cranked it for a while and it actually started and I made it the few miles home with no difficulty. Free tow saved for another day.

I am hoping this highly sporadic problem will ring some bell with the veterans here? Or if not, maybe suggestions on a few things I can check roadside when/if this happens again? I hate to take it to my mechanic for an intermittent problem that he probably won't be able to reproduce in his shop. Thank you for any advice.

[Volks Wagen]

Suggestions:

1) Safety - relocate your fuel filter out of engine bay. It should NOT be on the PRESSURE side of the pump where you have it at the moment!

2) Get or make a shepherds crook vacuum line from carb to distributor instead of just the fuel hose. Fuel can get down that hose into the canister on your distributor and cause the vacuum advance to malfunction and the membrane to deteriorate.

3) Check your vacuum advance to see if it works.

4) Check your timing.

5) Do a tune-up - points as well.

6) Check for crap in the carb.

Good luck.
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1973 1303 with AB-motor - sporadic
reconstruction as time permits, 1986 ex-Bundeswehr Doka - on the road again.

I'm definitely, probably, the worlds greatest lover.

Aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile.

[brendo907]

heres a couple ideas from me-
junk in your gas tank? or perhaps some water?

possibly carb float valve. mine sticks sometimes and i have to pull over and whack the carb a few times. I have to go over to a guys house and he will give me a german one. I shoulda never replaced mine but lesson learned

[Kansas Rob]

Just got over a similar issue with the bus.
It ran great but gave me issues during 30-45 minute trips.
It would die
I'd let it sit and cool off.
It would run again.

I started buying into vapor lock, but ruled that out with gas and starter fluid.

I replaced the coil and haven't had an issue since (just did 500 mile round trip in the flint hills)
Old ones can act up when they get hot.
I had the same blue Bosch coil you do - well, still do, but now it's a new one.
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1968 Beetle
1969 Westy

[irun5k]

Thanks for the great tips so far.

My points haven't been checked recently so I'll check those.

I agree the vacuum line is wrong. The steel lines seem to be out of stock at ww and elsewhere but I've also seen longer line being looped up though the air cleaner latch as a partial improvement?

I've wondered about potential issues in the tank but not sure how to diagnose. FWIW I always run ethanol free gas- sometimes I only go though a tank of gas every couple months or so.

Coil definitely has some miles on it. If this is the problem would the ohms read bad on the bench, or only when it is hot and the car is acting up?

Safety question: I also have a fuel filter under the tank. Is that already sufficient?

[Harleyelf]

When coils go out, they first do it only when hot. Did you change the sock inside the gas tank when you changed the filter under it? If you blow the crud out of the metal line, the one fuel filter up front should be enough; many of us put it at the back of the long metal line near the clutch arm on the transmission. This is mostly because it's such a pain to replace up front.

Since you phrased it as a safety question - a leak eight feet away from the muffler is better than a leak onto the front exhaust pipe. Don't neglect the hose at the back of the metal line, they rot.

[curtp07]

Heard stories of the fuel pump spacer and rod guide being too tight and during long stretches the fuel pump rod starts to bind...may want to check this...easy to check.

[jlex]

[[email protected]]

I had a similar problem, not bad enough to cut out while moving, but it would stall at idle and not restart, or not restart when stopping to run errands. I finally figured out it was too hot and oddly just changing my driving habits solved the issue. I now rev the engine more. When I am at the speed where I could be in either of two gears I had been choosing the higher gear to rev the engine less, because that is what my father taught me. Car ran too hot to hold onto the dipstick. I changed habits and keep it in the lower gear much more. I can grab the dipstick and best of all it starts right up when I stop to pick up something at the store.

[scrivyscriv]

I would tend to agree with looking at the coil and also the points. I've heard the rotor has an embedded resistor in it that can burn up and cause an open too. Everything looks pretty clean, but it might be a loose or dirty connex at the coil?
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Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.

[richardc]

To isolate fuel problem from ignition, hook up timing light when problem occurs.
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1970 Ghia vert
1970 Beetle sedan

[Randy in Maine]

Suggestion: Invest $25 in a dwell tachometer (like a Actron 7605). theyare kind of cheap but it will do what you need to do.

[irun5k]

[swelchy]

If you recently replaced fuel pump did you replace rod? the rod for alternator stly pump is shorter and will run the car but it wont keep up with the carb at 55 mph speeds... hence not filling the fuel bowl fast enough
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1969 Westy 1915cc 044 heads 94 bore 69 stroke scatCWcrank scat lifters C25 cam straight cam gears 1:25 ratio rockers CB weber idf 40's vintage speed sport exhaust.

[Volks Wagen]

[irun5k]

OK, so coil connections were cruddy. I got them all cleaned up and car started up at least as good if not better than ever.

Today I made a new vacuum line out of some brake line I picked up. Then I removed the fuel filter from the engine compartment.

Since I took one filter out of operation I figured it would be a good idea to replace the remaining one under the fuel tank. Well gas went everywhere for about 10 minutes because the fuel line was sort of wedged in and I couldn't even get to it to plug it.

Anyway, that is when I saw the horror. Guys I am sorry you have to see this but seriously WTF? Clearly i've got to pull the tank and flush it and replace the sock now too in the very near future. Well done, PO and every mechanic he ever paid. The white crap I recognize, I think it is the teflon they went overboard with on the sending unit. What you can't see here is the filter is dented in a couple spots too and the end is smashed.

Anyway now I have a nice clean filter in place *but the car cranks but won't start!* I pulled the fuel line from the carb and cranked with a wrench and some fuel is definitely flowing out, although I have no way to know whether it is the expected amount.

I also checked the points and they could probably replacement and I'm sure the plugs are in the same boat- yet it is hard to get the fuel system out of my mind since it started great before I removed one filter and replaced the other. Since gas seems to be flowing does that rule out problems caused by air in the lines, needing to prime, etc? Appreciate any help, I'm learning as I go.

(Also, thanks guys for the tip on the fuel rod- this is definitely worth checking once I get her going again.)

[wcfvw69]

When it doesn't start, pull the fuel line off at the carb. Have someone turn it over to see if the fuel pump is pushing fuel. If it is, then you know you have an electrical issue and would suspect your coil or Condenser.

I wouldn't go throwing parts at it. Systematically replace one item at a time to find the faulty part.

I'd change the points and condenser first, if the fuel pump is pumping fuel when it won't start.
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[Harleyelf]

Points first, then condenser, then cap & rotor, then test the coil. Get a good spark plug and put it on a plug wire attached right to the coil. Disconnect the wire to the distributor. Rig some kind of ground wire. Place the plug where its grounded, turn the key on, and rapidly touch the ground jumper several times to the coil minus terminal. You should get bright blue spark that looks the same every time you remove the ground jumper from the coil. If it starts out blue and fades to yellow, the coil is suspect.

[Randy in Maine]

Cleaning out a gas tank is not all that hard.

First invest in a couple of these as they are cheap money....

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/LIS0/2285...;ppt=C0374

Then go over here..... and buy the "tank sealer" kit. You may be able to buy just a gallon of the cleaner and be OK, but I would just do the whomle procedure and they you could move on. The cleaner is a pretty good degreaser IMO.

http://www.kbs-coatings.com/KBS-Klean-Directions.html

Do it once and be done with it. Change out all of the rubber hoses while you are doing it. Put that metal filter where you can get to it up front though.

[Eric&Barb]

Have had problems with coil or condenser like that. You should get the lower fresh air tube seals to keep out that hot air underside of the engine.
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