car dies

[sammywells]

69 beetle still working out some issues after the resto. Took a 25 min drive today on the highway and the car was running great, temp was about 90 here in southern ohio. Stopped at walmart for about 45 min. Came out and started the car, pulled back out onto the highway drove half mile and the car started to die at about 55mph. started to ease off onto the side of the road and it came back to life and ran great the rest of the way home. Had a bite to eat went back out half hr later started the car drove about 3 blocks and it died and would not start. Sat in friends driveway for about 15 min and and tried it again and it started up so i took it back the house and it seemed to run ok. engine is rebuilt with about 300 miles on it now. New fuel system, rebuilt carb, rebuilt dist. new coil, condenser, plugs wires, points, everything. I removed the fuel pump and the bakelite piece and sanded it down for a loose fit in case the fuel rod was getting tight and it seems to run ok but havent had it back out for a longer drive yet. What else should i look for.

[mukluk]

Sounds like vapour lock. Keep a bottle of water in the car, next time you have a problem try pouring the bottle slowly on the fuel pump then starting the car.
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1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga"

[wcfvw69]

TO the other posters point, how is the steel fuel line routed from behind the engine to the fuel pump?

I had symptoms like you're describing as well. One time it was the coil as when it got hot, it started acting up. The second time it was the fuel pump taking a dump. I was grateful it got me home before fulling pooping out.
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[sammywells]

I'll double check the routing and keep a bottle of water handy for my next drive. Should the line be ok as long as it's not touching anything

[heimlich]

I have a similar problem with an EMPI carb. I can drive it for about 15 mins and then the car looses power. If I take the speed down to 55 it drives fine. I put a different carb on the car and it works fine. I moved the EMPI carb to another car and the problem went along with it.
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[Q-Dog]

Is the fuel tank vented?
_________________
Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[sammywells]

Yes, I vented the tank after my last issue. Went out today and looked at the fuel line routing. It comes from the firewall straight along the side and up between the where the manifold has the large tube and small tube then over to the pump. I have a couple pieces of hose around the fuel line to prevent any rattling against the intake tubes. Looks like maybe i should run the line under both intake tubes and up and over to the pump.

[wcfvw69]

[sammywells]

Ok, that looks better too. I"ll go do that right now as the wife wants to take a drive later and it would be nice if there were no issues.

[mukluk]

[sammywells]

After rerouting the fuel line i took it for a 20 min drive at 65 mph and the temp outside was about 87. I stopped and visited a guy that has several vw's and after about 1.5 hrs i started it up and drove back home at about the same speed. Seems to run fine. I guess time will tell more.

[andk5591]

Something I have experienced with a 66 I did a couple years ago. Car would idle all day, but when driving or running the engine at higher RPMs for any length of time, it would start running out of gas. Pulled the fuel line off by the rear axle and had nominal flow. Put an air hose on the tank end and tied a sock on to the rear and blasted it - lots of crap came out. Snaked an old clutch cable through on both ends. Blew it out again. All kind of crap. Hooked up the gas tank and checked flow....Now it was normal....Of course made sure i had a filter above the axle and replaced it after a few miles. The car has been fine ever since.
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[sammywells]

Been driving the car around with no issues. Today the wife and I decided it was time for a road trip to see the kid at college 2 hrs away. Car ran great first hour running 60-65 mph with temp about 60 degrees. it started to act like the gas was shut but it came out of it and ran fine. About half hr later it did it again. Pulled off the highway to check it out. Idles fine reeves fine. Didn’t see anything so we took off again. About half hr later it did it for a third time but it came out of it and started to run fine again. Made it to sons college running fine. Now we are getting ready to head back and I assume it will do it again. I did reroute the gas line per the picture from this post. Any other ideas what this could be.

[sammywells]

Been driving the car around with no issues. Today the wife and I decided it was time for a road trip to see the kid at college 2 hrs away. Car ran great first hour running 60-65 mph with temp about 60 degrees. it started to act like the gas was shut but it came out of it and ran fine. About half hr later it did it again. Pulled off the highway to check it out. Idles fine reeves fine. Didn’t see anything so we took off again. About half hr later it did it for a third time but it came out of it and started to run fine again. Made it to sons college running fine. Now we are getting ready to head back and I assume it will do it again. I did reroute the gas line per the picture from this post. Any other ideas what this could be.

[mukluk]

Try sticking a tennis ball under the decklid latch to prop it open while you drive, see if the lowered under hood temps help.

Also, after a good run to get it heat soaked, listen to the carb after you shut it down to see if you can hear a boiling or percolating noise coming from the carb.

The other end of the spectrum that comes to mind would be to check for intake manifold icing -- feel the manifold just below the carb to see if it's cold to the touch and/or has condensation formed on it.
_________________
1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga"

[andk5591]

Gas tank vent being clogged would do this as well. When it does it, open the gas cap right away and listen for air rushing in.....
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[sammywells]

Made it back home with no problems at all running between 60-65 mph. Outside temp was about 75. The gas tank vent line is new and did not notice any ice on the manifold. Have heard of the tennis ball trick and may have to try that. I am puzzled how this car made it 88,000 miles Everything is factory. This makes no since.

[ashman40]

'69 Beetle would have had the "fuel sock" on the outlet pipe inside the fuel tank. When was it last replaced? If you don't know... it probably needs to be replaced. Rinse out any sludge while you are in there.

The other thing to consider is the fuel filter. Where is yours? Do you have one under the tank; next to the trans or in the engine compartment? Again, of you don't know when it was last changed (or it has been more than 2years) then you should probably replace it. Fuel lines too should be replaced every few years (more frequently if you run high ethanol fuel -- E85).

Both of the above make themselves know when your engine is running at high rpms for long periods.
_________________
AshMan40
---------------------------
'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}

[sammywells]

Tank is new with filter inside unless that is not considered a filter, looks like one... Lines are new, rubber hose is new, rebuilt carb, new coil, rebuilt distributor, condenser new, plugs and wires new, rebuilt fuel pump with about 3 psi. tank vent is new. Rinsed out the tank and blew it out with air and sat it in the sun to dry before i installed it. I took this car down to a pan off. complete disassemble except for the transmission. everything is new or rebuilt or cleaned. Now today i received my new timing light and rechecked everything and it seems to run a bit better. But will it die again, Probably not unless i'm an hour away. Gonna have to take another road trip to find out. I"m still guessing vapor lock but don't know how or why. If there is too much heat under the hood than again how did it make it to 88000 miles on the first go around.

[wcfvw69]