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AS350driver
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2016
Posts: 1340
Location: Tucson
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 Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 7:24 pm Post subject: Re: Butter Bus Revival |
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| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
Hey,
Was wondering if anyone has a clue on why I can get the bus to start and idle while free handing the distributor, then time it using a gun. But when I turn the car off and let it sit for a minute or two it won’t start. |
When it won’t start after a minute or two is it due to no spark? Or possibly flooding etc and a fuel issue? |
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VanillaGorilla11
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2021
Posts: 73
Location: Gilbert, AZ
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| Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 8:15 pm Post subject: Re: Butter Bus Revival |
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| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
Hey,
Was wondering if anyone has a clue on why I can get the bus to start and idle while free handing the distributor, then time it using a gun. But when I turn the car off and let it sit for a minute or two it won’t start. |
When it won’t start after a minute or two is it due to no spark? Or possibly flooding etc and a fuel issue? |
I don’t think it’s flooding because I’ll come back a few hours later and it won’t start, after I get it idling and drive around a bit. I’ve got it running right now and if I spray cleaner at the base of the carb it Bogs down the engine. Vacuum leak? |
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AS350driver
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2016
Posts: 1340
Location: Tucson
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| Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 10:27 pm Post subject: Re: Butter Bus Revival |
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| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
Hey,
Was wondering if anyone has a clue on why I can get the bus to start and idle while free handing the distributor, then time it using a gun. But when I turn the car off and let it sit for a minute or two it won’t start. |
When it won’t start after a minute or two is it due to no spark? Or possibly flooding etc and a fuel issue? |
I don’t think it’s flooding because I’ll come back a few hours later and it won’t start, after I get it idling and drive around a bit. I’ve got it running right now and if I spray cleaner at the base of the carb it Bogs down the engine. Vacuum leak? |
It could be losing some vacuum at the base, but more likely the carb cleaner is getting in at the throttle shaft. Even a good carb will have a little vacuum loss there. It would have the vacuum leak pretty much all the time, so it wouldn’t run good then just die.
You’ve got to narrow it down to loss of spark or some kind of fuel issue.
Did you ever get one of these? Makes troubleshooting spark a no brainer.
https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-t...lsrc=aw.ds |
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VanillaGorilla11
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2021
Posts: 73
Location: Gilbert, AZ
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| Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 10:43 pm Post subject: Re: Butter Bus Revival |
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| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
Hey,
Was wondering if anyone has a clue on why I can get the bus to start and idle while free handing the distributor, then time it using a gun. But when I turn the car off and let it sit for a minute or two it won’t start. |
When it won’t start after a minute or two is it due to no spark? Or possibly flooding etc and a fuel issue? |
I don’t think it’s flooding because I’ll come back a few hours later and it won’t start, after I get it idling and drive around a bit. I’ve got it running right now and if I spray cleaner at the base of the carb it Bogs down the engine. Vacuum leak? |
It could be losing some vacuum at the base, but more likely the carb cleaner is getting in at the throttle shaft. Even a good carb will have a little vacuum loss there. It would have the vacuum leak pretty much all the time, so it wouldn’t run good then just die.
You’ve got to narrow it down to loss of spark or some kind of fuel issue.
Did you ever get one of these? Makes troubleshooting spark a no brainer.
https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-t...lsrc=aw.ds |
I did buy a plug tester and just checked right now and the bulb lights up when the engine is turning over. |
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AS350driver
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2016
Posts: 1340
Location: Tucson
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 12:12 am Post subject: Re: Butter Bus Revival |
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| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
Hey,
Was wondering if anyone has a clue on why I can get the bus to start and idle while free handing the distributor, then time it using a gun. But when I turn the car off and let it sit for a minute or two it won’t start. |
When it won’t start after a minute or two is it due to no spark? Or possibly flooding etc and a fuel issue? |
I don’t think it’s flooding because I’ll come back a few hours later and it won’t start, after I get it idling and drive around a bit. I’ve got it running right now and if I spray cleaner at the base of the carb it Bogs down the engine. Vacuum leak? |
It could be losing some vacuum at the base, but more likely the carb cleaner is getting in at the throttle shaft. Even a good carb will have a little vacuum loss there. It would have the vacuum leak pretty much all the time, so it wouldn’t run good then just die.
You’ve got to narrow it down to loss of spark or some kind of fuel issue.
Did you ever get one of these? Makes troubleshooting spark a no brainer.
https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-t...lsrc=aw.ds |
I did buy a plug tester and just checked right now and the bulb lights up when the engine is turning over. |
You could have some kind of flooding or lack of fuel issue then. If you spray carb cleaner down the carb, and it’s cranking over and lighting up the spark tester, the sumbitch should at least sputter and try to run. |
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VanillaGorilla11
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2021
Posts: 73
Location: Gilbert, AZ
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 7:30 am Post subject: Re: Butter Bus Revival |
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| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
Hey,
Was wondering if anyone has a clue on why I can get the bus to start and idle while free handing the distributor, then time it using a gun. But when I turn the car off and let it sit for a minute or two it won’t start. |
When it won’t start after a minute or two is it due to no spark? Or possibly flooding etc and a fuel issue? |
I don’t think it’s flooding because I’ll come back a few hours later and it won’t start, after I get it idling and drive around a bit. I’ve got it running right now and if I spray cleaner at the base of the carb it Bogs down the engine. Vacuum leak? |
It could be losing some vacuum at the base, but more likely the carb cleaner is getting in at the throttle shaft. Even a good carb will have a little vacuum loss there. It would have the vacuum leak pretty much all the time, so it wouldn’t run good then just die.
You’ve got to narrow it down to loss of spark or some kind of fuel issue.
Did you ever get one of these? Makes troubleshooting spark a no brainer.
https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-t...lsrc=aw.ds |
I did buy a plug tester and just checked right now and the bulb lights up when the engine is turning over. |
You could have some kind of flooding or lack of fuel issue then. If you spray carb cleaner down the carb, and it’s cranking over and lighting up the spark tester, the sumbitch should at least sputter and try to run. |
I can get it to start and run, but only once. After I drive it around and let it sit for about a minute or two the bus acts like I didn’t just time it and turns over without any sign of starting. Then I re adjust the distributor by hand guesstimating about where it should static start, and after about 30 minutes usually Ill have found the area where it’ll cough itself to life and I’ll then retime and adjust the carb to a nice idle. Then I turn it off and the process starts all over. |
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BonTonRoulet
Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2020
Posts: 359
Location: Mississippi
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 7:43 am Post subject: Re: Butter Bus Revival |
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Take your gas cap off and see if it will start and run around like normal with it off. Sounds to me like perhaps your fuel tank isn't getting a proper vent through the cap like it should. It'll crank and run until the vacuum that the fuel pump has pulled down on the tank overcomes the ability of the fuel to flow. Hence it takes a while for the vacuum to release and you can start the engine once again.
Good Luck!
_________________
Never argue with an Idiot. They'll only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience. |
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AS350driver
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2016
Posts: 1340
Location: Tucson
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 8:49 am Post subject: Re: Butter Bus Revival |
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| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
Hey,
Was wondering if anyone has a clue on why I can get the bus to start and idle while free handing the distributor, then time it using a gun. But when I turn the car off and let it sit for a minute or two it won’t start. |
When it won’t start after a minute or two is it due to no spark? Or possibly flooding etc and a fuel issue? |
I don’t think it’s flooding because I’ll come back a few hours later and it won’t start, after I get it idling and drive around a bit. I’ve got it running right now and if I spray cleaner at the base of the carb it Bogs down the engine. Vacuum leak? |
It could be losing some vacuum at the base, but more likely the carb cleaner is getting in at the throttle shaft. Even a good carb will have a little vacuum loss there. It would have the vacuum leak pretty much all the time, so it wouldn’t run good then just die.
You’ve got to narrow it down to loss of spark or some kind of fuel issue.
Did you ever get one of these? Makes troubleshooting spark a no brainer.
https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-t...lsrc=aw.ds |
I did buy a plug tester and just checked right now and the bulb lights up when the engine is turning over. |
You could have some kind of flooding or lack of fuel issue then. If you spray carb cleaner down the carb, and it’s cranking over and lighting up the spark tester, the sumbitch should at least sputter and try to run. |
I can get it to start and run, but only once. After I drive it around and let it sit for about a minute or two the bus acts like I didn’t just time it and turns over without any sign of starting. Then I re adjust the distributor by hand guesstimating about where it should static start, and after about 30 minutes usually Ill have found the area where it’ll cough itself to life and I’ll then retime and adjust the carb to a nice idle. Then I turn it off and the process starts all over. |
But when it cranks over with no sign of starting, the inline spark tester is lighting up? And if you spray some carb cleaner down the carb at that time, it won’t start or at least sputter and try to hit?
If the issue were timing, it would start up as soon as you rotated the distributor to somewhere in the range of proper timing, not wait 30 mins. I doubt timing is causing this. You can pop the distributor cap and gently try to rotate the rotor, it should rotate a few degrees but spring back to where you found it. That would indicate the advance isn’t jammed up. And are you using a timing light to time the engine once you get it going? Timing on an air cooled vw isn’t something you can guesstimate. It needs to be dead nuts on, either static timing or preferably with a timing light and revving it up to check for 28-32 advance |
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VanillaGorilla11
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2021
Posts: 73
Location: Gilbert, AZ
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 9:30 am Post subject: Re: Butter Bus Revival |
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| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
| AS350driver wrote: |
| VanillaGorilla11 wrote: |
Hey,
Was wondering if anyone has a clue on why I can get the bus to start and idle while free handing the distributor, then time it using a gun. But when I turn the car off and let it sit for a minute or two it won’t start. |
When it won’t start after a minute or two is it due to no spark? Or possibly flooding etc and a fuel issue? |
I don’t think it’s flooding because I’ll come back a few hours later and it won’t start, after I get it idling and drive around a bit. I’ve got it running right now and if I spray cleaner at the base of the carb it Bogs down the engine. Vacuum leak? |
It could be losing some vacuum at the base, but more likely the carb cleaner is getting in at the throttle shaft. Even a good carb will have a little vacuum loss there. It would have the vacuum leak pretty much all the time, so it wouldn’t run good then just die.
You’ve got to narrow it down to loss of spark or some kind of fuel issue.
Did you ever get one of these? Makes troubleshooting spark a no brainer.
https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-t...lsrc=aw.ds |
I did buy a plug tester and just checked right now and the bulb lights up when the engine is turning over. |
You could have some kind of flooding or lack of fuel issue then. If you spray carb cleaner down the carb, and it’s cranking over and lighting up the spark tester, the sumbitch should at least sputter and try to run. |
I can get it to start and run, but only once. After I drive it around and let it sit for about a minute or two the bus acts like I didn’t just time it and turns over without any sign of starting. Then I re adjust the distributor by hand guesstimating about where it should static start, and after about 30 minutes usually Ill have found the area where it’ll cough itself to life and I’ll then retime and adjust the carb to a nice idle. Then I turn it off and the process starts all over. |
But when it cranks over with no sign of starting, the inline spark tester is lighting up? And if you spray some carb cleaner down the carb at that time, it won’t start or at least sputter and try to hit?
If the issue were timing, it would start up as soon as you rotated the distributor to somewhere in the range of proper timing, not wait 30 mins. I doubt timing is causing this. You can pop the distributor cap and gently try to rotate the rotor, it should rotate a few degrees but spring back to where you found it. That would indicate the advance isn’t jammed up. And are you using a timing light to time the engine once you get it going? Timing on an air cooled vw isn’t something you can guesstimate. It needs to be dead nuts on, either static timing or preferably with a timing light and revving it up to check for 28-32 advance |
I always time it with a timing light once it’s running. I just guesstimate where I can get it to start at then set it to the correct timing and advance as spot on as I can. I’ll get it started and drive it around for a bit and let it sit then try spraying carb cleaner down the carb to see if it try’s to start and report back. |
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VanillaGorilla11
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2021
Posts: 73
Location: Gilbert, AZ
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 3:18 pm Post subject: Re: Butter Bus Revival |
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| No luck with carb cleaner down the carb. I also checked to make sure it was sparking and it was. |
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AS350driver
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2016
Posts: 1340
Location: Tucson
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 4:28 pm Post subject: Re: Butter Bus Revival |
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Well I’m stumped. It should run. If it’s got spark in even one plug wire it should at least sputter.
I’ve seen the spark tester flicker dimly while troubleshooting my 67 GMC van, but the engine wouldn’t even hit a lick. If it’s dim you may have weak spark.
At the plugs, if just arcing with a screwdriver or something, I know red or orange spark won’t run, sometimes won’t even sputter. Need blue or white spark to run. |
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VanillaGorilla11
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2021
Posts: 73
Location: Gilbert, AZ
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 5:48 pm Post subject: Re: Butter Bus Revival |
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| I dont know either. I took off the fuel pump to see if it was broken or sticking and there was a little oil under the base of it and I dont know if that could be the issue or if its nothing at all. |
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VanillaGorilla11
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2021
Posts: 73
Location: Gilbert, AZ
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| Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 2:30 pm Post subject: Re: Butter Bus Revival |
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Hey,
Once again asking for help. I recently redid my shift linkage and put in a brand new transmission, but now when I try to shift gears I can’t get into reverse and in order to get into first and second I have to push down as if I’m trying to go into reverse. Third and first seem to be in the same spot besides having to push down. If anyone has any advice or help I’m all ears. Thanks |
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