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Topic: Set back - long story

Well, I finally got everything together on my '66 sunroof Beetle, except that the driver's door still doesn't close properly.

I solved the slow cranking by putting a ground strap from one starter mounting bolt directly to the battery through the bolt where the battery ground strap connects to the body.

After putting 2 gallons of gas in I discovered there was a leak in the hose coming off the tank so I had to pull the tank to fix that.  After doing that it wouldn't start so I gave it a shot of ether.  It would catch but not keep running so I determined the electrical system was okay and it must be a fuel problem.  So to check things out, I pulled the fuel line from the fuel pump and nothing came out.  I got a blast of compressed air though the line and could hear it bubbling in the tank so I assumed that there was a clog somewhere in the line.  This was confirmed when I pulled the air nozzle out of the line and had about 1/4 pint of gas come out before I could connect to the pump again.

After this it still wouldn't start so I checked the line from the pump to the carb and found it to be dry.  So I got my spare fuel pump and stuck it on.

This did the trick and it started right up.  I drove it out of the driveway and was going to go around the block when I started hearing a thumping sound from the back that got worse the further I went.  I did a quick turnaround and got back to the driveway for about a total of 1/4 mile.  The thumping turned out to be the left rear wheel which had lost three of the lug bolts with the other two about to go.  I walked down the hill and found the bolts at various places.  After putting them back on and tightening all of the bolts up I took off again for a short, 2 mile, drive with everything going perfectly.

Yesterday I tool a 10 mile dirve through the park with my wife.  This ended with the car sputtering to a stop as if it were out of gas.  This seemed unlikely as there was a total of 12 miles on the odometer since I had put in 2 gallons of gas.  A call to AAA and a 35 minute wait got me another 2 gallons of gas.  This didn't help as it still wouldn't start so there was another 25 minute wait for a AAA tow truck to bring me home.

I'm thinking the original fuel line clog has returned so checking that out is my project for tomorrow.  That and playing around with the door.

David H
'66 sunroof Beetle

  • From: Colorado Springs, CO
  • Registered: 2004-03-27
  • Posts: 3,622

Re: Set back - long story

David: That shot of compressed air might have dislodged the "clog" which has now found its way back to the fuel line. I think I would pull the tank and check to see if there's crud in it and also to see if the in-tank fliter "sock" is in place. It is that cylindrical fine meshed copper screen which sits at the outlet of the tank (on the inside). See No. 43 on http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/images/wwi … el-all.gif

and detailed at

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/Detai … 111209147A

Good luck..you're almost there!! Clancy

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Re: Set back - long story

I don't think the problem is in the tank as I completely cleaned it out and sealed it with Eastwood tank sealer.  Then I used a new pickup tube and brass filter.  I also ran a new fuel line through the center tube but did take the precaution of plugging the end of the line while pushing it through so it wouldn't pick up any dirt.  Also the rubber lines from the tank to the copper line in the front and from the copper line to the fuel pump in the rear are new.  Despite these precautions it seems I must have introduced some crud somewhere.  I'll just dismantle everything, clean it out again and reassemble.  One of the two fuel pumps I tried is rebuilt, the other is used but I do have one more NOS one to try.

David H

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Re: Set back - long story

Yeah im with Clancy on this the tube nut on bottom of the tank has a fine yellow brass screen that once dislodged in the tank is virtually invisible if it,s looose and tumblin around in a few gallon,s of gas . As Volkswagen,s are truly hated by few mentally challenged red neck,s drivin beater chevy pick up,s like ta point out i find cotton cigarrette butt,s in fuel tank,s quite often << these are virtually invisible transparent once disolved intoo what look,s like a spitt luiggy but will wonder around in a tank for years cloggin then once draw pressure is released will float too top <, Hence the tank that keep,s cloggin and uncloggin syndrome ? Ciggarette butt,s are truly a badd deal rotton trick for gas tank,s .   Sean

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Re: Set back - long story

Well, if it's not something hard, it's something easy.

I took the tank out and pulled the outlet fitting/filter.  They are in perfect, clean shape.  I blew out the fuel line again with 90 PSI.  No apparent obstruction.  I replaced the rubber line on both the inlet and outlet side of the fuel pump. I had removed the fuel pump and manually checked the action.  It shot fuel about 2 feet across the floor.

I replaced the points, rotor and cap and did a static timing set and double checked the electrical functioning of the coil and distributor.

None of this helped and the car still wouldn't start.

Then, I decided to verify that gas was shooting into the carb by cycling the linkage.  To do this I had to open the choke plate and watch for the gas.

Surprise of surprises!  The choke plate wouldn't open.  It would move about 2-3 degrees and then hit something solid.  I pulled the carb off, took the choke heater off and saw that there was nothing obstructing the choke from the outside.

By now I was in no mood to be gentle so I put a pair of Channel Locks on the choke plate shaft and forced it open.  This revealed the problem.

The accelerator pump outlet tube, which is pressed into the carb casting immediately below the choke plate, had rotated around to a position which slowly closed the choke and then wedged it shut.  This explained the slow reduction in power just before the car quit running.  Of course, forcing the plate against the tube both bent the plate and crushed the tube,  but I can straighten the plate and replace the tube.

I know this ia a long story but if it helps someone else in diagnosing a problem then it's worth the space.

David H
'66 sunroof Beetle