• Registered: 2009-06-25
  • Posts: 554

Topic: First breakdown!

I was on my way to a distant store in heavy traffic, and was almost there when some guy kept going in and out of the stopped right lane. I found my opportunity and passed him, then pulled into the parking lot and the car stalled. Let out the clutch in 2nd since it was still rolling and it would not restart. Pumped the gas pedal a couple times while cranking and no catch, which told me that it did not run out of gas. I rolled into a parking space and took the air pipe off the carb and looked to see fuel trickling from the main venturi. Hmmm, stuck float valve. I went inside the store to drop off my son's phone to get the glass replaced, then came back out to fix the problem. Got a screwdriver from under the back seat, removed the top of the carb, and blew out the valve. Must have been some debris from my recent fuel line change, I clearly heard something pop out. Put it back together, held the pedal down for a few seconds and it started. Thank goodness it was something easy!

Fixing broken iPhone screen: $105
Fixing broken Karmann Ghia: $0
Having a car you can fix in 90 seconds: Priceless


Paul

Last edited by Altema (2010-08-30 13:12:31)

  • From: Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Registered: 2005-09-10
  • Posts: 2,318

Re: First breakdown!

Paul,

Wow...congrats on it being a problem that was fixable in the parking lot...and congrats on knowing what exactly to try & do!!!:)

Do you think this problem needs any further investigating now that you're back at the "safety" of your home?  Do you think that the "crud" from the fuel line change was after the fuel filter...but before the carb.?

Congrats again, smile

- Nick

1979 Super Beetle Convertible
  • TomB
  • Moderator
  • Offline
  • From: Austin, TX
  • Registered: 2004-03-27
  • Posts: 1,088

Re: First breakdown!

Sounds familiar. Back in college in the late 60s I often drove my 57 Borgward Isabella Kombi the 500 miles between Houghton and Grand Rapids. Several times it would gradually slow until I'd have to stop and pull off the top of the carb and clean the crud out of the float valve. Good experience for a young man, but now I'd rather prevent such things!

  • Registered: 2009-06-25
  • Posts: 554

Re: First breakdown!

Bug In My Nose wrote:

Do you think this problem needs any further investigating now that you're back at the "safety" of your home?  Do you think that the "crud" from the fuel line change was after the fuel filter...but before the carb.?

I don't think I'll see any more of this issue. The only old items left in the system that are post-filter is the metal line that comes up from the trans area and around the shroud, and the fuel pump itself. I did pull the fuel pump a few days earlier to pack some grease in there and the spacer, and flipping the pump over may have stirred up some old crud. I had just jumped on the throttle in 1st gear, and I think that is what pushed the debris to the carb. I may replace that metal line though. Funny thing is that, If the filter was still by the carb, it would have stopped it. Howerver a chunk of crud is less of a problem than watching my baby burn!

Paul

  • Registered: 2009-06-25
  • Posts: 554

Re: First breakdown!

TomB wrote:

Sounds familiar. Back in college in the late 60s I often drove my 57 Borgward Isabella Kombi the 500 miles between Houghton and Grand Rapids. Several times it would gradually slow until I'd have to stop and pull off the top of the carb and clean the crud out of the float valve. Good experience for a young man, but now I'd rather prevent such things!

My dad had similar symptoms in his super, with a different cause. He would lose power and the engine would die, but after 10 minutes it would start up like nothing was wrong. We found the answer when the fuel tank was pulled: He was a fan of fuel treatment and dry gas in the winter, and the seal from one of the bottles must have stuck to the bottle instead of staying with the cap, and got dumped into the tank with the additive. The seal was getting sucked up against the fuel inlet in the tank, cutting off flow. When the car sat, the suction would go away and the seal would fall away until the next random time. I thought that there was a screen or something in the tank to prevent things like that...

Paul

  • From: Vancouver Canada
  • Registered: 2004-04-28
  • Posts: 441

Re: First breakdown!

Altema wrote:

My dad had similar symptoms in his super, ....

Supers don't have the screen.

  • Registered: 2009-06-25
  • Posts: 554

Re: First breakdown!

Bruce wrote:
Altema wrote:

My dad had similar symptoms in his super, ....

Supers don't have the screen.

That explains it. I thought maybe the screen had been missed during manufacture.