Starting problems· Page 2 · International Vintage Volkswagen Forums

six-o-one
pre67vw Junkie

11 years ago

#21

This might be useful...

https://www.vw-resource.com/car_wont_start.html

Malc

Lavenham Vintage VW Show - 2012
Bandwagen | Vintage Volkswagens & Photography

AW
pre67vw Junkie

11 years ago

#22

You say it dose not start. Dose the engine turn over but dose not fire up? Or dose it not crank over? To test the fuel cut off solinoid turn the ignition on then remove the wire from the terminal and touch it on and off the spade conection. Dose it make a cliking sound? If not remove and re fit wier to terminal and toutch the solanoid body to the carb dose the plunger move? if yes its ok if its 6V then it may be over heating and not work when hot. You can not run the car with the solinoid removed but iff its shot you can cut the plunger off and refit to get you home its just that when you turn the motor off it may keep running with the heat of the engine igniting the fule mixture. Replace with a 12 volt item. If all ok Fit a test bulb to the feed on the coil and put to earth turn the ignition on dose the bulb light up if yes then go to cranking the engine dose the light stay on if yes the ignition feed is ok If it gose out but starts the ignition switch is released then the ignition switch is at fault. What happens is that when cranking there is no live feed to the coil but when the ignition swich is released the momentom of the engine keeps it turning over so when the switch goes to ignition only it will start This is to be tested when cold. The reason it will not start is when the engine is hot the petrol mixture will not be strong enough to catch the spark when you have stopped cranking. Hope this makes sence up to now if all ok it may be petrol evaporation Have you got the insulator block between the carb and inlet manifold? If not this can cause all sorts of problems with what is called Heat Sink When the engine is swiched off the temprature rises and bolis the petrol ( Ask any side valve Ford owner )When it cools down the petrol becomes fluid and works again. Hope you sort it if not we can try some other things :thumbup:

Have alook oh here about the ignition check

Andy W

Andy W

AW wrote:

pre67vw
Administration Topic Starter

11 years ago

#23

Bloody cars... :evil: I think I'm going to take up a different hobby, something like stamp collecting...

Went to Stanford Hall today, car started OK this morning - but it cut out about 100 yards from the entrance gate. My brother turned up about 15 minutes later, but the car just wouldn't start again. At first, it was turning over but not firing, then it wouldn't turn at all - eventually it would just 'click' but wouldn't even turn over. My brother had a power pack jump start thing, but same thing - just a click.

It kind of ruined my enjoyment of the show because I was just wondering how I was going to get home, whether or not I was going to have to get recovered. Eventually, went back to the car to have another look - at first it just clicked, then one time it turned over but wouldn't fire. The car was on a bit of a slope, so my brother decided to try and bump start me backwards down the hill - the car started up. So we headed off along the A14 - after about 25 minutes of driving with my brother following me, he then pulled off to head home and I carried on the A14 - about 5 minutes later the same thing happened, complete loss of engine power. Luckily I managed to just about make it to a lay-by. I called my brother again to see if he could help, after about half an hour of messing about I think it had cooled down enough and it then started and I managed to get home.

So this is kind of a worrying new development, previously it would run fine once it had started - now it's died twice while driving along. 😞

When the car stopped the first time, it seemed as though the coil was really hot - much hotter than the rest of the engine. I picked up another coil at Stanford Hall and we fitted it before coming home, but obviously that's not fixed it..

:thumbdn:

Rob Amos
Happiness is a stock VW

merchantrader
Regular

11 years ago

#24

I have not tried to help so far as although I recognize the symptoms and have run thousands of vehicles I have little VW specific electrics experience. However the following may help.

I would try to sort one problem at a time starting with the starter motor. You do not say if you have changed the bush, if not this may be the problem. I have to say that when I first read about the problems I thought it was a problem the starter motor armature - turns over fine sometimes and not others together with sounding like a flat battery sometimes are classic symptoms of a faulty armature. If it was my starter I would get mine reconditioned or fit a new (exchange?) one.

Having got it to turn over reliably every time I would then tackle the low tension, high tension electrics and the fuel system as described by others.

Hope this helps.

David

pre67vw
Administration Topic Starter

11 years ago

#25

Not swapped the bush yet as it hasn't arrived yet. Last night I ordered a new starter motor to go with it... Having it turn over every time definitely sounds like step 1...

Rob Amos
Happiness is a stock VW

Syntax Error 67
Newbie

11 years ago

#26

What would happen if either the Main Earth Lead or the Main +ive Lead were corroded or broken inside the wrap? As you were driving along it would be ok but at the Battery tried to charge it wouldnt and as you said the engine just cut out? this would be the same as removing the Earth terminal while the engine is running, it will die. Then as it hasnt had a good contact the battery only has limited charge and wont restart?
As well as replacing the Starter & Bush I would also replace the Main Battery Wires and Terminals.
Give me a shout when the bits have arrived...

And by the way I have a few stamps from around the world if you want them to get your collection going ?

pre67vw
Administration Topic Starter

11 years ago

#27

So after getting absolutely soaked in the rain and after much swearing and aching - the engine is out, the starter bush is out (it's pretty kippered). Plan is at the moment, to drop in a 6v-12v bush, put in a 12v starter and swap the flywheel over to a 12v one. (The car is currently 12v but I was running a 6v starter), then replace a few leads as well...

Rob Amos
Happiness is a stock VW

vintagebug
pre67vw Junkie

11 years ago

#28

... the starter bush is out (it's pretty kippered).

pre67vw wrote:

Sounds like that might be it then, Rob. Fingers crossed, let us know...

Dave
"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading"

pre67vw
Administration Topic Starter

11 years ago

#29

Right, so 12v starter now in with new bush - plus 12v flywheel and new clutch. While I was at it, I also replaced the dizzy cap, rotor arm and condenser. First spin up the road and it was obvious that the clutch needed adjusting, so back to the drive to sort that out. Second drive up the road, it was all going very well until the car decided it saw a nice spot to park.

It was as though it had run out of petrol and I coasted to a stop. On the plus side, whereas previously it wouldn't have turned over on the starter, this time it was turning over nicely - it would sometimes catch but then die again. After 20 minutes wait with the occasional try and no luck, I poured some petrol into the float chamber and it started up and I drove home. So it appears that I have some kind of fuel problem now, but it's too nice a day to be messing around with that, so I'm leaving it for now.

Rob Amos
Happiness is a stock VW

pre67vw
Administration Topic Starter

11 years ago

#30

Update on the fuel problem, took the top of the carb off - float and valve all nice and free. Took the petrol pump off for a check over, lever inside that also good and the pump seems to be working fine. I'm now wondering if it's just muck in the fuel line.

Rob Amos
Happiness is a stock VW

Rich Oakley
pre67vw Junkie

11 years ago

#31

Update on the fuel problem, took the top of the carb off - float and valve all nice and free. Took the petrol pump off for a check over, lever inside that also good and the pump seems to be working fine. I'm now wondering if it's just muck in the fuel line.

pre67vw wrote:

Very likely Rob.

It's worth taking the carb off, stripping it down (remembering how many turns out the mixture screw is etc), blowing it through and re-assembling.

I don't like those crappy paper fuel filters, but I have fitted them on a few cars as a temporary measure (under the boot floor) and watched them fill up with dirt from the tank over a period of time. Definitely worth a try as I have experienced the same problem as you with several cars.

47 Beetle, 56 UK Karmann Cabriolet, 56 UK Beetle, 57 UK Type 2, 59 UK Beetle, 66 UK Fastback.

pre67vw
Administration Topic Starter

11 years ago

#32

I have one of those crappy fuel filters on it, it's not overly dirty - but I don't think it's getting as full as it used to. I'm thinking that I'll take the fuel tank out, put a rag over the fuel pipe at that end then blow compressed air into the other end and see if anything comes out onto the rag.

Rob Amos
Happiness is a stock VW

AW
pre67vw Junkie

11 years ago

#33

Is the petrol pump the type you can strip down? The membrane is not split? or a one way valve stuck ?????

Andy W

pre67vw
Administration Topic Starter

11 years ago

#34

Is the petrol pump the type you can strip down? The membrane is not split? or a one way valve stuck ?????

Andy W

AW wrote:

It is one that you can strip yes, I rebuilt it a few years ago. Pushing the lever in the bottom pumped a fair bit of fuel out, it seems to be working fine.

Edited by user 11 years ago | Reason: Not specified

Rob Amos
Happiness is a stock VW

JD
pre67vw Junkie

11 years ago

#35

I´ve heard of occasions where there was enough crap floating about in the bottom of the fuel tank that will occasionally block the fuel pick up. Maybe take a look what´s in the tank? Easy enough to shine a torch in there.

"John, you need to get a grip and STOP MOANING AT EVERYTHING. ThumbDown "