I think I have my previous starting issues ironed out, new starter motor and bush seems to have done the trick. The problem I have now is random cutting out while I'm driving along.
I was thinking maybe it was a sticky needle valve, so checked it out and it did appear to be a bit sticky so I replaced it. Thinking that I got it sorted, I decided to take the car to work today. It ran lovely for about 20 miles, had a little stutter but carried on and I made it to work.
Coming home, I did about 15 miles and then it cut out. I thought I'd do some roadside diagnosis, so took the top of the carb off and sure enough the float chamber was empty although the needle valve looked loose and fine. I noticed that there wasn't much fuel in the see through fuel filter. But a few cranks and the filter was full again and the car started, I drove about another 5 miles and it cut out again.
So, top off the carb again and it was empty, fuel filter empty again. So thinking that maybe it was a fuel pipe blockage I sucked down the pipe and promptly got a mouth full of petrol (I'm still doing petrol burps now). So no blockage in the fuel pipe.
So next, I took the outlet from the fuel pump and put into a little tub, turned the engine over for about 10 seconds and there was nothing in the tub, it was bone dry. Another 10 seconds turning it over and the tub was still dry. I took the pump apart and all the diaphrams look like new, the lever in the bottom was free and it made pumping noises when I pushed the lever in the bottom. Put the pump back on, turned it over and there was still nothing coming from the pump outlet.
By this time I'd had enough of roadside diagnosis, so poored a cap full of petrol into the float chamber of the carb. The car started up fine and I then drove approx another 10 miles without it stopping.
It's as though the pump isn't working all the time, but it's mechanical so not sure how that could happen.
Any ideas? :?
Rob Amos
Happiness is a stock VW