Starting woes

65standard · 2012-11-10T23:22:40+00:00

G'day guys, I know it's Sunday morning and most are probably still getting over last night, but I am having a lot of trouble with the starting of my Beetle. It's a STOCK 1200 6V. I did a service on the car lasy Monday, and the only part of the ignition touched was to get the ignition timing to 10 deg BTDC. The car ran well after the service, and the next day fired up well and I continued with my running around and going to work for the next couple of days. Then I had trouble trying to start the car the next day and the engine flooded with fuel. After a number of attempts to purge the engine of unburnt fuel, the car finally started and I was on my way again. This became a bit of a hit and miss until yesterday, when I was looking at what the problem was, it now won't start but cranks over strongly. This is what I have done since yesterday trying to eliminate the problem as I go along. Fuel pump pressure checked - 3.5psi Top of carby pulled off to check needle valve. It was a little sticky, even after cleaning it, so I replaced it with another needle valve I had. Still no starting and flooding. Pulled all the plugs out, and they were wet, so cleaned, dried and refitted. Checked the condensor, and it checked OK, using the test light from the LT lead connector on the coil to the LT lead itself and ignition on. No illumination of the light, so condensor seems OK (yes light works). I fitted a new coil also, still no go. All these items were changed or fiddled with one at a time so as to try and eliminate the problem. I fitted new cap, rotor, plugs and points back in July, so I cleaned them and refitted them. After trying to start the car a number of times yesterday, I ran the battery down, so I had it charging overnight, to make an early start today. Still no go with the ignition. I checked the timing today (statically with a test light) and found the timing was well advanced to about 17 deg BTDC. My initial reaction was that I had forgotten to tighten the distributor or didn't tighten it enough, but it was rock solid. I statically timed the ignition again and tried to start, but to no avail, but it did sound like it tried to kick, but was too flooded, and the battery ran down again. It's on charge at the moment while I scratch my head as to what the problem is. Any help will be greatly appreciated as I need the car for work tomorrow. Sorry about the long post, but I'm at a loss as to what would be preventing the ignition when all seems to work. Thanks, Norm

Lee,

I don't know if the culprit was the new coil or not, because I did the silly thing and changed the coil before the condensor, and maybe complicated the problem.

I feel it may have been the condensor, and putting the new coil with the old condensor gave the impression of the coil. But, I did change the condensor after fitting the new coil, and still had nothing.

It all came good with the old coil being refitted. I say old coil because it's a Bosch 6V made in Australia.

It's hard to keep a good VeeDub and its owner down for too long.

Anyway, so far so good. Car fired right up this morning to go to work. Actaully looked forward going to work this morning in the Bug instead of the train.

If it ain't broke, fix it till it is!