It happened 3 times, in the last 3 weeks.

:cry

I could not start my Beetle. I rang the NRMA for help, and they said I overflooded the engine.

The first two times, the NRMA guys lifted the automatic choke while I attempted to start the car. The third, the NRMA guy had to jump-start my battery.

I'm not sure if the way I start the car has something to do with it.

Am I supposed to:

(1) Step on the pedal to full, lift my foot off, and then turn the key; or

(2) Turn the key w/o touching the pedal (often, this doesn't work...)

(3) Turn the key, and step on the pedal a second after ?

Please help... :cry

turn the key and when the starter motor kicks in just tap the pedal down till it fires and then keep it at a fast idle with your foot on the pedal untill the engines warm

I would go for that too, although every engine is different,
to "unflood" an engine ie you tried to start it for a while & it didnt, simply turn the starter hodling your foot flat to the floor, & it should start within 15 secs , the full throttle lets a lot of air go through to blow out & dry out the extra fuel

Could be a vapour lock!
ROFL! sorry this is a joke at my misfortune!

I'd agree with Anthiron there... It use to happen to Millie and all i did was pedal flat to the floor, kick it over and back off a bit when it does get goin! This will reduce the overflooding



Ciao
Kat

i thought pushing the pedal down released petrol into where ever.. and caused the flood.. pressing pedal down gently after turning key works for me

---Damien

:cry

My Beetle finally "died" yesterday morning. I couldn't get it started at all !

Got the NRMA involved. Turms out that the starter motor may need to be replaced. Apparently, the previous owner who did the 6 to 12v conversion, was recycling a 6v starter motor !

:cussing

Does anyone knows :

1) what's the best way to get this sorted; whether changing to 12v starter motor is the way (is it just changing the starter motor, or I need to get other parts done too ?) or

2) can I use a reconditioned 6v, and afix a conversion wire for 12v to 6v into the starter motor (I speak as if I know what this is... but really, I don't...) ; and

3) any rough ideas how much these options would cost me ?

I miss my driving Beetle terribly... :cry

[Deep down, I secretly think my Beetle could have planned all these. Refusing to go to work with me, but instead, playing "ill" and decided to stay home. Who knows if she ran out and played with other cars, and got home before I did ? But seriously, it hurts to hear her sounding so sick everytime I try to start her up...]

ps: thanks everyone who replied and U2U-ed me, offering me tips on how to start my Beetle - I'm very grateful

:rudolf

i thought that 6V starters were fine to use on 12volt and that they worked well....

I have no idea....



I only got as far as recognising the automatic choke, the generator, and the carborator...

Hi extensiblecow,
the correct procedure to start a VW with an automatic choke, is to press the pedal down once, besides the accelerator pump pumping in a squirt of fuel, it also sets the throttle on the auto choke ...
Go to Your engine, and look at the flat piece of metal just above the accelerator cable [next to the top of the return spring] on the Left Hand side of Your carburetor.. .. check which step the screw is sitting on, then go & press the pedal down slightly, it doesn't have to be down to the floor.. [although VW used to say to press to the floor once.. ] and then check to see which step the screw is on..
Best to do this with a cold engine.. the screw should be on the bottom step after being driven when hot... when the auto choke is activated , the screw should go to the top step.
this is of course - if the engine is cold.. and the auto choke is adjusted correctly.. One other thing, don't sit there and wait for the engine to stop revving, You are supposed to just drive away... Many cars in late 1960 [when the auto choke first appeared in Beetles, had a problem starting in very cold weather, so VW used to advertise that You can get into a Beetle , start it up and drive away... no waiting for the engine to warm up...

6 Volt starter Motor.. If You have an old one.. most have been thrown away... You will HAVE to use a 6v starter motor as the teeth on the flywheel ring gear that the starter motor engages, have different splines to the 12 volt models and are NOT compatible.. You can change the flywheel and the starter motor bush [sits in the gearbox housing] but You will have to have the engine out of the car to do that job...
The flywheel sits on the front of the engine... [same as front of car] I would try to find a few old 6v starter motors..
I know many have ended up at the Tip.... they aren't worth anything really... not many 6 volt Beetles about..
I hope this helps..

Lee

Thanks Lee, for the valueable tips

I have sent You a very long U2U explaining about the starter motor and flooding the carburetor .. etc..
Your Engine will sound different when starting with a 6 volt starter motor going at around twice the speed of a 12 volt starter. all this and the engine stationary until the pinion gear on the starter motor hits the ring gear [very large gear] on the engine's flywheel... the pinion gear on the starter motor needs to be greased with Lithium based grease to help lubricate and stop premature wear...

Lee

Here's some info on the 6v to 12v conversion that might help:

http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/htm/6v_12v.htm

The consensus seems to be that using the 6v starter on 12v is ok unless you crank over a lot. I presume it overheats.

If you push the accelerator pedal flat to the floor when the engine is flooded, do it slowly so that the accelerator pump (in the carbie) doesn't pump more fuel in and make the situation worse.

The major issue is that you shouldn't be having that much trouble starting anyway. When was the car last tuned?