Go to start the engine and it cranks very slowly, and you can hear like a air whistle which i assume is coming out the carb, batterys fine as the motor eventually starts, dun matter hot or cold it still does this, what could be the problem?
Cheers

it could be ether a vacum leak or a loose head. my bet is on the vacum leak

i know nothing about beetles, where would be a good place to start? or maybe you mean those rubber manifold boots?
Cheers

vacuum is on ur carby, the more air thats getting in the less petrol, thus its harder to start.

also check ur points, its the thingy with the 5 plugs coming out of it. take the cap off and check ur points and the rotor button.

If it is cranking slowly - it would be a problem with either a flatish battery or a sick starter??

What is the battery like.
With the lights on do they stay when you try to start it??

You may have a problem [not with the distributor or points or rotor button... etc]
But Your starter sounds a bit lazy...
It needs to be taken out & greased... as the shaft in the end of the starter motor fits into a brass bush in the gearbox housing... this will wear over time, especially if its not greased with Lithium based Moly grease [Big W sells this]
as the bush wears out the starter motor tries to go sideways with all the forces on it when starting the engine.
The engine may make this sound all of the time normally,
but because the engine is turning over slowly, You can hear it
The engine is sucking in the fuel/air vapour... which is normal

The starter Motor may need to be overhauled by an auto electrician...

Another thing You can do, is test the starter motor solenoid..
You need to be careful doing this... hand brake on...
Jack up rear right hand side of car - take rear wheel off - loosen the wheel bolts before jacking up the car...
Use a jack stand under the car - in case the jack goes down..
Just above the RHS rear axle is the starter motor...
You will see 2 large threads protruding from the solenoid...
You need to place a large screw driver between these two
threaded pieces... Now there will be sparks.. scares the hell out of Me... but if the engine turns over faster than normal..
its Your solenoid that needs replacing....
The solenoid is the black round bit on top of the starter motor... the + positive cable from the battery goes to it..
the contacts in these do wear/burn out as a Very Large current flows thru these when You are starting Your engine....
[the same large current that will flow thru the screw driver]

May be easier to take the starter motor/solenoid off and take it to an auto electrician... its held on with 2 bolts, but first the battery MUST be disconnected... and the cable that goes to the solenoid- disconnected by undoing the nut....

Best of Luck

Lee

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