thanks for considering this problem:

I have a 77 micro bus. 1 year ago i had the motor rebuilt. since this time it has never run well.

the problem is the motor will hesitate as you put the foot on the gas through each gear. it is as if the engine never warms up properly. at higher rpm it runs fine. additionally there is black soot in the exhaust and a smell of petrol.

Naturally i find the above situation disturbing so i have had 3 seperate mechanics look at the problem. (This engine has cost as much as a Barina and right now i would swap it for one if given the chance.)

the carbies are twin solex with no choke. a friend of mine says the right side jets are spraying fuel onto the butterfly valve (apon which it bounces up instead of going on down)

we have checked and rechecked the timing.
electronic points set was fitted when rebuilt.

My questions are
1/ should i send the carbs away or buy a new set and start again?

2/ most of my trips are short. wouldnt i be better off with chokes

when you say Solox with no choke, do you mean Kadrons? Aftermarket ones - not original? Sounds like they need setting-up properly...?

1 where do you live

2 who have you taken it to PM me if you like

3 i may be able to suggest someone who may have more knowledge

may be sucking air through the throttle shafts as well they tend to wear in the stock 2L carbies

Maybe the accelerator pumps need adjusting
pumping too much fuel every time you touch the throttle

or the distributor timing is incorrect..

have the mechanics been VW mechanics???

Lee

i have the same problem. and i have kadron carbies.

coincidence?

As well as the carburettion, you should check that the ignition timing is right, as Lee mentioned, and also that the distributor vacuum advance is fully functional. It's easy to have the distributor bench tested.

hth

also check your manifold vacuum elbows as they tend to slip off/breakdown these are the 2 elbows balancing the manifold's
cheers
rhys

Do you have the stock vacuum advance distributor or a 009 (mechanical advance only)? When you say you have checked the timing have you used a timing light and have you checked the advance with and without the vacuum attached (assuming stock distributor)?

Lack of chokes is not a huge problem with twin carbs because the manifolds are short. I have twin weber icts and just let the engine warm up for a few minutes in cold weather. Now a single weber progressive, that's a different story!

I'm intrigued that you say twin solex with no chokes too, as the standard 34PDSITs have electric chokes.

I too had a motor rebuilt and used some 'rebuilt' carbies at the same time, and have never got it running well. These carbies have caused me very much grief, stupid things, mainly with a MAJOR hesitation at low engine speeds, much as you describe. I never figured out what the issue was and went back to an old set with leaky throttle shafts and all which ran better than the shiny clean ones.

But as the others have said, timing (incl. functioning distributor) is easy to check. That was not my problem however.

Accelerator pump not being right makes a huge difference. Either too much or too little flow and also where it gets squirted even - during my investigations I noticed a difference just in where the little squirter tube was pointed. Your friend might be on to something there.

Good luck dude, these things suck. No wonder the FI is so beloved by many (but strangely not the mechanics in Melbourne I've spoken to). These carbies have put me off the 'superior' TypeIV, just 'cause I have no running issues whatsoever with the good little SINGLE CARB 1600 single port in the '69.

Cheers, A.

EDIT: oh, when I took mine to a mechanic, he made it run richer to try to get around the hesitation at low speed. That was only successful in that it became so sluggish at all speeds that the hesitation became barely perceptible. That obviously is not a feasible solution. Hopefully that hasn't been done to yours. I mention that because it sounds like it's running rich (you mentioned soot and petrol smell). Rich running is bad of course and I think that that should be dealt with - get rid of the known problems first, then find the real problem.

don't rev it down low.
give it the beans,keep the rev's up high and your problem will dissapear.

Thanks for all the replies
in the mean time i have had some work done
problem is better but still there

thanks vw54 i will contact your man in Taree

Ben