I have a 1960 beetle with a 1200 engine. Not original but has been tinkered with in the past. I bought this vehicle of a friend months ago and am restoring it.
I have driven the car at 25 miles an hour max. Then no power after.
The engine look original no other adaptaions.
The idle solidnoide and a throttle pre heater thing on top of carbi are there but wires have been cut. The throttle idle arm has been wired shut!

Can anyone tell me where the original wiring starts to go to these components.
Should i continue to run engine without this?

Why would anyone cut these wires off?

Sounds like the wiring has been removed to the choke (heater thingy) and wired shut so it can't come on and run rich (or not at all). The idle solenoid must have been modded or else the engine wouldn't run at idle at all. Both are normally powered from the ignition coil +ve terminal, but check for short circuits or any other problems before reconnecting.

Sounds like it.

When i start the car i usually have a person spraying start ya bastard and leaving the throttle body on full until she warms up. Engine usually idles good after. cheers for that.


Just another thing to fix with a resto!!!!

If the "Idle Fuel Cutoff Solenoid" isn't wired up, like Matt said, it would have been modified, most likely the end of the Piston inside, the thing that cuts the fuel off, has been removed. You can check, it just unscrews and their should be a Mushroom shaped head on the end of the Piston. Otherwise the car shouldnt be able the start as the piston retracts to allow fuel through when power goes to the solenoid. But you should get a replacement as you the engine can sometimes keep running when you have turned it off.

You're thinking of 70s twinport cut out solenoids with plungers.
by the way they will still run with them not working, they just dont idle well

60s carbs had very different ones, which were apart of the idle jet and they werent even fitted to early 1200s like the one in question, that started in mid 60s, unless the carbs been swapped

You're right Joel, but iirc the solenoid jet can be fitted to any Solex as they screw straight in the same as a normal idle jet.

Yup, thats all they are, just idle jets with the solenoid attached

It was only the pict3 carbs found on 70s twin port bug and kombi engines that had the seperate plunger type.


Trendy, I'd be sussing out your timing and that you haven't got a fuel supply issue

Pics will help