Carb pre-heat actually works

It's a thermostat. It will prevent heated air from entering when it's warm out. But you can do its job manually.

Speedy Jim

It's designed to let the hot-air door close once the temperature in the air cleaner gets up to a certain point and keep it open the rest of the time. It is adjustable, and I have been able to 'fix' them in the past by carefully removing the metal clip holding them to the air cleaner and taking the jet out of the back side. There is a plastic ball behind the jet, you can take that out, clean the jet and use some soapy water and a bit of compressed air to clean the inside of the switch case and get them back to functional status. The 'adjustment' part is made by setting the installed depth of the jet. Pay close attention to how many threads are showing before you take it out.

Or you can just leave the door open when it is cold out(as you are doing now) by bypassing the temp switch and cap it off once things warm up. ;) It's amazing how much of a difference it can make when it works like it should.

Good luck with it.

Chris

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I wish I hadna nickel for every VW owner who has said exactly that after I've performed a 'miraculous' repair that consisted of nothing more than returning the steering, shifter, alignment or engine to its ORIGINAL specs.

Some years ago I mentioned that few of todays VW owners have had the privilege of driving one off the show-room floor and because of that lack, had no idea what a nice little car it is to drive, with its crisp shifting, positive steering and responsive engine.

My VW's are a long way from stock but I can honestly say that the changes I've made (and written about) have served only to improve the economy, usefulness and durability of an already well-engineered vehicle.

-Bob Hoover

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They are a fine automobile. The very fact that I am driving a 36 year old car almost every day is testament to that.

I wasn't around in time to buy one from the dealer and start with a brand new car, but what you are saying here has rung true with my limited experience. Every time I have returned something back to original specifications on my VW it has gotten better. It's almost like a real car now ;-)

The gal I wrote about a few months back actually ponied up the cash for a new carburetor, new distributor with vacuum advance, new pulley and belt, and we fixed the pedal cluster and the emergency brake. And we replaced the shifter. And we put in new rubber bumpers so the glove box will open. Even -I- was shocked at how much better things are now, and once we put in the intake manifold that hasn't had the pre-heat pipes cut off things will be even better still. It drives more and more like a car and less and less like "An old VW".

As always, thanks for your insight.

Chris