73 super beetle rough start and smoke

I just recently purchased a 1973 super beetle convertible. The days following my purchase, I had no problems starting her up, whether it had been sitting for 10 minutes or 10 hours. That same week, I filled her up and since then I've had issues getting her started. In the morning when she's cold, it takes almost half a dozen tries to get the engine to run for longer than 15 seconds... once that happens, I wait about 5 minutes and she's good to go. In the afternoon after she's been sitting for maybe 4-5 hours, it takes no more than two or three attempts before she stays idling. ...I'm wondering if it has to do with the gas I used..? It was premium, but not the most expensive of brands - is there one you recommend... or maybe something with the gas tank/fuel line I could check?

Now for the smoking issue... for the past day or two the car has begun to smoke, almost steam - not profusely and of no color that I can tell. I've changed the oil, and plan on replacing the distributor, rotor, spark plugs/wires, fuel filter, etc. this or the next weekend... is there something else I should attempt?

I'm a novice mechanic, but I'm handy, I learn fast, and I have a few books to refer to... any insight would be very helpful.

Thanks ahead of time...

Jen in Tucson, AZ

Reply to
ursapintada
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In cars with longer exhausts than VW,s you can get "steam" being emitted for a short while because of condensation in the exhaust (particularly after a long time stopped). Stops after engine warms up and dries out the exhaust system. Doesnt seem to occur in VW,s though. I,m wondering whether you may have a bit of water in the tank which may be doing same thing. I,m told by old mechanics that with water in tank the go is to fill it up with petrol and to add a large cup of methylated spirits to the tank. Apparently it allows water to diffuse into petrol. Then again with the tank so easy to pull out it may be easier to take it out and clean it. Cheers John

Reply to
John

Expensive gas seems to sit in the vendor's tank longer... Crappy gas might well cause the symptoms you describe.. Gas dry in a bottle is a good idea. Some kind of achohol - don't think its isopropyl, but it might be.

Don't think that bugs need higher octane gas - I could use some education on that ppoint, though.

ISTR cheap gas worked pretty good in my bugs

Mark

Reply to
Mark Dunning

Sounds like a sticky choke flap to me. Try a bottle of STP gas treatment in the tank to diffuse any water, too, as others mentioned.

IMO, you do need 92 octane to keep the engine running cooler than the 87 crap. Only if you have some exotic electronic ignition system with a knock sensor for dynamic curves can you use the cheap stuff. Our old mechanical stuff doesn't get smart enough to allow us to run on modern crap gas.

Reply to
David Gravereaux

Only if you have some exotic electronic ignition system with a knock sensor for dynamic curves can you use the cheap stuff. Our old mechanical stuff doesn't get smart enough to allow us to run on modern crap gas .>>>>

a stock ACVW engine does not need, nor benefit from, anything other than "regular" grade gasoline.

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

I had a case worse then thatwhen comming to bad gas.

I was driving a 74 vert that had less then 500 miles on a total rebuild that was running perfect till I stoped and put 5 gal of 93 octane, got 11/2 miles away from the gas station and the vert just died. I thought it couldn't be anything more then the points so I called one of my workers to bring me a new set, but to no prevail. I towed the convertable to the shop and drained the gas(water) and replaced with gas from another station to get it to run.

It sounds like your haveing the same problem, I would either drain the tank and use anther brand or try gas treatment.

Mario Vintage Werks resto

Reply to
Kafertoys

Thank you all for your input!... the gas additive helped with the start-up.. and so far, I haven't seen any smoke coming from the engine. Tune-up is still scheduled...

However, where one door closes, another opens right?

I was driving across town today, and there's only a few roads that warrant going over 40mph, and I just happened to be on one. I shifted into fourth gear, started to feel the car deccelerate, realized the gas wasn't working... so I pulled off to a side road. I let it sit for a minute, restarted fine, let it run, and took off a few minutes later without anymore problems.... I just kept it below 40 in third gear and got where I needed to go.

Any clue what would cause the car to just die...? this happened once before at this speed and silly me thought it was my fault since I haven't had to drive a standard since high school... It was after the shift and some acceleration - no noises or signs of damage.

Reply to
ursapintada

Sounds like an extension of the original problem. Drain or replace your petrol filter. Drain the Carburetor bowl. And if some water is trapped in the fuel lines you may have to blow them out or just keep using the petrol treatment until its all gone. John

Reply to
John

In 1973, regular was 91 octane! Look it up.

Reply to
David Gravereaux

and leaded.

Reply to
David Gravereaux

i really don't need to look it up...my response was posted YESTERDAY based on YESTERDAY'S regular(unleaded) fuel, not 34 years ago.... the vw, in stock form, as i said YESTERDAY, is designed to run on TODAY'S regular fuel... "look it up". it's been explained over and over, yet FOOLS keep parting with their money...want to get the same effect for your vw as putting in high octane fuel? retard the timing a few degrees...but before you do, realize this makes the EGT's rise...not good for a vw engine.

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

i assume this is an afterthought to your other reply..... vw's have come from the factory with hardened valve seats since the mid 60's or so....this means there was no longer a need for the lead in fuel....you can, of course, "look it up".... @@

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

Make sure your ignition cables are connected in the proper order. I have had similar results by having some in the wrong places.

Reply to
Funkie

try 87, drive a long hill on a highway and record head and oil temp temp as you peak. Next time you fill, use 92 and do the same run, same speed. Even advance it back where it should be if you like... Notice you're about 15-20 degrees F down compared to the 87.

Though if you got an extra oil cooler, the test wouldn't show any difference.

Reply to
David Gravereaux

you peak. Next time you fill, use 92 and do the same run, same speed. Even advance it back where it should be if you like... Notice you're about 15-20 degrees F down compared to the 87.

Though if you got an extra oil cooler, the test wouldn't show any difference.>>

i assure you, you do not need 92 octane(US) in a stock ACVW....i run 93 octane in my bug with a nearly stock cam at 8.5:1 compression(very little bleed off with a "cheater" cam) and i hit 15PSI of boost with no detonation....my oil temp and head temp stay steady even up a four mile 7% grade near to my home(65-70MPH) in both my boosted bug, and my stock Ghia(the ghia gets 87 octane fuel exclusively)...if your oil temps are rising 15-20F on a "long hill on a highway" you have problems that octane isn't going to help with.

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

. Next time you fill, use 92 and do the same run, same speed. Even

FTR, the "retard the timing" while running the 87 octane was to imitate what running 92 does(a stock ACVW does not have any of the properties that would require premium fuel, period)...you can run the plain ole regular and just be happy...or you can toss your money away buying premium fuel, i'll keep my money and run what the factory recommended.

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

And that would be 90.5 ron, not 87. If you can make 87 work for you, great. I can't. It runs hotter for me, and backing off the timing makes it bog.

Reply to
David Gravereaux

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

I appreciate the octane discussion/argument... very interesting and definitely enlightening.

However, gas ended up having nothing to do with my problem. The choke flap (which was referenced in one of your replies) wasn't working properly. The gas treatment worked for a day... the rough start came back the next morning. I had my grandfather take a look at everything for me (has some experience with bugs back in the 60's and was a body man/mechanic his whole life)... he started playing with the choke flaps and soon figured out by pressing on the throttle spring that the flaps weren't responding... hmmm

One wire from a garbage bag tie later.... and the problem was fixed. Engine starts and runs beautifully now that the choke stays closed until the engine is heated up. (I'll change out the wire for a clip soon)

So thank you all for your help, but no major maintenance was needed... for now ;)

Jen

Reply to
ursapintada

Reply to
Eric

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