Desperate need of help!!!!! Type 3 engine

[Jonesy]

Hello, I tried this before with not much luck and I am hoping someone new or with more knowledge than myself (which isn't too hard) can help me figure this issue out. I will gladly pay in beer and cash for some help as long as we figure the problem out.

My sons type 3 fasty just died one day without any warning. I could get it to fire once in a while but could not keep running or get it to rev up. I replaced plugs, wires, points, cap looks new, even swapped coil and generator from another running engine. Still no luck. So I decided to pull the engine out and put it in my wife's Squareback that was running fine but had a huge oil leak. I figured this way I would know if it was some type of ground issue in my sons car. I installed and turned over with the same results. Will spit and fire occasionally but will not continue to run or rev up. I changed the oil and adjusted valves as well. This engine has less than 3,000 miles on it and looks great. Ran awesome for the first 6 months than just died. I really need this as we are down a car and we do jot have the money for another car. Oh yeah, the engine has dual solex carbs and I did replace the hoses on the tube that runs from carb to carb.

Please can some one help. I live in Hauser Lake and the car is sitting in my shop. I am off Wednesday and Thursday. Feel free to call me as I am reading to pull the rest of my hair out and start drinking heavily again. Maybe if you can help me we can drink heavily in celebration. Lol

Matt
208-640-9633

[sandals]

Did you replace the condenser when you did the points? What is your point gap and ignition timing spec? Do you have good fuel flow to the carbs? From the tank? If it shut off suddenly while at speed or under load, then it is likely ignition related. If it sputtered before it died, it is likely fuel related. I would suggest that you go through a full tune up, step by step, to eliminate all possibilities.

[Jonesy]

I did replace the condenser and the points were set at what the book recommended. Don't remember what that was. I did it last fall. New electric fuel pump with plenty of flow to carbs. My son was driving at 20-25 near his school, started to sputter then died.

I'm not a dual carb person and don't have the knowledge to begin to adjust and sync. Any suggestions there? I did check spark and seems to be pretty good at all cylinders.

Thanks for the advice, could you please give me a list of things you recommend in a full tune up? It has new plugs, new wires, new points and condenser, rotor and cap look flawless, generator tested good, coil is producing spark. I really appreciate all the advice I can get. I have a lot of tools and test equipment so if you can think of any tests I will try them. I have test light, old timing light and lots of tools. Just lost and where to start.

Thanks again.

[sandals]

Start at the beginning. I know you have already done a tune up, but go through the procedures again.

Points. Check all connections, gap at .016", dwell set at 50 plus/minus 2 degrees.

After adjusting the points, reset the timing. Not sure exactly where you should be timed since I don't know what engine and distributor you are running. If it's an 009, set the full advance at 30 degrees at or above 2500 RPM.

Check plug gap and set at .028"

Make absolutely sure you have proper firing order, and with a spare plug, pull each plug wire one at a time and check for a good spark at each cylinder. Just install the spare plug into the end of the plug wire and ground it against the block. Hold it with an insulated pliers, spin the engine with the ignition on and look for a blue or white spark. If it's yellow or orange, it is getting weak. Maybe time for a new coil.

Since you say it sputtered and then died, I have my suspicions about the fuel system. Check to make sure that fuel is actually getting to the carbs. Be very careful that you don't start a fire, and have an extinguisher handy. Crack open the float bowl on each carb after testing your fuel pump. If there is no fuel in the float bowl, maybe your float needle(s) are stuck. This just happened to a friend last week, and it took awhile to diagnose.

Do you have a fuel pressure regulator in the fuel system after the electric pump? Not sure if high fuel pressure would cause your problem, but it won't help things. I am not too familiar with dual carb issues, but there are others here that have plenty of experience with them. I would think that if there is an overall problem with the engine running that affects both cylinder banks, it likely isn't a carb issue. I could be wrong, though.

[Jonesy]

Thanks for all the great info. Will be working on it tonight. The engine is a rebuilt 1600 with dual solex 32 I believe. It has a new electric after market pump that I got from A recommendation from Pam at local vw parts house. The distributor has a vacuum advance on it and I'm not sure which on it is. Also, since I won't run, how do I set dwell?

Any more input would be greatly appreciated.

[sandals]

You can set dwell while cranking the engine with the starter.

[Lowdowndub]

You might want to check the the jets on the carbs, they could have some junk in them preventing them from spraying fuel.... just a thought.

[Jonesy]

I appreciate the thought. Everything helps. I can see the left carb spraying but not the right. If I add fuel to te carb it doesnt seem to help though. i will post my findings. Anybody know a good carb guy? i can remove, clean and reassemble but hav no idea how to adjust or sync?????

[dssbk]

What kind of carbs are you running?
I have carb sync tools and it's not that hard to do unless your linkage is worn.
Let me know if you can't find someone to help you.

A quick check to see if both sides are firing is to spray some carb cleaner down the carb and try starting it. It should run a little then die. That should rule out your ignition. If it's back firing out the exhaust that is usually a sign of a lean condition and you may have a plugged up carb or your carbs are way out of sync.

[oldgoalie]

Had a bad rotor in the dist. give me fits one time, They have a resister built into them, and it was bad. Happened just a while after replacing it during a tune up. Something to look at anyway.

[Jonesy]

Thanks for all the words of wisdom. After a lot of trial and error and repeating everything 3 and 4 times the problem ended up being a faulty distributor. It was real loose inside and aftervreplacing she runs like a top. Looking forward to meeting you all at some of your functions. Thanks again

[sandals]

Glad to see you got it figured out. Something must have grounded out inside the distributor to cause things to fail all at once.

[deragoku]

If I add fuel TE carbohydrates, it does not seem to help although. I will post my findings. Does anyone know a good carbohydrate guy?