Topic: VW air cooled guys?

[scottly]

None of my old VWs had gas gauges, they had reserve like a Honda. I had the family bus out one night, and had to switch to reserve. I forgot to tell my dad, and he ran out of gas on the way to work the next day. He was really pissed off when it stumbled, signaling the familiar "I need fuel", only to find it was already on reserve.

[Don R]

 My buddy had an oval window bug with a reserve valve. We got the semaphore turn signals working too. I can't believe he sold it.
 I have the buggy motor going together finally. I trimmed both ends of the stock intake center and cut over 1/4" off and sculpted the aluminum center mount under the carb. The German intake didn't match the Brazil case.  No way was there not a massive vacuum leak on the 1/2 side. In addition to the 50 lbs. of compression and flat cam that was a major problem. I bet I spent 1.5 hours sanding, filing and cutting it until if fit without binding the end castings. Shame on the guy that took the Empi intake off and charged her to hang this p.o.s. on it. 

[RAFster122s]

Sounds like several people have taken advantage from her and virtually or literally stolen things in their work on the poor buggy.

You are a good guy Don!

David

[Don R]

  Thanks David I must admit that I only intended to fix a couple oil leaks and new plugs. It spun out of control quickly.
I'll need to custom fit the new 36 horse fan housing also. This brazil block humps up in the center, also the reason the intake needed work. It's clearanced for a large stroker crank so it may have once been a beast or was intended to be one someday.

[Don R]

It lives! Bwhahaha! This turd has tested me at every turn, from the coil wire leaking voltage through my arm to the corrugated oil sump screen and chrome cover dripping mercilessly. It started like before, wouldn't idle so I turned the idle screw out. It's like having a Holley single feed when you need a double pumper, if you open the blades too far the transfer slots stop working. In on the air screw and out on the fuel and 3 or 4 warm up cycles I finally have it idling. The wiring taunted me when the coil to distributor wire was opening intermittently.
  My wide band O2 sensor says it's scary lean, I have to pump the accel pump to get it to read lower than max lean 18-1. With enough pumps I can see 12 to 13 to 1. I did hold a towel over the muffler outlet to kill reversion and it did finally read lean numbers not just the maximum alarm.  Carb cleaner says the intake manifolds sealed. wooHoo.

[RAFster122s]

Sounds like finding a better carb for the buggy would be a worthwhile investment. I know you want to control the cost hemmoraging money on this vehicle but, cutting corners at the expense of it working well is not good.

Congrats on overcoming some of the crap this thing has thrown at you!

David

[Don R]

 Agreed, air cooled and lean don't mix well. I'm going to wire the O2 sensor probe to the header and put the meter in the front for a test drive. I'm also putting it in my gl1000. It seems lean too.

[Don R]

 The relatively new distributor had a partially stripped, uncrimped, cold solder joint inside the grommet in the distributor body. It was the point feed from the coil and condenser wire. I was able to locate the problem area, when I pulled it out, it came apart. I had already replaced two wires hoping to find the cure. Strip, crimp, solder.  Now the fuel pump is working but I can make it stop by wiggling the main wire bundle. #wattapos.

[Don R]

 It drove away today under it's own power. It really needs a rewire job, brake adjust, wheel alignment and some miles.  I'm not sure if I posted this yet, but I noticed a blue piece of tape made into an oil change sticker. It's 8 years old and shows 200 miles. That's how much trouble the builder had with it. 
 The stock carb has a flat spot although it has a working  accelerator pump and I think it needs the clutch cable adjusted. Maybe the throttle cable also.
 The brake pedal rod wasn't locked down and was turned in too far. The PO had tightened it against the hex on the center of the rod and not the pedal. Now it stops good.
 This thing is like a big go cart

[RAFster122s]

Don, congrats on getting it out of the shop and running!  Now, don’t let it come back.

I hope she learns how to do some of her own work as it is going to bleed her dry, if it has not already.
She probably could have spent less building it new using good parts.

Congrats again Don. You are a good guy.

[Don R]

 Thanks for the kind words. She's a three time widow, either unlucky or a bad cook. I doubt she'll work on it herself but she's seeing a motorcycle guy now, maybe he'll be of assistance.