OK,
I don't claim to know every thing about VW's so every day I try to learn something.
This will be the postings place for my aircooled questions...
The first question deals with the '63 so I figured I'd title the post "63 questions". There may be more than 63 in total, but I thought it was a good title. First is the history...
Car has a 1600+ dual port engine with a new looking 34PIC3 and no heat risers.
Car has no heat exchangers and no cut outs in the tin work for the heaters, has a 36 HP style shroud with the doghouse cut out and guarding on the back. Car is Running an 019 Bosch Disto that appears to be either NOS or completely redone inside and out. Car has an electric rotary fuel pump with a pre filter screwed nto it and a post filter in the engine compartment.  The 34PICT3 has been converted to a screw in inlet to prevent hose pull out. Car is hooked up to a swing axle trans and a 6v starter.  Rest of car is 12v.  Got car on memorial day, and have put approximately 250 miles on it. Has been running great with lotsa power, (have been keeping speeds under 65 MPH on interstate although it would go faster...)
Okay, so yesterday I wanted to drive it to work and it was raining in the morning, when I went out to start it it turned over for 3-4 seconds before even attempting to fire and then the running was erratic and sputtery. Car had an aftermarket paper element filter on it and after I got it going it still sputtered until full throttle, then the power seemed alright.  I got it to work, and it got better as it drove (I'm thinking H2O getting sucked into the paper element housing screw on top (I have stand offs on the beetle for air flow to engine...)  At lunch I installed an oil bath breather (40 HP '65  model, with new oil) put some dryer in the tank and filled it up. problem of sputtery acceleration to almost WOThrottle persisted.
When I got home I checked the timing and advance on disto: idle at 12* and full throttle at 32-34* all seems OK. I checked the plug wires and didn't get shocked, wires are Bosch and appear to be old.  Checked the caps on the distributor and they seem a little loose. (distributor cap and button are Bosch and are OK - No points, has a Petronix).  Car seemed to run better, but I had a church meeting and could only spend about 30 minutes with it before I had to leave. - Flash to this morning:
Went to start it and it would start OK, but fades into a sputter and dies...  I looked at the Filter nearest the carb and it is either completely empty or completely full (usually has a bubble in the top - no bubble this morning...) I can hear the fuel Pump thumping.
Questions:
1) I plan on checking the inlet filter to the pump, and the pump itself, is there any thing else I should look at?
Why would the flaky FPump work OK at higher RPM's and under load?  Sputtering was NA at full throttle, but power seemed a little off?
I had just assumed that I had water in the disto or was sucking water into the aftermarket breather, but neither of those appears to be the culprit.  The hesitation yesterday was like 1.5 times the 009 / 34 problems I had on the vert a few years ago.
I have a couple of fuel pumps I could steal from other engines I have. 2) Should I just go back to the mechanical pump if I have an issue with the pump?  (I also have 2 other electrical low pressure pumps - a piton and a rotary.) Thanks, KC

I've got a 1600 Oil Bath as well, I will try that, but my concern is the sputtering up to throttle...
Just for kicks and giggles I have a new set of plug wires and cap and button that I'll throw on it, but I was wanting to get it evened out before Saturday, these were for the ghia, but I have them...
The gas tank that is in it now is premo and doesn't have any rust in it that I can see through that Huge filler neck, bottom looks like zink, with no rust visible.
it really almost seemed electrical when it was first occurring, coil was soaked as well.
I may just need to take the stand offs -off and use some quick disconnect pins on the hinges for when it is hot, fab up a licence plate holder for the hinge mount or something...
KC

KC

Just got home and changed out the oil breather,
Pulled it off and started the car and it is all better, I still think I have an electrical problem when it is wet, I'll replace the sparky wires and see if that cures it, the boots at the cap are not as tight as I think they should be and the copper plugs that go into the sockets in the cap are not shiney, they have that old bronze looking patina on them.
I put the paper one back on for now till I clean and paint the 1600 oil bath I have.

I'll drive it to church tonight and return and report on how it runs down the interstate...
KC

RetBug: Thanks, I may have to come up with an adjustable standoff so as to be able to shut the hood up unless it is sunny and hot...

Update:
I drove the bug to church last night and it ran great, so much so that I was convinced that it was the sparky wires or the disto cap that was hydrophobic and was the culprit.
On the way home about 7 miles into the trip I noticed that the 009-ism had returned (not nearly as bad), but was hesitant when accelerating.
I am still thinking that the electrical system is breaking down. somewhere...
I reached in and grabbed the coil (standoffs) and it was not hot enough to have been the issue, I'm still planning on replacing the wires (checking the plugs) and the cap and button.  I put another button (used) that I happened to have at hand on the bug and it immediately went back to revving smooth again...
3) is the cap and button the same for a 009 /019 as for a vacuum disto?  The new one I have is for a Vacuum...
KC

RetBug: Thanks, I may have to come up with an adjustable standoff so as to be able to shut the hood up unless it is sunny and hot...

Update:
I drove the bug to church last night and it ran great, so much so that I was convinced that it was the sparky wires or the disto cap that was hydrophobic and was the culprit.
On the way home about 7 miles into the trip I noticed that the 009-ism had returned (not nearly as bad), but was hesitant when accelerating.
I am still thinking that the electrical system is breaking down. somewhere...
I reached in and grabbed the coil (standoffs) and it was not hot enough to have been the issue, I'm still planning on replacing the wires (checking the plugs) and the cap and button.  I put another button (used) that I happened to have at hand on the bug and it immediately went back to revving smooth again...
3) is the cap and button the same for a 009 /019 as for a vacuum disto?  The new one I have is for a Vacuum...
KC

I wonder about your electronic Ing system.  You could try a dist.with points to test. Like the man told me - Most fuel system problems are  electrical. I have a problem remembering dist. numbers but the rotor and cap are the same on a Super Beetle /vac as a 009.

Quote from: dubtech on June 07, 2012, 05:11:31 PM

Start the car, spray the ignition system down with water using a hand spray bottle and look for sparks.

Will Do..
IF I can get it purring I will try to set out for Stevenson tomorrow.
If not I have a whole huge list of Honey Do's to do around the house....
This will just get added to it.
Car isn't set up to have heat now, has a merged header w/o heat exchangers and non blower doghouse and tin etc., 4) What are you guys wrapping your headers in to limit heat loss /transfer? and where can I get some?
Thanks,
KC

Mid America