This year's hols we're going pretty will until we reached Nantes, and this time it's our turn to shudder to a halt. Was going well until there was a loss of power, only slowly ground to a stop. Pretty sure it's electrical. Managed to find a parts shop where I got a new dizzy cap and cool, but nothing's changed. When she's cooled down she'll start, idle and go ok until we get to about 50, and then cuts out, not completely but it's just like the accelerator won't do anything, and then won't idle and stops. And ideas of what to fiddle with next on the road side while awaiting recovery gratefully received. It's a 2000 type 4 with stock Solexes and vacuum dizzy with accuspark.
Interesting- it's the original mechanical pump. The fikter is new, but I'd did drain the tank recently. I did take a peak at the fuel filter and there were a couple of black bits in there, not enough to block it i thought, but will take another look when the tow truck turns up.
If the filters a new one, I would make that my first suspect. I had a brand new one block after only 20 miles or so. Element swelled up and totally blocked it. Went to Europarts and fitted a non VW scene filter, end of problems. Tony
Thanks guys - positive vibes are working! It's a plastic filter job, half way between the tank and pump. As I say it's got a bit of crud in it, and some water too (does that make it swell up too?) despite only being a few weeks in service. Currently chilling in the rac assistance hotel after waiting five hours for the tow truck Agghghg!!! They sent it to some place 300 miles away. FFS.
Pipes are all ok, as far as I can tell. My euros are now on the filter a having been on the coil and cap, literally!
I had the same problem and it turned out to be the lobe worn out on the cam which drives the fuel pump. Only fix was a new cam or electric pump! Electric pump it was then..
everyone in France goes on holiday in holiday time... my euro is on the fuel pump ,the filter catches crud and the petrol will pass it...
Unfortunately we're now in the hands of 'Loius XVI' recovery service who are more interested in their two hour lunch break and b@uggering off for the weekend than fixing the van. They think it's the ignition and took my best pigeon French to explain I've just bought a new coil, dizzy cap etc.. Do accusparks have a heat related failure mode? I thought they'd either work or nor work. By the way, what's the voltage across the cool supposed to be with the ignition on (engine not running)? I'm getting 10.5v - not sure if that's a little low even allowing for cable losses. I did whip the fuel line off the left carb; from previous experience petrol would immediately spill out but not this time - I had to lower the end of the pipe quite a bit before fuel came out, lending weight to the fuel starvation theroy. I'm hoping its a big bit of crud caught in the constriction at the beginning of the filter, because I don't fancy trying to source a new pump in the land of the two hour lunches. On the good side at least we're in a tent on the beach with out Nova hire car! I'm going to start a new thread in general discussion to see if anyone knows somewhere in Nantes that knows what they're doing with air cooled!
Get a bit of pipe and take the filter out Repeat the pipe off carb test into a container. If fuel runs free it's the filter. Jib off Louis & Pierre recovery services Blow back up the pipe to clear any blockages. You'll be used to to the taste of petrol if you are drinking supermarket wine!
Yesterday I removed, cleaned and replaced a PICT3 carb inside 30 minutes. Can be done by the roadside easily
A easy solution is the put a wire directly to the coil from the battery to give you 12v ,but you have to disconnect that every time you stop... That is unusual ,we finish work at 12.00 and go back 2.30-3.00 ish ,they must be from the city...
