Advice please from some of you petrolheads out there Our Tigger is a July '73 built, July '74 reg. 1600 twin port. When we bought him he was fitted with a Bocar Mexican carb 34 PICT 3. We ran as such for 12 months and he always started well but always had a flat spot and several non-specialists tried to adjust it to greater or lesser degrees, but never fully satisfactory. We were given a Solex 34 PICT 3 which a guy had had in his loft for 20+ years and was off his sister's Beetle - no further info. After stalling at every traffic light between Ringwood and Yeovil we swapped Bocar and fitted Solex - no flat spots and either starts first time on 2 cylinders and gradually gets four pistons firing,. or will not start at all. Sounds to me like too much fuel and flooding. Q. Is it better to swap back to Bocar then get the Solex fully overhauled or would the Bocar be equally as good? , I would have been on lookout for another Solex but those which do come up would need rebuild and seem to go for silly money. Is the rebuild something I could do myself or better professionally rebuilt/ Any suggestions welcome - all I want is an easy starting, smooth riding bus that doesn't stall at every light!!!
either just need setting up right really , have a read thru this its quite easy if you take your time http://www.vw-resource.com/carb.html
Set either carb up correctly (if one has a vac take off an the other doesn't use the one that does) and check your ignition system, vacuum distributor is better to eliminate flat spots.
Get Solex rebuilt by Gower and Lee. Not the bloke who shines them up with his dremmel on Ebay. It isn't cheap but it is done well, very well
Buy yourself a rebuild kit for the solex,cheap enough and a tin of carb cleaner, then strip and clean all components. Straight forward enough lots of info on the net on how to set up and retune.
I had a carp empi 34 pict3 on mine. 1975 type 1 1600 engine. empi ran rough, flat spots etc etc. I reburbed and cleaned it up thoroughly adjusted etc. but not much improvement. So as advised on TLB, I bought a refurbed solex from Riverhaus. What a difference!! Now runs well and no flat spots. Mind you, I did a lot of other stuff on the engine as well. Valve gaps, new ignition, new fuel system. Engine runs very nicely now and a pleasure to drive my van.
I endlessly tuned by beetle 1600 carb which kept stalling at junctions. Pre heat manifolds were not effective and the carb would freeze. If yours is fine in summer but rough in winter then it could be that.
Do you have both the heat risers and the preheated air feed into a STOCK air cleaner ? If not do not pass go, expect carp hesitation no matter which carburettor you fit. If the air temperature going into the centre mount carb is less than 30C you will get flat spots and hesitation. Thats what a proper stock air feed provides. Otherwise take the EMPI bling off the top of the carb and stamp on it and cough up for doing it PROPERLY.
Hey - you've been looking under my engine cover!!! Yes it came with shiny 9" dia air filter - you reckon that's causing the problem? I'll give it a go and check out the risers tomorrow!! Thanks
Hi guys. Taken off bling air cooler and have ordered a stock oil bath air filter off eBay. Watch this space for results!! Thanks for all your help.
I thought the oil bath air filters were only on earlies not lates, you might find you have the pedestal to mount the later paper type
Tigger was built July 1973 and registered July 74. He has a 8" dia pedestal forward of the battery tray which does not appear to have been used since restoration in 2011. If not oil-filled air filter could anyone point me in right direction. I'll try to post image what we've got. Hopefully as follows So - which are the heat risers and pre-heated air feed which Mikedjames referred to.? Top of carb is the 'bling' air feed - to be jumped on and squashed!!! Also need a pair of jubilee clips for the flexi pipe.
Yes yours should have oil filled airfilter , this has different connections on it , ill see if i can find pic of mine or someone else will stick one up in the mean time these carbs run better with this set up .
I think there should be large rubber donuts/grommets where the silver flexi hoses meet the tinware. Any gaps there would surely let a lot in a lot of hot air from the exhaust below. Just suggesting. My engine same as yours, I am 1975 with the oil bath air cleaner. Looks good, work ok. Looks original.
PS. I dumped my old empi carb (carp) which was on there when I got the van and got a refurbed solex which is great. Runs lovely now.
Yeah it goes on that pedestal but I don't think that's your problem, a well set up engine and carb will run fine with those pancake filters, I've ran buses on them without issue, some others may quote carb iceing but iv'e never seen it on any of mine or anyone elses I know, Iv'e got two oilbath air filters here that I took to techenders to sell but no body wanted them
