choke/ fuel/ carb problems

[greenfyregirl]

Hello

my car won't start!! we have renewed the coil, the starter/solenoid are working fine, fuel is getting all the way to the carb float bowl.
now looking at chokes/carb blockages.
i've got dual 32 solex carbs-
1 -how should the wiring from coil to chokes and cut off valves go? mine is one wire from coil to choke to valve to valve to choke... is that wrong? all i can find is single carb wiring diagrams...
and
2 -can i/ should i disable the chokes altogether?

thanks Clare

[vwed]

Wiring diagram showing twin choke arrangement here:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/inf ... 12v_67.jpg

[kinga]

Hi Clare,

Firstly, are you sure you got plenty of petrol (sounds daft, but you'd be suprpised!).
Secondly, have you checked for a spark - just pull a plug lead off and plug it onto a clean spare plug and hold it onto the engine block and then get someone to turn it over while you look at the plug to make sure there's a spark. If there's no spark, check the points are opening anbd closing, try changing the condenser on the side of the dizzy and try a spare coil if you have one (altough they rarely break down completely).

If there is petrol, and there is a spark, and no-ones been messing with the timing, as you say it may be a fuel problem.
Old Solex carbs are notorious for running issues - mine are currently quite new, but on old ones i've had on buses, I prefer to disconnect the chokes completely (run fine without chokes, although you may need to hold the revs on for a few minutes form cold to prevent stalling), BUT..and VERY IMPORTANT.

(1) make sure you tape up the wires from the choke units as they are live all the time and if one of these touches ground, you WILL fry your starter switch!
(2) you will need to take the air cleaners off, loosen the screws on both choke units (assuming your car has choke units on each carb - someone please correct me if i'm wrong here as i'm more used to 32/34 PDSIT carbs on type 4 engines) look down into the carb & turn the choke unit round until the butterfly flap is fully open - if you don't do this bit, the carbs will be on full richness all the time and they will choke themselves to death!

Let us know how you get on, and exactly what the symptoms are - if it doesn't start at all, it's probably something relatively simple.

Hope that helps.
Ade.

[purplepeter]

I presume it's Rich or Barry actually doing it Clare?
They'll know the answers, but Your wiring sounds right- just check that You have got 12V at each point- its not unknown for wires/crimps to fail.
Is the car Garaged? or parked on the street?- I'd say keep the chokes- Fasty is garaged, so most of the time I start her without the chokes, but in cold weather I do use them
If the car has been stood for a while, a trickle of petrol down the carb throat may help.
Any probs, ring Me

[Editor]

If the chokes are closed ie flaps mostly across, that's the starting position for a cold engine.

Do the spark plug check as suggested.
If no spark, try cleaning the points a bit - they can oxidise if the engine hasn't been run for a while. You may find just pulling a penknife blade through between them will do the trick.

With the points closed and ignition on, open the points with a finger - you should get a little spark.
With the damp weather it may be necessary to dry things out - coil, distributor, leads and plug insulators. it's the only time I bother to use a hair-dryer!

[937carrera]

Do twin carb type 3's have the same balance pipe arrangement as twin carb type 4's ?

Having just sorted out a starting / running issue on my 412LS I was depressed to discover that both the new, genuine, rubber elbows have deteriorated and split after just a couple of years. Mine was having trouble starting and then running at less than 3000 RPM.

[Foxy1970]

Also i'd check for the low speed/idle jet solonoids functionality (just unscrew them and test on a bench with a 12v supply like testing a relay) you should hear them click, mine were clogged and needed carb cleaner to open and shut properly which was causing near impossible starting, combined with the spring for the choke not being attached properly and so although it opened correctly (it is a bimetallic strip) it wasnt connected to the choke plate so was keeping one carb unchoked.

Those little checks and fixes took 10 mins but a lot longer to identify as to why it wasnt starting, so might be useful if you havent checked alread

[s.unsworth]

Have you tried releasing the Ignition Key a bit while Cranking the Engine over to Start ?

The Ignition Switches on these wear with age and use, such that with the Key in the Ignition On position you can test for Spark at the Plugs etc and all will seem OK. But when you move the Key to the Start position to crank the engine the worn Switch loses the Ignition Contact and will crank the engine over until you give up, or the Battery goes flat.

Release the Key a tiny bit from the Starting position whilst cranking and the Engine Starts.

I'm not saying that is the fault with yours but it is a common fault and worth trying.

I have had several Type 3 and 411 / 412 models with that same fault.

Steve

[greenfyregirl]

Hello!!

After all this time... I have replaced the coil and the fuel pump and cleaned the carbs... the coil had failed, the fuel pump was leaking into the oil and a jet was blocked - so.. It starts and runs now, but both carbs are leaking.... i have bought bushes for the spindle at the bottom of both carbs... fingers crossed