Engine Turns off at Idle

Hi All,

My '70 Bug has been acting up. It has been running fine until a couple
of months ago when it shut off at a stop light. However, it started
right back up. And drove fine for a few weeks.

Then it happened again, and again, gradually getting closer and closer
to eachother. The other day, I backed out of my parking spot and it
died. There's no noise. It just turns off. I tried starting it and it
wouldn't start so I pushed it back in the parking spot and came back a
few hours later and she started up just fine and died like two blocks
away. But this time it Backfired. Timing right? Well I just Adjusted
the timing and started it up and it died. The idle seemed really low,
like it wasn't getting something it should be.

It always dies out of gear. When I put it in neutral and release the
clutch pedal it dies. I also tried adjusting the idle air screw, but
no luck. I adjusted the idle screw before I thought of adjusting
timing and it drove me around for about an hour. And died.

I'm tempted to take her to a mechanic, because I'm trying to sell her
fast. I recently bought a '71 Bus, so she has to go. Any Suggestions
to get her in working order?

Thanks,
JBenziger

check the fuel shutoff solenoid. It's ether faulty internally,
loosing contact wire is loose corroded or terminal is getting loose.
turn on ignition (don't start the car) go back to the engine
comparment and disconnect wire that goes to the fuel shutoff solenoid
you should hear a click. If there is no click check whether you
getting power on that wire with voltmeter. if no power then then
something wrong with the wire that is going from the coil to
solenoid. if you do have power then it's time to replace solenoid.

http://www.vw-resource.com/28carb.html - 16A
http://www.vw-resource.com/28carb.html - 25A

referred as Idling cut-off valve

might be something else but this is pretty common problem, and fairly
easy to check
Anton

On Apr 12, 2:37 pm, "JBenziger" > wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> My '70 Bug has been acting up. It has been running fine until a couple
> of months ago when it shut off at a stop light. However, it started
> right back up. And drove fine for a few weeks.
>
> Then it happened again, and again, gradually getting closer and closer
> to eachother. The other day, I backed out of my parking spot and it
> died. There's no noise. It just turns off. I tried starting it and it
> wouldn't start so I pushed it back in the parking spot and came back a
> few hours later and she started up just fine and died like two blocks
> away. But this time it Backfired. Timing right? Well I just Adjusted
> the timing and started it up and it died. The idle seemed really low,
> like it wasn't getting something it should be.
>
> It always dies out of gear. When I put it in neutral and release the
> clutch pedal it dies. I also tried adjusting the idle air screw, but
> no luck. I adjusted the idle screw before I thought of adjusting
> timing and it drove me around for about an hour. And died.
>
> I'm tempted to take her to a mechanic, because I'm trying to sell her
> fast. I recently bought a '71 Bus, so she has to go. Any Suggestions
> to get her in working order?
>
> Thanks,
> JBenziger

I don't know if I have that exact Carburator. It says it's a H30/31
Pict Solex Carb. But it doesn't have the exact same "idle solenoid
valve" so I pulled the only one on the right side and I heard a
distinct clicking every time it touched and separated. So I'm guess
that was the same thing as the "fuel shutoff solenoid" or "idle
solenoid valve". I used a voltmeter to check all the connections
travelling to the Carburator. They all seem to be working. Any other
ideas?

JBenziger wrote:
> I don't know if I have that exact Carburator. It says it's a H30/31
> Pict Solex Carb. But it doesn't have the exact same "idle solenoid
> valve" so I pulled the only one on the right side and I heard a
> distinct clicking every time it touched and separated. So I'm guess
> that was the same thing as the "fuel shutoff solenoid" or "idle
> solenoid valve". I used a voltmeter to check all the connections
> travelling to the Carburator. They all seem to be working. Any other
> ideas?
>

Yes, your carb has an actual idle fuel cutoff. It's combined
with the idle jet. Do make certain that the jet/solenoid is
screwed in tightly.

My suspicion is an intermittent in the ignition circuit.
That includes the Coil (+) feed, the points, condensor.
The backfire is a tipoff here, possibly.

The push-on terminals are often a problem when the metal
loses its tension. Give each wire termination a very gentle tug
and feel if the terminal is tight. Check that the male terminals
on the Coil itself don't have any "give" too.

Last, if the distributor has vacuum advance, open it up and
check very carefully the tiny braided "pigtail" lead to the
advance plate. If it's broken, the distributor points will
lose their ground at certain positions of the advance.

If these tests don't show anything, you might have to
put a test lamp on the Coil (+) feed.

These intermittents can be tough to track down. Stay with it.

Speedy Jim
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/

"I have no use for a car which has more spark plugs than a cow has teats!"
Henry Ford, when advised that Chevrolet was introducing a 6-cylinder engine.

I adjusted the screw which in this picture is #11 & #14. Is 11
supposed to be tight? Because when I loosened it, It sounded
healthier, revving a little louder. Is this the screw I'm supposed to
be adjusting? Are they supposed to be tight? I'm kinda new at Carbs.
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://
i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/Jbenziger/28carb_new.gif" border="0"
alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

I adjusted the screw which in this picture is #11 & #14. Is 11
supposed to be tight? Because when I loosened it, It sounded
healthier, revving a little louder. Is this the screw I'm supposed to
be adjusting? Are they supposed to be tight? I'm kinda new at Carbs.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...28carb_new.gif

Check this link at Rob and Dave's Air Cooled VW Resource:
http://www.vw-resource.com/cutting_out.html




On Apr 12, 4:37 pm, "JBenziger" > wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> My '70 Bug has been acting up. It has been running fine until a couple
> of months ago when it shut off at a stop light. However, it started
> right back up. And drove fine for a few weeks.
>
> Then it happened again, and again, gradually getting closer and closer
> to eachother. The other day, I backed out of my parking spot and it
> died. There's no noise. It just turns off. I tried starting it and it
> wouldn't start so I pushed it back in the parking spot and came back a
> few hours later and she started up just fine and died like two blocks
> away. But this time it Backfired. Timing right? Well I just Adjusted
> the timing and started it up and it died. The idle seemed really low,
> like it wasn't getting something it should be.
>
> It always dies out of gear. When I put it in neutral and release the
> clutch pedal it dies. I also tried adjusting the idle air screw, but
> no luck. I adjusted the idle screw before I thought of adjusting
> timing and it drove me around for about an hour. And died.
>
> I'm tempted to take her to a mechanic, because I'm trying to sell her
> fast. I recently bought a '71 Bus, so she has to go. Any Suggestions
> to get her in working order?
>
> Thanks,
> JBenziger

One time my H30/31 PICT was acting up.
It had a jammed needle valve in the top of the carb.
I just disconnected the battery, sprayed the carb top with B-12
Chemtool, carefully removed the carb top,
removed the needle valve, pulled out the wood splinter that had jammed
the needle valve and sprayed out the needle valve with carb cleaner,
sprayed out the hole it screws in, put everything back tgether, and it
ran fine.
I also quit using a pencil to plug the fuel hose.

That thiing that looks like a bolt head which a jet screws into needs
to be kind of tight.
It also acts as a plug for the bottom of the carb sediment bowl. If
it is loose gas will leak out.


On Apr 12, 4:37 pm, "JBenziger" > wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> My '70 Bug has been acting up. It has been running fine until a couple
> of months ago when it shut off at a stop light. However, it started
> right back up. And drove fine for a few weeks.
>
> Then it happened again, and again, gradually getting closer and closer
> to eachother. The other day, I backed out of my parking spot and it
> died. There's no noise. It just turns off. I tried starting it and it
> wouldn't start so I pushed it back in the parking spot and came back a
> few hours later and she started up just fine and died like two blocks
> away. But this time it Backfired. Timing right? Well I just Adjusted
> the timing and started it up and it died. The idle seemed really low,
> like it wasn't getting something it should be.
>
> It always dies out of gear. When I put it in neutral and release the
> clutch pedal it dies. I also tried adjusting the idle air screw, but
> no luck. I adjusted the idle screw before I thought of adjusting
> timing and it drove me around for about an hour. And died.
>
> I'm tempted to take her to a mechanic, because I'm trying to sell her
> fast. I recently bought a '71 Bus, so she has to go. Any Suggestions
> to get her in working order?
>
> Thanks,
> JBenziger

On Apr 12, 3:37 pm, "JBenziger" > wrote:

> It always dies out of gear. When I put it in neutral and release the
> clutch pedal it dies. I also tried adjusting the idle air screw, but
> no luck. I adjusted the idle screw before I thought of adjusting
> timing and it drove me around for about an hour. And died.


Hi,

I'd been having this very same problem with my '74 standard recently.
It's got a 34-Pict, and I'd notice occasionally that the round
electrical doohikus on the side had come lose. I'd screw it back in
when I thought about it, but it usually worked lose again. It look me
an embarassingly long time to realise that when I screwed it back in,
it would idle like it was supposed to until it rattled back out. I'd
forgotten it was a big vacuum leak. Some thread tape or something
would be ideal, but I just wrenched on it a bit more and its stuck.

Something to think about at least.

Peace,
Harry

On Apr 12, 3:37 pm, "JBenziger" > wrote:

> It always dies out of gear. When I put it in neutral and release the
> clutch pedal it dies. I also tried adjusting the idle air screw, but
> no luck. I adjusted the idle screw before I thought of adjusting
> timing and it drove me around for about an hour. And died.


Hi,

I'd been having this very same problem with my '74 standard recently.
It's got a 34-Pict, and I'd notice occasionally that the round
electrical doohikus on the side had come lose. I'd screw it back in
when I thought about it, but it usually worked lose again. It look me
an embarassingly long time to realise that when I screwed it back in,
it would idle like it was supposed to until it rattled back out. I'd
forgotten it was a big vacuum leak. Some thread tape or something
would be ideal, but I just wrenched on it a bit more and its stuck.

Something to think about at least.

Peace,
Harry