2.0 AC not starting/ losing power

[meehaja]

My 1982 2.0L air cooled van is really rough starting at the moment (sometimes, but other times starts really well?) once it is running it revs freely, sounds normal and doesn't smoke excessively. All appears fine, but as soon as I put in into gear and lift off the clutch, it starts to lose power (as if I was taking my foot of the accelerator?) the higher I life the clutch, the greater the loss of power, until the van starts to roll a little then stalls.

It started fine yesterday, (didn't drive anywhere though?) Then last night the problems began. This morning started fine first time, then same problem under drive and now wont start at all.

The only work I have done lately is electrical, sorting a broken headlight switch and fitting an amp for the stereo. I've checked the battery terminal where I hooked the amp up and that seems tight and all electrics are working fine. I've not unplugged anything that I am aware of in the dash (checked and rechecked) and made no other changes since it last ran fine.

Prior to this I've had no running problems, which is what seems so unusual.

Sorry for the long post, but I need to get this van working asap as it is my daily driver for work and I'm supposed to be going to Volksworld on saturday and its a long bike ride from West Yorkshire!

[meehaja]

chap from local garage say's it has "thrown a valve". What exactly does this mean? Apparently its an engine out job and is likely to cost a couple of hundred to fix, any suggestions?

[CovKid]

A compression check and a quick run through the valve clearances would confirm this. If you're not mechanically minded, you'd do well to get a second opinion, preferably from someone who knows v-dubs.

[meehaja]

how would I do that? (New to the whole home mechanic thing!)

[CovKid]

you can buy a compression guage in most accessory shops (better to borrow one) - generally a two-person job. You remove all the plugs and whip the engine over on the starter and see what readings you get.

[Dubstar]

I got one from Halfords to check mine. Piece of cake really. I took all 4 plugs out, remembering to mark up the plug leads, and drew an engine shape picture on a piece of paper so I could write down the readings. I did a dry and a wet test too; test the cylinder dry first, then pour a few drops of oil down the spark plug hole and test it again. I used a length of rubber pipe for this, but just follow the instructions you get with the compression tester.
However, my old engine had dropped a valve or holed a piston according to the compression gauge -really low compression wet and dry - but it still drove and started ok, albeit a bit smoky. It got me home from Edinburgh to Manchester then over to York and back to pick up my new engine, so I'm not sure it sounds like your problem. Sounds like fueling to me, the petrol pump on my old engine was goosed - I run LPG and when I used to switch to petrol it would hardly run. When I put my new engine in I used the same carbs, petrol pipes etc. the only difference being the fuel pump. Also maybe worth checking the petrol pipe and the inline filter; could be blocked?

[meehaja]

I'd wondered about fueling, but that didn't seem to fit with the power tailing off as the engine was put under strain from lifting the clutch? Can't hurt to check the fuel filter I suppose. I'd wondered if it could be anything electrical as that is the only thing I have altered between it working and it not working?

[CovKid]

Definately get a second opinion - particularly if the garage isn't manned (or womanned) by VW gurus.

[Damien]

Fuel filter was replaced about 4 weeks before you got it. Check the connections on carbs to fuel shut offs, pop tops off carbs and give them a good clean out, had trouble with crud from pipe going into them(from when i got it and it was running no fuel filter). Would be fine for months then a bit juddery then fine again.