Club 80-90 Forums

The van and myself went to my mechanic today and spent 1.5 hrs with him, in this time compression test was done timing redone and a few other bits.
Compression was (dry)
1. 120 psi
2.118 psi
3.120 psi
4. 118psi

He said this was fine, he readjusted the timing to 7 degrees with the vacuum hoses off when reconnected hoses the timing fluctuated (he showed me with the timing gun) all normal ?

He took it for a run and his words were it just runs out of puff ! this was after timing.

Then looked at carbs listened to them with his old school hose ! He said the carbs are the problem when he revved it up it seemed to kick back (I heard this) in order to take a look at the carbs he wants to look at the floats etc, when he does this the top gasket will need to be replaced (it may deteriorate) whilst there I looked at Just kampers and they has this on sale
http://www.justkampers.com/carburettor- ... -1983.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

he said buy it and he will give them a service with the kit and this should make a difference...

I have gone down all routes so far...


Now does all this sound feasible ?
Am I throwing good money down the drain ?
Should I just live/drive with it as is ?
I trust him used him for years his passion is classic cars (hes got nine of them in his personal collection) I have been recommended mechanics by some of you but they are not near me.

Thanking you !

the timing fluctuated (he showed me with the timing gun) all normal ?

So with the vac lines reconnected the timing mark started at 4-6' ATDC and then as the revs were slowly increased the timing mark moved anti-clockwise until it topped out at about 28-30' BTDC at over 3000 RPM? That would be normal.

My next thing to check would be the valve setting. If your van's engine hasn't been recon'd it should have hydraulic lifters and the wiki tells you how to set them up.

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Hy ... _explained" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If the engine has been fluffed about with it might have solid lifters (my van has), if so the exhaust & inlet gap should be set to 6 thou'

Once you've done this then getting the carbs refurb is the last thing left to try.

Im confused you say you trust him then ask if it seems on the level?
the tappets should be checked, but he is the man who's working on it and you should let him run with it, your carbs can be rebuilt google it and a local place will pop up. I have a fear of the shoddy shonky stuff that jk sell. the thing is that they need to be balanced and if you have the nose of a blood hound and the hearing range of a bat you can do it free hand, most of the type 4 lumps that are fitted into my acquaintances vans have been set up using rolling roads and a man who knows what, why and where for, google it and find out what's involved

mark

I wasnt asking if he was on the level I was asking if this is what other folk would do...I dont have an endless pocket of money !

Given in its gone to beetle mania muswell hill !

I think it needs a vw specialist I can't afford to keep trying this and then trying that needs someone that works on them day in day out.

I'll be sure to keep you posted !

Good

would have used your recommendation but its way to far to work out the logistics with work etc and they don't open Saturdays.

Had a call from beetlemania hes done all the obvious tests including rechecking the compression carbs throttle etc these are all fine (good job I didn't agree to having the carbs refurbed) he thinks it could be a vacuum advance problem, does this sound feasible ? (before anyone accuses me of not trusting the mechanic I am merely asking an opinion ) I have never used this mechanic before it was recommended on this site and is near me.

Hopefully get it back tomorrow !

Just in case you missed one of my previous suggestions I think I might have mentioned the advance might be the problem.

Get a strobe light and check the idle timing and advance.

My money is on the ignition not advancing beyond 15' because the mech advance is stuck.

If either of the vacuum connection don't work the van will still run acceptably if the timing is set at 7' BTDC and the mech advance still works.
If the mech advance doesn't work, but the vac advance does the van will run quite happily at low RPM, but as the vac can only advance the ignition 12' you'll have little top end power

So when you watched the flashing timing light did the timing mark move anti-clockwise & how much?

For future reference if you want to check the vacuum advance is working:

Take off dizzie cap.
Disconnect one of the vac tubes at the opposite end from the can on the dizzie.
Suck tube.
As you suck it should feel like you're sucking on a ball point pen refill.
The advance mech will move in the dizzie.
Stop sucking, the advance mech will move back.

Repeat with other tube
The advance mech will move the other way.

If sucking the tube is like sucking on a straw in an empty glass the vac can is buggered.
If sucking doesn't make anything move but you turn blue the advance is stuck or the arm has come off the clip inside the dizzie.

Like I said earlier the van will run perfectly well with both the vacuum lines disconnected, but it won't if the mechanical advance is stiff or stuck.

....I watched my mechanic do the blowing test yesterday and it moved !

and I assume the mech advance works as yesterdays mechanic moved it the dots (someone had painted on years back) didn't line up with each other.

Todays mechanic (beetle mania) said he thinks this "could" be the cause of the problem I have no idea if todays mechanic did the blow test !

arrrrrrrgggghhhhhhhhhh

ah the mystery deepens !

had a call from the garage this morning, everything that is fine is fine and working as it should, he asked has anyone ever looked into the engine ? I have no idea...he thinks and only thinks at this point that the engine was rebuilt at some point and the crank shaft has been put in one tooth out !

Does this make sense ? ^ And worse case scenario is this a massive job ?

this really is turning out to be a joke

In your first message, you said 'it's been serviced every year without fail'. Do you mean from new? Where is the evidence?Surely if that is the case you should know if any engine work has been done on it. How long have you actually had this van? Have you recently bought a 'pup' without testing it at 60/65 mph before buying it?

If you want the problem fixed, you need to get them to fix it, or live with the slow speed. If it is an engine re-build problem, then you may find it cheaper to get a replacement engine.

well lets hope I haven't bought a pup !

service history for the last 10 years, I have owned for a few months when I bought it I tested it to 55mph this was on a "A" road, the owner told me he'd never had it above 58mph in the time he'd owned it, I have no reason to believe he was lying or tried to diddle me, his wife was terminally ill this was the reason for sale they'd owned for last 8 years the previous owner was a mechanic (before the couple I bought it from 2004) so maybe that's where the problem arose from....


hangs head in shame

So there has not been any engine rebuild work over the past ten years? If that is the case then the engine has been working fine. If that's the case and you don't want to splash the cash, it might be better for you to simply drive along at 50 mph along A/B roads rather than feel vulnerable on motorways

...until you have the cash to buy a water cooled bus!

You are correct 100% no engine rebuild that I know of!

Nothing is simple !