Club 80-90 Forums

Hello

My van starts fine from cold even in winter, I have owned my van since Jan 2023. It has a new engine courtesy of VW Engine co, clutch, exhaust, coil and starter motor. Starting is fine from cold or after just running i.e. stopping the engine to fill up etc. However, if stopped for more than 15 mins from warm it just doesn’t want to start unless it’s left to rest for maybe about 40 mins. James at VeeDub fitted the coil and starter motor but is also baffled as to the random non starting sometimes. The ible regulator and voltage amplifier have been checked and the idle regulator bypassed,both of which don’t make any difference to the random starting when warm. This seems to happen more in warmer weather i.e about now until it gets cold, as winter has been pretty good for starting. My plan is to replace the original points distributor with a 123 distributor which will hopefully bypass a lot of what might be causing the problem. Before I get this changed is there any other things I should check? Alas we all know random problems are the worst as they never happen at the garage although strangely this one did but is still hard to work out!

Thanks

 

The vwenginecompany

ivb wrote: ↑25 Mar 2025, 16:38 My plan is to replace the original points distributor with a 123 distributor which will hopefully bypass a lot of what might be causing the problem.

Thanks

Apart from the starting problem, the original distributor, did not have points. Not sure what a 123 is?

It doesn’t sound random if it happens with the same symptoms, sounds like an out auto choke issue perhaps , where are you based

Check the plugs and see if they are wet, over fueling

Check if spark at plug

Do a compression test while they're out too

Had this problem on an Aircooled vw and drove us all nuts, turned out the carbs were flooding it as spark at plug, would/wouldn't start making it very hard to diagnose, carbs were the fault yet everything said electrical