After a great weekend at the Rutland show with the buggy running perfectly, started it up yesterday and had a misfire on the engine from the left hand side cylinders
(https://i.postimg.cc/3Rv6Jc26/Whats-App-Image-2026-05-28-at-10-27-44.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Checked the plugs they all appeared ok, then looked at the rubber gasket on the manifold and rotated it to find a split on the underside, superglued it closed and the engine started perfectly. New ones on order. Motto always look for the simple things one at a time.
Well spotted mate.
Hope alls good, haven't seen you for ages
I am fine thanks Dave. The Rutland Show had 3 Doon's, 2 LWB and 1 SWB on the Buggy display. How are you getting on with your engine?
(https://i.postimg.cc/d05qZYqV/DSC-0015.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/rdt6770B)
(https://i.postimg.cc/B6y4NBLz/DSC-0016.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/MMyCpRY0)
I bottled out, it's with Farmer Rob down the road from you.
I am in total agreement.... Look for the simple things 1st. Carry a can of Easy Start or WD40 with you, (East Start is the better). A quick squirt will show up any air ingress no matter how small. Both will also get rid of any water moisture from ignition parts.
Quick and easy repair done using EMPI split gaskets from Just Campers, no stripping out of the manifolds ;-)up
(https://i.postimg.cc/qMhW1q8v/Manifold-Gaskets.webp) (https://postimg.cc/qzrmRkbP)
(https://i.postimg.cc/RV62ghwb/VW-Split-Gaskets.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Not seen these before
Interesting bit of kit but it makes you wonder why VW put a bellows on to allow for expansion but then the single port used a solid manifold :-\
You have a point there. The rubber joints were always going to be weak spots if for no other reason than they flex.
Took the buggy out for a 25 mile run today to check everything ok. I had to replace the LHS heat riser pipe as the original one would not fit with the inceased size of the gasket. Luckily I had a spare pipe from a different manifold which is bent closer to the manifold so giving more space for the gasket ;-)up
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZnKt2J8V/Heat-Riser-LHS1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/FdqBJ5nL)