Greetings fellow buggers

I hope I'm posting this in the correct place!

I've spent far too much of my life lately trawling FaceTube and the likes trying to figure out what I need to do, and am now hoping someone here can push me in the right direction.

My bug has a Solex H30/31PICT carb on top of the 1600, and I have an issue.......well, two issues.

I'm not sure if my problems are all carb related. But firstly, I thought it might be a good idea to purchase a kit and replace all the jets/float/etc, as my fuel consumption seems to have gone out of the window.
So my first question would be, do I need to? And do or can the jets wear out and effect the fuel flow? As I know for a fact that the internal components are still original.

I know they can block up, and I've had experience of that after playing in the dust for a day, but at the moment I don't have blocked jets, as idle speed and motorway speed is fine.
But after a good rev there is a smell of fuel, which also corresponds to my fuel gauge dropping faster than usual on a day out, so I'm thinking it's running a little rich?

So whether it is a good idea or not to get a kit of internals, my next question would be how do I set up the air and fuel mixture correctly, as there are SO many different videos on the interwebs.

And my final question, which is my second problem, which I'm not sure if related to the carb or not, is that on a cold start the engine runs fantastically, besides possibly using too much fuel, but after a while once reached running temperature, I have a problem pottering around on low revs. The engine idles OK, but if I'm driving slowly, I keep having to change down a gear because if I try and accelerate I get presented with either a big dead spot, or a massive backfire.
This has also made me check the timing, over and over.........and over, which has made me think that I might be doing that incorrectly??!!

So clearly I'm not very confidant in what I'm doing!

All help and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Glenn

I think the first thing I'd check would be if it's flooding because of issues with the carb float or float valve. It could be worn or have crap in it. Another possible cause could be excessive fuel pressure. What pump do you have? It may be worth getting a pressure gauge and see what it's pumping. Anything over 3psi is too much for a Solex. Also sniff your oil as fuel can get into the sump if it's flooding or if the diaphragm's split in the pump.

Aah....Thanks, I'll have a look at that.
And as far as pump goes, it's the standard mechanical pump that goes on that VW engine.......I'm not sure if that's made it any clearer?
I'll have a look at the float etc and see if i can get hold of a pressure gauge.

Pull the spark plugs and see what they look like as a good indication of carb setting, as David says over fueling could be the needle valve as they can wear and not seal 100% so a measure of the fuel level in the chamber will be a good guide.

This will help    http://www.vw-resource.com/30PICT2.html

Excellent!
Thanks Snoopy, that sounds like common sense now that you've said that.
I actually do recall last year some time noticing that they all looked rather gooey and black.......they were definitely not clean!
Well great, I have a starting point. Once I've checked the plugs I'll check the float and needle valve.

And thanks HUDGE BUGGY for the link, hopefully I'll get a chance tomorrow to start the diagnosis!

Hi guys

Just an update, and another question............
I pulled the plugs again and they were a bit "wet", and I checked the carb as well, and everything looked OK, but thought I might as well get a kit and replace the jets, gaskets etc before I attempt to re tune, because it certainly won't harm I don't think in doing so, as I'm guessing they may have never been replaced.
But I decided before I replace jets etc on the carb, I may as well check the rocker gaps and make sure that's perfect, which then got me thinking......

With this Solex H30/31PICT I have, is it worth putting on a vacuum advance dizzy, or just leave the 009 on that's always been on there? And either way, another thing is, does anyone have any opinions on whether to go for electronic points, either adding them to the 009 distributor or replacing the 009 with a vac advance dizzy with built in igniter (Like this one  https://www.justkampers.com/d186504-pertronix-vacuum-advance-standard-style-distributor-with-ignitor-built-in.html )

Thanks in advance

Did you actually read the review of this dizzy   

Quote
Customer Reviews (2)
Write a review


Another Pertronix/Just kampers Failure.

This is the third Pertronix piece of kit I have bought over the last few months that has disappointed. I spent two days trying to get this to work. I was even given the number of the UK Pertonix specialist to help but with no luck. The engine would not fire up, no matter what we did. I have lost all faith with the quality and quality control of Pertronix. Soon as I put my old distributor back on it fired up first time. I returned the item and am still waiting for a refund four weeks later. I can understand one or two issues but not three in a row

Oh wow.........No I haven't read any reviews.
The chap at VeeWee/GSF that I've bought all my parts from last year said that's the one I would need if I wanted to go that route, I Googled it and found a better description on the Just Kampers website. But I already figured out last year shopping at him that he's really just a salesman, and doesn't really know much, but he has been helpful.

So thanks, I definitely won't touch them then. I just thought maybe I should really try and tune things up as best I can, and I'm not sure if going the vac advance dizzy is the way to go?

A vacum advance will help with acceleration from low revs as the 009 relies on excess fuel to speed the engine up and works better with twin or larger carbs rather than a standard carb.

Quote from: snoopy on April 10, 2018, 04:49:08 PM
A vacum advance will help with acceleration from low revs as the 009 relies on excess fuel to speed the engine up and works better with twin or larger carbs rather than a standard carb.

Ah thanks, I always have to give a rev or two with the clutch in just before putting my foot down otherwise it can sometimes be quite embarrassing.
Which one would I need to look for, sorry for the possibly stupid questions, but I'm a sound engineer by trade........I'm guessing the originals that came out with vehicles are like hens teeth? And then if replacing with a vac advance, would it then be a good idea to put in electronic points?

There should be some genuine ones around for sale, a look online at vw aircooled distributor serial numbers will show you how many different variations there are for air cooled engines that are replaced by a generic after market one.
if you cannot get the engine specific one get one for the approx engine size and period as you can set the timing to suit.
The vacume advance will help pick up as the throttle opens rather than just waiting for the excess fuel to hit the cylinders to start the process

Quote from: snoopy on April 10, 2018, 06:57:44 PM
There should be some genuine ones around for sale, a look online at vw aircooled distributor serial numbers will show you how many different variations there are for air cooled engines that are replaced by a generic after market one.
if you cannot get the engine specific one get one for the approx engine size and period as you can set the timing to suit.
The vacume advance will help pick up as the throttle opens rather than just waiting for the excess fuel to hit the cylinders to start the process

Excellent thanks, I'll have a look

Quote from: HUDGE BUGGY on April 10, 2018, 03:57:14 PM
Did you actually read the review of this dizzy   

Quote
Customer Reviews (2)
Write a review


Another Pertronix/Just kampers Failure.

This is the third Pertronix piece of kit I have bought over the last few months that has disappointed. I spent two days trying to get this to work. I was even given the number of the UK Pertonix specialist to help but with no luck. The engine would not fire up, no matter what we did. I have lost all faith with the quality and quality control of Pertronix. Soon as I put my old distributor back on it fired up first time. I returned the item and am still waiting for a refund four weeks later. I can understand one or two issues but not three in a row

A fair few of us are running Pertronix ignitors or dizzies with nothing but great results, the main reason they fail from new is wiring them up backwards. 

QuoteThis is the third Pertronix piece of kit I have bought over the last few months that has disappointed

Flags comment below did actually cross my mind but I know things can happen.

May I ask what other two Pertronix components have failed recently as something doesn't sound right about all this,
and I thought I might mention the one time I had an issue with my Pertronix module.

The cable used on the module is very very slippery and I had it work its way out, through the gromit that fits into the distributor body wall,
ultimately pulling and tightening across the rotor arm, the slippy wires then shorting on the centre spindle.

I hope you manage to sort it all out though, as something really doesn't sound right about it at all

Peter