Attention GEARHEADS! I need advice!

Could it be under carbureted? Maybe some 40's would work; either Webers or Kadrons.

This is the set up that Kirk sends out at Vintage...does'nt look like anyone has messed around with anything.Everthing looks as it would when it left Kirks shop. I must be overlooking something. The solexs have 130 main jets.

"#1 and #3 Cylinder when the car is running and you start pulling plug wires off one at a time are not making a noticable difference when you pull off the wires...HELP...It's driving me crazy!!!! ""


Check the carb/manifold gaskets - any small vacuum leak could be the culprit. Mine was doing a similar thing, and finally the carb/manifold gaskets blew out.

A vacuum leak is a good guess. It may be between the head and the intake manifold as well. If it is big enough you should notice it when you balance the carbs.

Also , No this is not my personal car. It is a 2001 Vintage Speedster with only 3800 kilometers on it....Beautiful car..just is not running like it should.....again, your help is very much appreciated! Thanks, Michael

Did a vacuum leak test again....no noticable difference in RPMs. This motor revs Great!...Sitting still ,not under a load. It sounds awesome! I've pulled plug wires again...# 1 is really the only one now that is'nt making a noticable difference when you pull one off ...one at a time while running......WHY is that! Before, it was #1 and #3. I've checked the distributor shaft...Seems OK..Very,Very slight movement...I'm told that, that is normal. I'm still looking for answers! Thanks Michael

Robert, I've done the carb cleaner test around the base of the intakes awhile back.....no noticable difference! But I'll go do it again around the base of the carbs and the intakes. I've also blocked off the balance tube from intake to intake to see if it made any difference....It did'nt.....I'll recheck for a vacuum leak. thanks, Michael

I've also checked the throttle shafts on the carbs.....Nice and tight!

I know that there is an abundance of wisdom on this site and I need addvice on what to check next....could or would someone PLEASE point me in the right direction...Here's my problem...I've bought a speedtser with a 1776 with dual solex carbs, The car has never ran quite right...It has a slight flutter when your driving down the road and you just barely just start to give it gas...It Flutters!...If you go ahead and punch it ...it seems to go on through it. I've done every thing I know to do to figure it out ...but can never seem to fix it....it is very noticable and makes driving it not fun. I've replaced points, condenser, and checked voltage in the wires ,replaced spark plugs, re-checked timing, adjusted valves 004/006 ,removed both carbs and rebuilt after many sessions of adjusting and balancing without making any difference. Checked compression..110 to 115 on each cylinder, Where do I go from here? Oh, Here is one thing I have noticed, #1 and #3 Cylinder when the car is running and you start pulling plug wires off one at a time are not making a noticable difference when you pull off the wires...HELP...It's driving me crazy!!!!

Jim, If there's a vacuum leak....I can't detect it, Yes it has ran like this since I took ownership.....I Thought it might just be a carb balance problem...I've adjusted and balanced until I'm blue in the face.... No blow by! Plugs are not black or sooty...kind of a coffee with cream color. It's probably something really simple. Got a new Glass fuel filter, everything looks good there. Question: why would it be when I pull #1 Plug wire off while running....that it does'nt really make any difference in RPMs...That one has me baffeld.

Has it ran like this since you bought it? If there are no Vacuum leaks it could be the some dirt at your tank or engine bay gas filters. But I'm with the group, a vacuum leak... maybe in a bad casting on the intakes. Some of them will develop cracks with the vibration or have pinholes.

What did your plugs look like?

Unless the fix is evident I usually go into the overkill mode. I would change the gaskets on the intakes (both sides and both ends), the fuel filters, the plug wires, blow out the fuel line and make sure you aren't collecting crap at the bottom of the tank, reset the points, reset the valve lash (cold)( and yes, again), put on a new rotor and cap, and spray some cleaner down the throats. Do a basic carb synchro and adjustment too.

After that... gee there's jets, etc. If you had Compufire I would replac ethe module.. but...

These are all the easy fixes.

For the heck of it pull out all four idle jets and clean them good ...might as well do the main jets too go from there.
Glass fuel filters are not the best choice for safety's sake imo and .02 cents

Alan, I've had both carbs apart....to clean, checked and replace the accelorator pump diaphrams, just to be sure that they were'nt defective, clean and check all jets to make sure every thing matches......I've also adjusted the accelorator pumps to squirt at right off idle....maybe this is the problem....could it be that the carbs are'nt squirting enough gas or maybe too much? Whats the procedure for adjusting solex accelorator pumps? What do you think? Thanks, Michael

#1 .....

Check compression, rocker arm/valve adjustment, carb dirt blocking a jet. plug wire or plug, dist cap, intake gasket , I know you hit on a couple of these already but just for a review.

Yes, you want a squirt just off of idle position...too much initial fuel can also be a problem

Alan, Also the carbs are single barrel solexs....I'm not sure if they are 34s,36s,or? They are what ever Kirk put on Back in 2001. They look like new...but so does everything else! It's only got 3600 kilometers on the car....I think that's a little over 2000 miles...I'm still baffeled over #1 plug wire.....when you pull it off....it really does'nt make any difference in RPMs...WHY? What could cause that? I've checked the continuity on the wires...OK and have installed new plugs....thanks, Michael

Alan, Your gut feeling...do you think it's a gas problem or a electrical problem? I double checked the rotor button and dist cap but I did'nt replace them....heck they look almost new!...I did replace the points and condenser though. Maybe I should go ahead and replace the cap and rotor.....I don't know...Man this motor sounds so good just sitting and running...revs well, feels very responsive, does'nt spit or cough or FLUTTER! But take it out for a drive, put it under the slightest load and the engine flutters when you start giving it just a little gas...let off the gas ...it goes away....nail the gas...it flutters for a couple of seconds and goes through it. It's very annoying....you can't really just drive it normal....If you drive it wide open all the time it's not as bad....I'm ready to smash a hubcap or something! ...It's driving me NUTS!!! Michael

I have a really stupid question/thought so please excuse me. But when you looked for a leak you mentioned carb cleaner. In todays safety conscious, politically correct world some of the
cleaning products are not as flammable as they once were. I'm not telling you to do this
(pc tongue in cheek) but I'd use gas to squirt around. If you have a vac. leak you'll find it.

Michael, when you say flutter, do you mean it stumbles on acceleration? If so, you may have an idle jetting issue.
Do you know what the recommended jets are for you carbs?

Good thought Bruce....I actually used a can of starting fluid also....same result.

David, What I mean by flutter is that it does'nt seem to accelerate smoothly....There is no hesitation to speak of ...but yes it stumbles or runs not smooth when you start to accelerate..it flutters. It's really noticable when your shifting gears and you accelerate after each gear change, or if your in 4 gear or any gear for that matter and just give it gas to accelerate...Stumble to me is Very noticable hesitation or even a jerk or two....Fluttering is a softer version of a stumble....it's not as violent, buy very noticable!....I guess it's a lessor version of a stumble. The main jets are 130s. Does anyone know? .....should it have 140s?.... Is it not getting enough gas? Has anyone else had this problem before? thanks, Michael

I know it sound elementary but is there a balance tube or hose between your carbs' manifolds? When I ran single Cadrons I needed a hose that attached to nipples that were screwed into the sides of the manifolds. This tube balanced the interior pressures during acceleration. When I switched to dual Webers the balance tubes were no longer necessary. This is only a guess because if your engine was pro-built I'm sure the tube was installed.

Yes, Nolan there is a balance tube connecting both carbs....I've also checked to make sure that there is no splits or cracks in it......I've even blocked it off to check to see if that would make a difference....It actually ran the same so I hooked it back up like it is supposed to be.

Ok, now that been checked, the only other thing that I had a problem with was that the linkage was twisting (flexing) on one side and taking a fraction of a second longer to move the trottle plate. I had to change some of the standoffs (those long brass nuts that hold the linkage to the plate on the carb's trottle plate shaft) and linkage plates to get a more sturdy connection. This is very difficult to see but look closely while pushing down the bar that your accelerator cable is attached.

Michael
I'm assuming the solex carbs are 1 bbl. If this is the case, and it's a carb related problem the miss should show up on #2 also not just #1 - unless it's a vacuum leak at the head manifold juncture. If it's a vac leak, it's probably not the carb.

I'd suggest taking it to a shop that has and ignition analyzer with a 'scope. Looking at it firing on the scope will show whether it's an ignition related problem (plug, wire, cap or...).

Mine, it turned out, had a "loose" seat on #2 intake valve. Did not show on compression check. Found it when it came real loose and propped the valve open and whacked a piston and....well anyway. Just throwing that out as a possibility. Sort of a last resort. Maybe some of the wiser heads here can tell how to trouble shoot that without pulling the head.

Just a thought or two. On Webers you get a simular effect when the idle jet plugs up. Usually it will miss until you accelerate then do fine when you get into the mains. Also, you might check your coil. When a coil goes bad, all sorts of odd things can happen, especially when they are border line. Stick another one on it and see if it helps.

Michael, I was referring to the idle jets, not the mains, your idle jets are what you're running on till the RPM'S get above ~2700.
I'd find out what carbs you have and check to make sure you have the right jets.
If you plugs aren't fouled, you may be running lean in the idle circuit.

Hi Michael: If you can pull the ignition lead off #1 and it has no effect then you are only running on 3 cylinders at idle. Since #1 and #2 are fed by the same carbs and #2 works it

I would probably go along with what Bruce says here - sounds like a little vacuum leak to me, as I stated earlier.

Read a post on a different forum about a guy using a propane torch (like the one you would use to solder a copper joint) to find a vacuum leak. He said you could really control the amount of flow and really point the tip of the gun in very specific locations. I have never tried this technique and I CANNOT tell you if it is safe or not. It seems to make some sense but I haven't really given it enough thought yet on the safety side. Attempt at your on risk!

Yeah and maybe that guy can also introduce carb cleaner at the same time too ....that would be a eye brow and toupe' warning if there ever was one !

Checked again for vacuum leak at carb and manifold and also manifold and head....no indication of a leak found. I did go ahead and replace the rotor button and distributor cap.....Took for a test drive, It stumbled a little ....back fired once...and yes it still flutters....Now I know it was a cold engine....so I could understand some of that stuff so I went ahead an drove it again to get it up to opperating temps....IT STILL FLUTTERS....and even back fired through the carb once.....However after it got completly warmed up it was'nt terrible...It might have even been a little better....but it's not right yet! I think I might replace the coil next! Oh yea...I pulled out the idle jets and checked and cleaned them before I took the drive.......If the coil is'nt the problem I think I'll pull the Carb and intake like Bruce Gordan suggested on #1&2 side and replace every gasket on that side.....I'm probably really close to figuring this thing out.....Thanks to everyones help on this web site!....It's probably something really simple and really stupid! Advice..Welcomed, Oh buy the way....I'm not brave enough to try that propane torch thing!....That sounds a little crazy to me! Thanks guys! Michael

back fired thru carb===lean or leak. If you do get around to matching throttle plate opening
drill bits are a good measuring tool for comparisons.

I'm still trying to figure this thing out! I'm changing the idle jets tomorrow....changing from 55s to 60s or 65s. I'm in agreement with some of you guys that think this thing may be a little lean off the idle circut. Anyway I'm going to give that a try. Anyone have advice? Does anyone have a 2001 Vintage Speedster with a 1776 engine with dual solexs? If so, is yours running good? If so could you look at the idle jet on the side of the carb and tell me what # (size)is on your car. It's real easy to get to and it only takes a 8 millimeter wrench to take it out.....You can have one out literally in just a few seconds! Anyones reply is much appreciated. Thanks, Michael

Forget previous post....I changed the idle circut jets out this morning and it still flutters. Did'nt see any improvment at ALL!.....Aparently that is not the problem. However I did notice that the #1 and #3 plug wires at an idle....when you pull them off...I'm not noticing any change in RPMS.....this is what it was doing before!!! But it revs smooth, crisp and strong like nothing is the matter! This motor sounds great sitting still....It's still driving me nuts!!!!! I'm at wits end and this one is getting on my last nerve....I think I'll replace the coil next....who knows...

Michael, check the spark by arcing one of the spark plug wires while the car is running; if you are getting a blue or whitish spark the coil is alright, if you get an orange spark, it's dead. Hope this helps before you spend money on a new coil.

Ricardo, It's got a good blue/white spark......I'll scratch the coil idea. I'll continue to look for a vacuum leak. I've pulled the carbs off again and I'm replacing the manifold gaskets and carb base gaskets. Does anyone know which kind of gaskets would work best? thanks, Michael

Hey Michael, I do not know too much about this but i had an experaince years ago and it kinda sounded like what you just mentioned.. I know you changed the fuel filter in the "line" but does Solex have filters on the "Carb" itself? I'd check if I were you, cause they would be small little filters that screw right into the carb itself along the fuel line?

Just my two cents!

Dave G.

This thread started a week ago, as you have all noticed, I have stayed away, because the word "Gearhead" gives me the chills, all the icky grease in your fingers.....Anyway, Has anyone thought to possibly take this car to a reputable VW mechanic, who could actually find the problem in a matter of minutes, fix it, and you could be driving, I mean humming along the road TODAY.........

You know how it is sometimes Vince....the thrill of the hunt!