Sell or get dirty?

Help, I

John

I am in South Central Pa ....email me direct with details. May be able to help you out or just purchase it.

Alan

It's SO SLOW! It drives ok, but I don

wait, maybe I want a 3:88 Transmission... See why I need help!

Motor needs to be gone through and find out the reason for the low performance....Even a semi tired 1500cc sgl port motor should be able to maintain hwy speeds.
Check compression, torque heads, adjust valves, check all ignition items, fuel delivery and carb set up.

Go to www.harshwintersvw.com its a site for midwestern acvw lovers. Someone will be able togive you some info.

Thanks for the VW IL site. I posted a note.

I have had around 3 people try to tune the dual carbonators with like change. The second person made it worst but its better now. I bought a

Ouch! where did your air cleaners get too? IMHO They are way too short to suck decent air. No fuel pressure regulator? No fuel filter? With so many T1 VW bugs around would think there would be decent local place to get it looked at. DO NOT look for a Porsche mechanic -- but an air colled VW one. Maybe look on SAMBA for enthusiast local to you. What were the compression readings? Have you adjusted valves recently. Tried new quality plug wires and plugs.

Swapping out the gas sending unit is a 10 minute job -- like 6 small bolts. Just need to determine if OEM VW, VDO or maybe the CMC Vintage one. I'd disconnect battery and take the old one out to check it first.

Carbs can be replaced without removing the engine - I'd stick with the ones ya have though. They might just need cleaning or rejetting --- or problem could be elsewhere in the engine.

That's got the old style KADRON linkage on it! Believe ot or not, you MAY have been running around at just a bit over half throttle.

The linkage hits the upright and stops cold leaving the carbs half open.

REALLY ! ! !

You've GOT to trailer it to Carlisle and let everyone have a crack at it, betcha it runs pretty well by the end of the day . . . THEN you can sell it for a decent amount and grab up that Miata that you've been lusting after.

See if Mid America in Effingham ,ILL has someone to refer you to. If not there are a few shops in the nothern region of IL.

My Linkage was not adjusted properly when I bought the car from my Dad. Figure I was getting about 75% throttle. Boy was that a happy day...

John; as the others say, your motor looks well equipped enough for it not to work as it should. I also suggest you stick with those Kadron carbs which are better than the single progressive carb kit you bought. Believe me; I have used both kinds. Get some EMPI air filter assemblies for those carbs (they're about 3-1/2" high as opposed to the skinny ones you have); they'll fit your car and they'll help it breathe better. Check this link out; they're only $28.00 a pair:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=61917

Also, as TC said check the linkage out. You can get a Scat or one from AJ Simms (the Kadron expert) at www.lowbugget.com

Great ideas, you all are great. I will look into it and keep you posted. I wish Carlisle, PA wasn't 11 hours away or I would come for sure...

Question one:
I thought the carb I got would give me 2-carb like performance and cruise like 1 carb. Is that just marketing? http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-Browse/s-10101/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2005620/showCustom-0/p-2005620/N-111+600005260+10210/c-10110

Question two:
I looked at getting better air filters but I think I have a manifold problem. I just don

John,

It's marketing. By putting a larger carb on an engine (that doesn't need it)can be even more detrimemtal than a carb thats too small. You spend very little time at wot(wide open throttle)so you have to be more concerned with the other 90% of the time. The reason for two carbs, fuel injection or individual intake runners is to make fuel/air delivery equal to each cylinder. This way each cyl. is putting out it's max performance equal to it's neighbors. Unequal power will drag your total engine performance right down very quickly and a little difficult to detect. Make sure your throttle plates are opening at the same rate/position. Take your air cleaners off. Now locate (2) dowels or drill bits (3/8" or so each). Open the trottle at one carb and place the dowel/bit between the upper portion of the throttle plate and carb throat (don't drop it,tie it to a string). Now use the other dowel/bit to check the postion of the opposite carb. They should be the exact same position. Remove dowels once done. Have someone sit in the car and floor the accel. Are both throttle plates straight up and down? They should be. This will show you have full movement/potential power.---Good luck.
In ref to your carb filters you may have to mock up or find a neck to offset your filter. They're not the source of you trouble but they're not good.

"Now locate (2) dowels or drill bits (3/8" or so each). Open the trottle at one carb and place the dowel/bit between the upper portion of the throttle plate and carb throat (don't drop it,tie it to a string). Now use the other dowel/bit to check the postion of the opposite carb. They should be the exact same position. Remove dowels once done. Have someone sit in the car and floor the accel. Are both throttle plates straight up and down? They should be. This will show you have full movement/potential power.---Good luck."


Better still, have a friend, family member, or paid assistant sit in the car and depress the gas pedal, right to the floor___H#LL just put a brick on the pedal yourself! Make sure that it's "floored", THEN look into the carbs AND check the linkage. The throttle plates should be in the exact same position on each carb and REALLY ought to be full verticle at this point.

If they aren't . . . hit AJ Sims site and start adjusting.

Easy as turning a wrench or a screw driver!

Oh, and never run with scissors and NEVER EVER put strange objects into YOUR throat OR the throats of YOUR CARBS ! ! ! !

If you do, you'll really NEED "Good luck" . . .

When I had Kads on mine the carb hole in the air cleaner base was not in the center of the plate. The base could be rotated to change the cleaner location for body clearance. Have no idea if this is standard comfiguration or not, only set I've ever seen, but it might be worth a look. Your elements definately appear on the short side.

Thanks for the help all... I will give it a try.

John; as Bill says the air cleaner bases I gave you the link to are offset (check the picture again) so you can rotate them so they won't hit the body. I'm pretty positive on this: those will work with your car; my car has them and so hundreds or even thousands of other Speedsters.

Also, another caveat on using the progressive carb; due to the height of the manifold in that kit you will have to cut an opening in the center of the decklid (under the decklid grille) for it to fit; that's not good in case it rains. If I were you, I'd return or sell the progressive and keep the dual Kads hands down.

Tighten up that locknut on the linkage arms. Its doing no good where it is. I bet your linkage needs some serious adjustment. Yes, the kad aircleaners can pivot so that they almost touch the shroud.

Also, I would return that carb....thats alot of money for that set up. You would spend alot less for something from AJ.

tc/all, the reason you have to check throttle position at idle,
full open and part throttle(using some sort of gauge) is...
At idle the plate is resting on the idle screw stop(linkage between carbs is out of the picture unless it is binding and not letting one return to idle). At full open you are against a mechanical stop also and one carb may hit first and then the rest of the linkage can flex and drive the 2nd carb to its stop. The part throtttle check is to make sure they are moving in unison not just full open or closed. This will show issues with the carb linkages. Sorry for the analogy
but picture a length of chain. Pull it and once all the slack is removed each link moves at the same rate. "Push" it back in the opposite direction and you'll have the same looseness until they're
back into a heap. Tc, remember the dual carbs on the English cars(I think I remember you saying you owned a couple).
Those spring clips that used to tie the two carb shafts together.
They were notorious for slipping and doing just this.

John; I checked JC Whitney's website and the amount of money they're asking for that carb kit is outrageous. For that same amount you could've gotten a new set of Kadrons already set up and dialed in specifically for your engine from AJ Simms. You can always send him yours to get them set up (he repairs, rebuilds and adjusts them and carries all the parts too); check his website www.lowbugget.com

You're right Bruce!

Didn't think . . . I was WAY too interested in pokin' at you for putting sticks down the carb(s).

Apology!

Accepted?

Hope so . . .

TC

Uh, my answer is to get dirty. Got to this thread a little late, eh?
You sound like a candidate for the "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive - A Step-by-Step guide for the Compleat Idiot" book by John Muir.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1566913101/102-6323765-6747340?v=glance&n=283155

It's my high holy book.

I got the book so I guess I'm ready to get dirty. Thanks all for the help. I will let everyone know how it goes.

Tc/ no apology req'd. I share my experience (quite often with egg on my face) to save people
money,time or despair. I have a friend right now rebuilding his harley because the cheap
(but shiny) after market air cleaner base mount screw backed out and got sucked into the carb. I wasn't kidding when I said to tie a string to it. Whatever you drop has an uncanny
way of falling into the worst spot. We're all talking fuel here. It could be something as simple as his advance not working. Would start normally but poor performance. Pop the dist. cap
and apply vacuum (suck) on the hose to the diaphragm. Do you see the points rotate???
I'm guessing you don't have a timing light.

I don't have a timing light but I would not be apposed to buying one. Since I

I know for a fact that there's one from not too long ago; maybe do a search on "tools".

This is one:

https://www.speedsterowners.com/forum/readmsg.asp?t=7641

Now that I remember John Muir's "idiot" book has a thorough list of tools to service your VW; I suggest you get it; it's money well spent! Here's the link:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1562614800/ididthat0f/104-6416564-0291909

Update: I tried rotating the air filters so they won't hit the body but I still think the 3

From the pics of your carbs, the air cleaners are "put together funny".
There is a sleeve with a nut on top (& a washer?), then the cleaner top, element and base. Remove the crap above the cleaner top and the top. Put the sleeve on the stud for the cleaner then the top and then the nut. See if your hood will shut. The tube is a spacer to prevent smooshing the normal element when tightening the assembly down. Anyway, if the hood will clear in this configuration it should outta work with the cleaner/owl strainer installed. At least thats what I'm thinkin...Bill

I will try it and let you know, Thx

When I put the lid on the top where the filter might go I couldn't move it to fit in the car. There is something that stops it from moving all the way around so maybe the new ones would be able to adjust better.

John; there's lots of Kadrons installed in Speedsters. Get the new filters. Look at this photo.

how are you making out?

I'm not making out that well. Basically I

HI: get a timing light with and adjustable advance from Sears, the book will show you how to use it. Go into the engine compartment and push on the throttle at the carb, see if it goes all the way; if you are not sure disconnect one side (pay attention so you can reconnect it) and see if the throttle lever will move all the way. Your timing looks like it might be retarded. Set it for TDC at 900RPM.(keep the adjuster lock loose enough so you can move the dist. but tight enough that it won't move itself. After you've made sure that the throttle can move the carb throttle levers all the way and it is all reconnected; start the engine and let it idle,(it should not be missing/popping through the carbs or exhaust) go back there and have your assistant bring the RPM's up to 2400 and set the timing adjustment on the light to 24-30 degrees BTDC (the light should show the TDC mark at TDC on the engine. Other useful tools: an old fashioned DWELL/TACH, a full set of Metric wrenches, a 3/8 drive set of metric wrenches, set of screw drivers (std/phillips), small/med adj wrenches, test light. Look on Amazon.com for VW Maintenance for Dummies: it will help you understand a lot of this quickly.SW

And, if all that is OK, you need to figure out if you have enough gas. Change your fuel filter ( on early CMC its often under the gas tank and very hard to get to) Sometimes you can spray some CARB cleaner into the fuel inlet, down through the jets, etc. If it gets much deeper than that, send an e-mail.