whoops...what have i done? Help asap :D

Howdy all
rite decided after work to sort out the mk1 as its had a very weird idol. However after a good clean and overhaul the mk1 doesnt wanna play ball!
I can start it just about but it will only idol, i cant rev it as when i do so it stalls or gets very very lumpy and the counter jumps irratically!
Ill list what i did as im umnsure if i did anything wrong…
*Removed the plugs and cleaned them using a bit of sand paper an a brush, did the same with the points (did not remove them thou) and the rotor arm
*cleaned around the lip of the carb and jus inside
Thats pritty much it
Im a bit unsure thou as to which breather pipe goes to which outlet on my carb (its a pierburn solex off a 1300 GL) so anyone got an exploded diagram as i done have an owners manual
Cheers

on further inspection i have found a spring behind the choke cable and its very loose, actually doing nothing ?
Really unsure lol
cheers

no one??Really stuck guys
Jus tried the car again, it will just about idol but as soon as i apply throttle it bogs down an stalls!
Any help would be awesome!

mate i know nothing about carbs engines, just wondering if the rotor arm is in the right place? :dontknow:
sure timing could have an effect like that but as i say ive no idea about carbs
 and double chk the ht leads are to the right plugs!
hth (with a bump)!

im pritty sure the rotor arm is in the right place…
*I cleaned the point surfaces with a bit of sand paper (dunno y ) maby that would have an effect
* I did the same with the plugs
*im a bit unsure where the breather pipes go (i have found where the one from the air box to the carb goes but not the one that goes onto the trumpet of the airbox)
*i cleaned the face of the rotor arm with sand paper also (looked dirty…)
I wasnt too sure what effect these would have on the car jus thought id give it ago!
Cheers guys

This shows airbox from 1300, one vacuum hose from airbox to back of carb, the other from the airbox to the warm air flap on the airbox intake. Where both vacuum hoses there when you started?



Sounds like a possible breakdown in the ignition circuit.  You may have upset the points adjustment cleaning them, they are st to a very fine gap. Did you check the plug gaps once you cleaned them?

Cheers

i didnt no i want too sure on how to check them….never actually done points!
I ill do the gap on the plugs 2morrow, really shuda done that (anyone know the gaps?)
Cheers buddy

mk1magic,

First things first;

1 - What model and year is your Golf

2 - Go to Ebay and get yourself a Haynes manual

3 - You did pretty well to get at the points with sandpaper as they're buried inside the distributor

4 - Check all the HT leads (including the one to the coil) and make sure they are properly pushed on to make a connection, and that they are on the correct plugs

5 - The rotor arm only goes on properly in one position, there is a slot in the distributor spindle and a corresponding 'notch' inside the hole of the rotor arm

6 - how much did you 'clean' the outside edge of the rotor arm, just a gentle bit, or hard and aggresively in which case you just might have taken too much off

7 - What do the four contacts inside the distributor cap look like, clean and shiny or old and crusty

8 - The points gap is pretty small on these engines and you may have upset this when you cleaned them, take off the distributor cap, rotor arm and plastic cover, put the car in neutral and wind the engine slowly by hand until the points are open to their widest (white plastic bit resting on the square 'heel' of the distributor spindle) - how big is the points gap 1mm 2mm ? or whatever

9 - Have you got the vacuum pipe connected between the carburettor and the distributor advance unit (flat circular thing on the side of the distributor)

That's all for now - keep posting - if you're going to keep the Golf you really need that manual !

Andy

Markwon,

Where do you get these excellent pictures please ?

Andy

howdy all you crazy cats!
Right shes running again god knows what i had done but thanks to you guys and your informous help shes purring again!
However im still left with the original problem with her not idoling…
If i get the car upto temp i need to use excessive amounts of choke when at a halt to keep her going…
Now im kinda unsure as to what to do now as all the breather pipes are ok, plugs, points (althou the static heal seems a bit worn and looks a bit concaved)…
My car is a 1981 golf GL 1300cc
Cheers all

Good news mk1magic !

My son's 1.1 had a problem like this recently - I was convinced it was a carburettor problem but it turned out to be electrical, I replaced the points, rotor arm, distributor cap, condenser on the distributor and it was like a different car.

However it may be fuel related - you could try adjusting the idle screws on the Solex but I'd need to look at my manual (Hint) first. It's normally good practice to ensure that all the ignition electrics are tip-top before twiddling with the carburettor.

Andy

lol the hint was taken into account i have a manual for the mk1 polo but not the mk1 golf (anyone wanna trade lol)
Anywho i think i may do the same mkone as i think it maybe the points givin me greif (it has a scattered spark when i turned it over and watched the points contact, that normal?)
Think ill do the condenser first!

rotor arm, dizzy cap, ht leads, plugs, new for what ?40?

got to be worth doin

imo

ahh but when your a poor apprentise ?40 is alot of money lol

prioritise!

1/ your golf
2/rent
3/beer
4/ food/more beer

hehe truedat!
Yeah ill be sorting out the golf at the weekedn (my company jus took on a new guy who litrally lives round the corner from me an has a works van so the mk1 can jus chill!

Anyone know if u dont use ya car to commute if that makes a difference on the insurance?

mk1magic said

ahh but when your a poor apprentise ?40 is alot of money lol

mk1magic,

I appreciate your situation, my Golf is a 4th (!) car and I'm trying to run it on a shoestring…

However as a minimum I would change :-
Plugs, Points, Condenser, Rotor Arm, Distributor cap

and then do the HT leads later.

Seek out your local Partco motor factor (often listed as Unipart) they normally give a good discount to normal customers like you and me. Prices for my 1.1C are :-
4 NGK Plugs ?5.83
Points ?2.33
Condenser ?3.70
Rotor Arm ?3.82
Distributor Cap ?7.59
HT Leads ?8.99

The points gap is critical on these engines and is only 0.4mm so set carefully or borrow a meter that does Dwell angle and set at 44 to 50 degrees.

Plug gap is around 0.7mm to 0.75mm.

To quote from the Haynes Manual :-
"To test the condenser, remove the distributor cap and rotate the engine by hand until the points are fully closed. Switch on the ignition and open the points with a scredriver. If this is accompanied by a strong blue flash the condenser is faulty (a weak spark is normal)."

Do the electrics before you get anywhere near the carburettor.

Carburettor - looking from the front of the car - on the right-hand side of the carburettor (and to the right of the words Solex/PICT) there are two recessed screws one above the other. The bigger top one is the idle speed adjusting screw (also called the bypass air screw) adjust this first once the engine is warmed up - make sure you know how many turns you adjust it so you can put it back to the start if required - until you get it to idle. The smaller lower one is the idle mixture screw adjust this only if you need to to get the best idle once you have got the bigger idle speed screw sorted out.

As for the Manual try your local charity shop, I've bought two at ?1.50 each over the last year.

Most Insurance policies cover commuting at no extra charge - but you normally need to tell them, best to ring and check.

What are you apprenticed to be ?

Andy

your  star mkone eally appreciate the help!
Im training to be a sparky at the mo, been practicing for over a year now but only jus started at college so im on like ?3.36 an hour and have quite a few outgoings so i struggle quite abit
Ill be sorting out the bits i need over the weekend

You're welcome mk1magic.

Andy

ohh im arron btw lol
anyone on here going to utterly veedubberly this year???
Wud be sweet to ava bit of a meet there?