Chugging chugging -- no go

Hi all,

i know a few of you have had this problem as i've read loads of other posts trying to find a solution.

Monday, i was driving along in my '91 1.8 carb clipper. It stuttered, lost power and stalled. If you leave it for 5 mins, it'll start. drive for a bit and stall. Then, it just refused to start at all. Got my Bro to tow me home.

I thought the coil or something was ill as it would backfire and pop like mad whilst gear engaged on overrun. But checked for:

Spark - check
Changed rotor arm - check
HT Leads - Check
Stripped carb (split in 2 and cleaned jets, fuel pools, floats, butterflies etc) with carb cleaner

Then thought that the carb gaskets could be leaking air in, so put new gaskets in. Now tight as a nut - no air leaks.

Pulled off the feed to the carb to check for fuel, turned the engine over and fuel was pumping out fine. While is was off, i stuck an air line down it and blew back till the tank was bubbling.

I also stuck the air line down to blow back through the seperators.

It started!!

and i thought it was fixed but driving to work this morning and it was really jerky, and seems to be the same as what it was on monday. Uphill seems to make it worse!

I need to get it sorted ready for Volksfest Bristol next week!

What can i check??? Please help.

check the filler neck and inside the tank for rust :wink:

Thanks.

I've just ordered a new fuel vapour seperator from GSF and my next thing was to check the tank. Filler neck looks and feels okay (from looking under the wheel arch).

I'll pull the back seat out and unscrew the cover to the tank. Not done this before but will have a go.

Question is though, can you see in the tank without a light? would a torch be safe to use? don't fancy blowing up just yet.

Also, if i see rust in there, what do i do about it? How do i get it out?

torch will be fine maybe worth getting a telescopic magnet to fish around the tank just incase at some point its had a new filler neck but not had the tank cleaned :wink:

Thanks buddy - fingers crossed.

I'll grab a magnet and a torch and go fishing for rust and stuff.

This, combined with my new seperator, should hopefully get it sorted!!

Thanks again - will let you know the outcome.

Chriselias272 said

I thought the coil or something was ill as it would backfire and pop like mad whilst gear engaged on overrun.

Fuel starvation …………..

I love the confidence in the last post!!

Sound like you know the symptoms!

I've bypassed the fuel seperator for now to see if that helps a bit. I was driving home last night and it would jump and stutter like hell with the throttle under half way - but when i floored it (opening secondary choke) it went like stink! Cleaning the carb must have done some good!

But still have a problem with the primary choke. Guessing the primary chock jets are blocked up again??

New seperator on it's way, and going to clean out the tank on the weekend, so hopefully we'll be ok in time for VOLKSFEST bristol!!


Everyone - fingers crossed please! :wink:

There must be sh*te in your tank I had the exact same problem when you go up a hill all the crap moves to the back of the tank where the pick up is, I drilled out the pick up filter in the tank and replaced filler next cleaned out carb fuel filter ect jobs a good un' runs like a beast!

worth checking out the post below, if you havent seen already. Shows what crud can collect in the tank and shows how they cleared it all.

http://www.vwgolfmk1.o…=285287&highlight=#285287

If the fuel filler neck even shows slight signs of bubbling or rust, I would take off to get a proper look. Chances are its 10 times worse than it looks and if its fine gives you the chance to clean and put some extra protection on anyway.

Update:

Now have the car in absolute bits!

Pulled off the sender unit and snapped it in the process (doh! - need to call crazy quiff tommorrow to see if he can send me a new one).

Pulled off the rubber pipes (from sender to the metal ones under the car) and decided to replace them. Used the string method but had to drop the tank to fit my new chunky fuel pipes in!.

While i was under the car i decided to have a feel of the fuel inlet pipe and sure as hell - there was a one inch hole in the typical place.

Going to get a new one tommorrow hopefully. Siphoned all petrol out of the tank and left it over night for the fumes to clear a bit. Then used some magnets from an old hard disk, an airline, and then finally a hoover (i know i know- but thought i'd give it a try and it worked ok). But in all honesty not that much came out (nothing like the thread mentioned above!!)

So i'm thinking of putting a fuel filter between the sender and the metal pipes and then another in the normal place. Replacing all rubber fuel pipes and new filters, blowing the jets and metal lines through with and airline and carb cleaner and then reassembling it all.

I really hope it works. So far it's turned into a money spending marathon!!

Fuel filler is going to be about ?35
Hoses have cost me about ?15
Filter ?4
Sundries ?20
New sender is going to be about ?30

Hope it's sorted soon!

Well i hope it works for you I am in the process of making my mk1 golf cabriolet run nightmare!!    I have also spent a fortune. Oh well…… prefer to have a dodgy mk1 golf than a 'euro bucket'.
Hopefully should have mine running by tomorrow

best of luck with yours.

What's up with it? Guessing it's something similar to mine?

best of luck with yours.

What's up with it? Guessing it's something similar to mine?

i've done almost the same checks etc as you except the tank bit,newish tank, but am still having exactlly the same problem, have you sorted yours?

How did you get on with this ?

Chaps ?

 :dontknow:

Replaced all rubber fuel lines with new
Removed sender and Hoovered what i could from the tank
New inline filter
New Fuel sender from crazy quiff (cleaned it to look like new)
New fuel vapour seperator
Removed fuel pump and cleaned inside with WD40 and compressed air
Removed Carb
Renewed all carb gaskets
Split carb and cleaned thoroughly
Soaked jets in carb cleaner and blew them through.
Replaced fuel filler neck
Cleaned K&N with K&N Cleaner
Rotated distributior to stop it hunting

Result:

It flew like a bomb, torque through the roof and loads of power. I was grinning from ear to ear.

Then on my way to Volksfest Bristol, after about 40 miles at 70 - 80mph….

Chugg chugg again!!!

Still starving of fuel. I think there is still crap in the tank. But the seams of the tank look quite bad from outside so i don't think i'll bother removing and cleaning the tank. I'll just replace it when funds allow. I'll just keep it topped up for now.

But the car runs far far better now (when it has enough petrol!!)

But the car runs far far better now (when it has enough petrol!!)

I have been through this night mare , when low on fuel it was running like a bag of spanners , full was okay . Since full clean out etc spot on  


Cheers ……………….

i've just been out and my brand new fuel filter is FULL of crap!!

It's only done 260 miles!

How much are new tanks??
best place to get them from?

Hi clipper88.

when you say newish tank, how do you know?

Anyways, regardless of the age of the tank, if you fuel filler neck is knackered as mine was, the tank will be full of crap anyway. They cost ?30 +vat from GSF. DON'T BUY THE CABRIOLET VERSION - BUY THE HARD TOP VERSION AND A HACKSAW instead.

This was the one i removed on tuesday…



You'll have to take the rear wheel off, reach right up under the arch. Clasp your hand around the tube and then grip tight. If it crumbles… it's knackered.

The metal from that hole must have gone somewhere, and i'm guessing it's in the tank.

thats looks proper knackered im betting theres still crud in your system when i had this problem i found the tank was rusting from the inside out lol it is easier just to change the tank :wink: