Is it my fuel pump?
Is it my fuel pump?
I just got my grandma's '66 beetle about 6 months ago. The last time I started her was about 3 months ago, and now I can't get her started. While shooting a little starter fluid into the carb, she'll fire, but won't start. The minute you stop with the starter fluid, she just turns over, but won't fire/start. Any ideas on how I should go about diagnosing the problem? How can I know it's the fuel pump? Tks for your help!
Re: Is it my fuel pump?
dpalmberg wrote:I just got my grandma's '66 beetle about 6 months ago. The last time I started her was about 3 months ago, and now I can't get her started. While shooting a little starter fluid into the carb, she'll fire, but won't start. The minute you stop with the starter fluid, she just turns over, but won't fire/start. Any ideas on how I should go about diagnosing the problem? How can I know it's the fuel pump? Tks for your help!
Well I'm no expert and I'm just learning about bugs but I'll answer here so you don't feel like we're ignoring you.
It certainly sounds like it's not getting gas if it fires with the starting fluid. However, since it was running when you parked it, I would suspect some sort of sediment problem or blockage in the lines. If the fuel pump was working before, I doubt it would fail while just sitting (Although stranger things have happened.)
As for my -non-expert- opinion, I'd pull the fuel line ans see if fuel is flowing. Sitting like that it could also be water in the gas or some other contamination. (I'm assuming you checked that it has gas, right? Someone may have siphoned your tank while it was parked.)
Good luck. Let folks know how things are progressing. You may say something that someone will ID as your problem.
Rob
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fatalifeaten
- Senior Member
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- Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2008 12:05 am
- Location: The 480
Easy way to check the pump. Use a small (like gallon size) gas can and run a line form it to the inlet side of the pump. Run another from the outlet side, and hold it over the can where the fuel will pump back in but you can watch the flow. Disco the coil and crank. You should see fuel coming out in a reasnoably steady stream in time to the fuel pump pushrod's motion on the drive. If that works your pump's happy. Move on to clearing the gunk out of your lines. If that gas has been sitting in the tank for a few months, you may want to just drain it and start with fresh clean gas. When it's empty blow some compressed air down the hard lines, make sure the screens and filter aren't plugged up, and you should be good to go.
spray a little gas down the carb while having someone start the car,once running keep squirting til she runs on her own.The fuel pump seems to air lock once in awhile if you let em sit and the gas will syphon back to the tank.Starting fluid is very hard on these things they will dry out your cylinders at the very least and worse.
66vw,62vwtrike,71vw super project car and 73vw bus,and one sometimes understanding wife
Rob