A magical driveway - - -

[RobM]

Okay, here's a strange one to challenge all you experts.:

Neither my 66 nor my wife's 181 will start when parked in the driveway, nose-uphill. When we park them like that, the next morning they go 'clunk' as though the engine's seized. Yet, if you roll them down into the level street, they fire up normally.

Both have 1600 engines. Mine's a replacement--of course--but her's is original according to the previous owner. Both engines run perfectly at all other times.

I haven't been able to find any other beetle owners who have this problem. I also asked at the local 'Import parts' shop'. All he could think of was that a cylender was filling up with gas, being below the tank like that, so hydrolically it keeps the engine from turning. (And he admitted he was only guessing and had never heard of the problem before either,)

So, how about ir guys A gals, anyone else ever run into that? Any ideas?


(I currently either back up the driveway to park 'nose-down' ,or park both VWs on the street to avoid the problem of rolling the cars out into the street to get them to fire up in the morning.)

Rob

[fatalifeaten]

I'd be curious to see what happens if you back them in...

How steep's your driveway?

[RobM]

I'd be curious to see what happens if you back them in...

How steep's your driveway?

"(I currently either back up the driveway to park 'nose-down' ,or park both VWs on the street to avoid the problem of rolling the cars out into the street to get them to fire up in the morning.)"

Not overly steep, but a little steeper than those around. It's not like a San Francisco hill or anything. Just slightly steeper than average.

[scruffy]

very possible, gas you'd notice by smell naturally and also you'd have it in your crankcase hence a faulty fuel pump. How many miles are on the motors? oil could seep into the cylinder past the rings causing a minor lockup. Does she smoke when it starts? gas is black oil is blue. hope this helps a little. really no need to get excited unless it is a fuel pump

[empiracer1966]

I would believe that the fuel pumps are leaking, allowing fuel to pass through by gravity...the fuel tank outlet is possibly above the fuel pump which is yet above the cylinders thus allowing the fuel to leak into the cylinders causing a "hydro" lock...look down the throat of the carburator and see if it is dripping fuel after it was sitting for a while or better yet, remove the fuel line going into the carb. and see to if the fuel pump is allowing fuel to pass...if so, the fuel pumps are bad

You gotta love gravity...Its cheap and dependable

Brian

[scruffy]

have you seen the price of groceries lately, my gravity is costing more all the time

[elkluvadore]

have you tried parking on a "normally" steep drive, does this result in the same problem?

[Athen_TL]

Hi there,

just to exclude the possibility of the cylinders locking up due to hydro from the fuel. If this would be the issue, then the engine oil would be heavily contaminated by the gasoline. If you pull out the dip stick, you would notice a strong smell of gas.

This happened to me once due to a faulty float in the carb. But the engine oil was way gone and very fluid.

If your oil is OK, then the reason must be elsewhere.

[RobM]

have you tried parking on a "normally" steep drive, does this result in the same problem?

I didn't think mine was all that steep, but I've never had the problem anywhere else. As a side note, my 74 superbeetle doesn't have any trouble there at all.

[RobM]

Hi there,

just to exclude the possibility of the cylinders locking up due to hydro from the fuel. If this would be the issue, then the engine oil would be heavily contaminated by the gasoline. If you pull out the dip stick, you would notice a strong smell of gas.

This happened to me once due to a faulty float in the carb. But the engine oil was way gone and very fluid.

If your oil is OK, then the reason must be elsewhere.

Oil is okay. Very odd thing though, all the oil vanished when I left it parked there for a few days. I rolled it to the street and then bounced the starter until it started, but then it wouldn't idle. Sounded dry to me (I've heard engins without oil before). Horrified, I checked the oil and the dipstick came out completely dry! Tried it several times to be sure I wasn't mistaken. Very odd since I'd checked the oil a week or so before. I tossed in a quart I had in the trunk, and just left it at the curb until I could get to the store for more.

Well, when I brought back more oil the next day . . . you guessed it, the oil was to the top of the dipstick, above the full line.
I just used it as a good excuse to drain and change my oil. But that was an odd one. It makes me wonder if it isn't the oil that's running somewhere wierd.

[RobM]

Hi there,

just to exclude the possibility of the cylinders locking up due to hydro from the fuel. If this would be the issue, then the engine oil would be heavily contaminated by the gasoline. If you pull out the dip stick, you would notice a strong smell of gas.

Oil is okay. Very odd thing though, all the oil vanished when I left it parked there for a few days. I rolled it to the street and then bounced the starter until it started, but then it wouldn't idle. Sounded dry to me (I've heard engins without oil before). Horrified, I checked the oil and the dipstick came out completely dry! Tried it several times to be sure I wasn't mistaken. Very odd since I'd checked the oil a week or so before. I tossed in a quart I had in the trunk, and just left it at the curb until I could get to the store for more.

Well, when I brought back more oil the next day . . . you guessed it, the oil was to the top of the dipstick, above the full line.
I just used it as a good excuse to drain and change my oil. But that was an odd one. It makes me wonder if it isn't the oil that's running somewhere wierd.

Athen_TL / Scruffy & empiracer, called it. It has to be the gas draining into the engine causing the cylenders to lock-up. My wife parked the '66, nose-up in the driveway overnight and It did it again. This time I'd already read other complaints of Superbeetle's gas tanks draining into their carbs when parked nose-up. It looks like the reason the dipstick looks clean is because the gas is floating on top of the oil. It gives you a nice, clean dipstick that looks like there's no oil. (My nose has never been much good.) I drove the poor old girl and she didn't like it. When I drained the contaminated oil, it was so thin, instead of sticking, the spillage hosed right off the driveway. So, mystery solved. Oil changed (and 66 parked on the flats in front of my house.

I guess I need a new fuel pump. The engine must be pretty loose too but it always has plenty of pep.

[Russell 66]

I'm a very new '66 owner, she' my first bug and, while I've read everything I can get my hands on, still don't know much about nothin' when it comes to hands-on mechanics. Anyway, I've been skimming through these older posts and just had to say how much I've enjoyed this particular thread! It was like reading a two-munite-mystery novel. I doubt anyone will be going back to read my new addition to this older post, but I just had to say something because this thread had me hooked from the first and delivered in the end. This site is great!

[roastysprouts]

Blond girl walks into a VW shop and asks the shopkeeper for a long dipstick,
"long dipstick?" he replies
"yes" says the chick
"my one does not reach the oil"