[kadman]

Sorting out the chokes is an easy task, whether i decide to wire them in,
or set them up without power, and let the engine heat open them
Either option gives the same result.

No point in tracing the loom anyway on the type 3, because they were never hardwired
from the loom . Their power source was a single wire from the positive side of the coil
fed to both chokes. same as power for the electromagnetic jets.

And auto chokes were often disconnected because drivers mistakenly thought that the auto chokes were
heavy on fuel, which they were not

I will worry about them when I have a cranking engine.

[John.G]

One problem that I seem to remember with mine was that if you switched off the engine when fully heated up was that the choke would come on again due to the external bi metallic spring cooling down with power off, I used to rotate them in the summer so that there wasn't full choking and it would be fully open in a very few minutes, I wasn't aware that the engine heat would/will heat open them. I knew several people that rotated them so that they were fully opened all the time. A bit ironical in that the VW air cooled engine had a manual choke for years and then reverted to auto but the water cooled ones (Golf etc) never went auto.

[kadman]

If the engine is hot, then the bi metallic spring will keep the choke open, regardless of whether its receiving
power causing the spring to heat and expand, or if its expanding from engine heat.

My own fastback that I am driving at the moment, has one faulty choke, that I set to close, so that
I have choke when its cold. And when the engine heats, the choke opens. Works perfect.

Pretty sure I have golf carbs with automatic chokes, but open to correction on that. Pierberg2E3 IIRC.

[kadman]

Quick update,
Car is now on the lift,

[kadman]

And the floorpan requires no, I repeat no welding.
Unheard of for a 53 year old VW,

[John.G]

Originally Posted by kadman

If the engine is hot, then the bi metallic sring will keep the choke open, regardless of whether its receiving
power causing the spring to heat and expand, or if its expanding from engine heat.

My own fastback that I am driving at the moment, has one faulty choke, that I set to close, so that
I have choke when its cold. And when the engine heats, the choke opens. Works perfect.

Pretty sure I have golf carbs with automatic chokes, but open to correction on that. Pierberg2E3 IIRC.

Quite correct re the Pierberg, wife had one.

[kadman]

Starter solenoid is kaputt. So i will have to go through my stash this afternoon
to see if I have a spare, but I dont think I have.

Updates to follow.

[kadman]

No spare motor. So more diligent inspection of the existing motor,
and I think I have it fixed now. Solenoid may be ok, and a good cleaning of the shaft to allow
free movement of the gear may be all thats needed.
Waiting on a battery to charge to test it before refitting.

Fingers crossed

[kadman]

Just managed a compression test on my own.

The innovative aircraft flip switch allowed me to turn on the starter,
and walk around to the back of the engine and take the readings.

The engine turns nice and freely with no sign of mechanical issues.
No bangs, clanking, growling ect it spins freely and evenly.

Compression readings are.
No 1 140 psi.
No2 105 psi.
No3 100 psi.
No4 180 psi.

I had to look a second time at no 4, as i have never had a .

vw engine with that high a reading.

In theory if this engine has fuel and spark, it has to start, when it has compression. It may not run sweet and even, but it should start.

This level of compression tells me 2 things. Valves are closing, but maybe not fully, maybe sticking. Or valve tappet settings are wrong.

Valve checking and setting is next on the list.

Given that this is a boxer engine, and the high and low readings are balanced across the engine, this may run OK

[Snotaul Goodman]

Threads like this and alfas are the reason I joined boards.

[kadman]

Just checked the valves.

And they are perfectly set. So well, that I found no need to adjust them.
It might be safe to say that the lower valve readings may increase a bit if this engine runs.Rings may be sticking in the pistons from lying up.

And at the moment I have found no mechanical reason why this car failed to start, and ended up under house arrest

So by reason of elimination so far, it points towards either a fuel issue or high tension or low tension circuit fault. So thats where I am going next.

Distributor cap and rotor, and coil..

[kadman]

Just for the record the starter gear was definitely sticking on the shaft.
Although I could move it, the solenoid did not have enough power to.

Good clean with WD 40 did the job. And its cranking nicely now.

[kadman]

Distributor issue could be one of many things.
Dirty inside the cap.
Brass plates inside the cap corroded.
Carbon pin and spring at the inside top of the cap.

Cracked cap.
Cracked rotor,
Dirty rotor,
Wrong rotor.
Loose rotor.
Worn distributor drive,
Worn distributor body.

But we will find the problem, whatever it is, fix it, and start this car

[John.G]

Originally Posted by kadman

Just checked the valves.

And they are perfectly set. So well, that I found no need to adjust them.
It might be safe to say that the lower valve readings may increase a bit if this engine runs.Rings may be sticking in the pistons from lying up.

And at the moment I have found no mechanical reason why this car failed to start, and ended up under house arrest

So by reason of elimination so far, it points towards either a fuel issue or high tension or low tension circuit fault. So thats where I am going next.

Distributor cap and rotor, and coil..

You probably know this already anyhow but you can check the low tension spark & static timing by connecting a M.Meter or the appropriate voltage bulb 12V? between the coil negative & earth, switch on ignition and turn the engine by hand, you will get 12V or the bulb will light up when the points open=ignition point, then check timing with no1 piston approaching TDC., static timing mark will be on C.shaft pulley.

[kadman]

Originally Posted by John.G

You probably know this already anyhow but you can check the low tension spark & static timing by connecting a M.Meter or the appropriate voltage bulb 12V? between the coil negative & earth, switch on ignition and turn the engine by hand, you will get 12V or the bulb will light up when the points open=ignition point, then check timing with no1 piston approaching TDC., static timing mark will be on C.shaft pulley.

I did

But as the electrical components are 53 years old, I will

be checking them to find out the source of the problem and replacing them anyway