Engine Won't Fire Up

[Donnieclark]

Hi,

It will crank but won't start (occasional pop). I smell gas, and have replaced the ignition coil, and it has good plugs and newer plug wires. Still, no starting. I am pretty limited mechanically-speaking, but am very willing and eager to learn! Any arm-chair diagnosis from you VW experts on what the malady could be; what I should be checking, in order from simple to complex?


I didn't find the right solution from the internet.

References: http://www.dunebuggyarchives.com/forum/ ... l?tid=5370

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[lastmanx]

first off, vw motors flood very easily. since you smell gas but no start it has now flooded. get the john muir book "how to keep a Volkswagen alive , a manual for the complete idiot". do not take offense that's the title. the book is thick, and very helpful. read it. the book gives step by step instructions that non mechanics can understand.
do all steps of a tune up including valve adjustment to timing then try for a restart. to state the obvious never use old gasoline. if your engine has not run for 2 months, the gas is bad (no good). drain the tank, flush lines. bad gas sitting in the carb. can gum it up badly. it will also screw up the float valve, either stuck open (flooding) or stuck closed (starving).
you did not mention which carb you have, but if it has an electric idle circuit be sure it is working as this will cause the motor issue you have. by reading the book it will tell you what to do, also it will recommend disabling the choke which I recommend also.
be sure you are getting spark, stop replacing parts until you are sure they are bad. the book will teach you.
it is this book that was recommended to me 30 years ago when I was just like you and I fixed my beat to sh!t buggy.
in this website I wrote of the 3 books all newbies should read look for it.
the bottom line is that your buggy is probably an easy fix for an experienced mechanic, but maybe not. an experienced mechanic will do all I have recommended also, so sometimes it is long and tedious. don't give up, if you have the desire to do it yourself.
or if you have deep pockets you can pay a mechanic lots of money to fix it.
good luck

[1MINT86]

I've had the same problem with our Tow'd if it hasn't been ran in a while. I found the problem is that the points oxidize
(or something like that) from sitting, a piece of 600 grit sandpaper between the points and it stated right up.