[T3] Fluttering engine performance...

[Bryon Garvin]

Disclaimer:  I'm no expert

But I had strange problems like this about a year ago.  Jim rebuilt my
distributor and in the process discovered that I had a Beetle cap and not a
Type 3 cap.  Beetle cap was taller than a Type 3.  The combo of that new cap
and distributor rebuild was the absolute trick.  Car lost all of the
previous problems.

Also, I remember some talk about that little carbon "button" at the top of
cap.  If that's missing it causes problems too.

I know others will have more info than me, but I thought I'd throw that out
there if it helps....

 - Bryon, '71 Fastback

On Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 9:49 AM, J. Jonik <j_jonik at yahoo.com> wrote:

> T III   FI  Std.  1971
>
> Symptom: Driving along just fine, after finding and replacing one bad
> injector, after about 7 miles on the highway, then some stop and go street
> driving, suddenly engine seemed to flutter when accelerating. Noticeable
> power loss to a degree while fluttering. Then it stopped doing that til the
> next gear change, and after the next stop.
>
>    That was just when hitting gas after stopping, and when changing gears.
>
>  Being away from home, but having some spare parts, I found that Throttle
> valve switch clicked a lot when turning the engine over with big screwdriver
> while making sure timing was right.
>    So, when timing adjustment (none needed to speak of) was done, ran the
> car for a while.
> Then tried to drive it. It stalled.  Trying to rev it didn't get any
> response. It just slowly stalled out.
>    So, suspecting something funny with TVS, I changed it for a spare.  Car
> started ok, and drove sort of ok...but still with that flutter, although
> less noticeable, when accelerating. It was ok when idling or cruising.
> Checked to see if it was running on all four cylinders. It was.  The newly
> replaced injector wasn't at fault.
>
>    For no reason, I switched to a spare distributor cap.  Then the problem
> disappeared.
>
>  So....does this make sense? Was the problem a combo of both TVS and Dist.
> cap?  What was happening to make that "flutter"?   Was it something causing
> irregular electricity, or irregular fuel delivery?  Or is that the same
> thing?
>
>
>
>
>
>
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