[T3] Car Cures Itself

Bobsnotch at aol.com Bobsnotch at aol.com
Tue Jun 25 19:37:28 PDT 2013


In a message dated 6/25/2013 5:29:30 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
j_jonik at yahoo.com writes:
 
Re; 71 FI Std shift....

Earlier I asked about why the  car "cures itself" from 
stumbling...stuttering...seeming like maybe only on 3  cylinders, AFTER going about three miles, 
or after about five  minutes.     At that point, it's hard to look for a  
problem that's no longer a problem.

On advice, checked that  distributor drive was doing it's thing to spring 
into position.  It  did.  Made sure all wires were duly tight, double-checked 
timing and  point gap, and even cleaned up the spark plugs.    All was ok  
then, for a short while.

But the symptoms are back.  This time I  got one Little Backfire.  
Sometimes on starting, there's a some exhaust  smoke.   Also...I THINK...not 
sure...that the oil level is a bit  high...but I can't verify how flat the street 
was to have gotten a good  reading.  If really high, instead of a bit down, 
there MAY be, again, a  problem with fuel 
getting into the oil.  How to assure that's not  happening?

And, after about ten miles, the oil light flickers a  little, and glows.  
Idle seems at proper speed.  No hints that the  car wants to stall....and 
after the stumbling stuff goes away (as if it just  got a cleared out 
something), the car performs perfectly...except for that oil  light flicker.

Something's sending warning signals that all is not  well.
 
 
OK, so you basically did a tune up, and nothing changed. If I had to make  
a guess, I'd say you have a leaking injector (1 that's not completely  
shutting/closing off). This would give a little back fire when lit off (spark  at 
the plug, once dry), and would drain past the rings to mix with the oil  
(higher oil level). This could also be the "wants to stall", until enough heat 
 has been developed, and enough cycle times on the injector, that it clears 
out  again (no running problems).
 
The oil light can be a worn or tired oil pressure switch, worn bearings  
(gas mixing with the oil, reducing the viscosity), or just general age and  
wear and tear from use. Yes these engines will last a long time with proper  
maintenance, but let them sit for a year (or more), and things start 
happening  that didn't happen before. I've seen it enough over the last 20+ years 
I've  owned and driven a type 3 (or type 34). It happens, and there's not a 
lot you  can do about it. After all, a 71 type 3 IS 30+ years old now. ;-)  

Bob 65  Notch S w/Sunroof and IRS aka Krusty
64 T-34 Ghia aka Wolfie
71  Square-vert under  construction


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.vwtype3.org/pipermail/type3-vwtype3.org/attachments/20130625/555f0643/attachment.htm>



More information about the type3-vwtype3.org mailing list