my beetle loses 60% of its power after i drive in it for too long... i was told that the fuel pump overheats and it sends low quantity of fuel to the carb..is that possible?
Asked by raghid_shehayeb Aug 10, 2011 at 06:05 PM about the Volkswagen Beetle
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
6 Answers
What year/engine are you talking about? Mechanical fuel pumps can't do what you described.
what year car? if we are talking old air cooled beetle, then no. the mechanical fuel pump will not overheat. the cause of your problems could be several. is the motor running hot? when the car looses power, go back and pull out the dipstick. can you hold it in your hand or does it burn the crap out of you. burn=bad, hold=good. (i don't mean hold it forever, but you should be able to pull the dipstick out, check it , and put it back in without much trouble. if dipsticks to hot, you have cooling problems. engine hot=loss of power. if dipsticks cool, you either have fuel delivery problem or ignition problem. report back, and we will get you lined out.
Fangioparis answered 11 years ago
Agree with Chris: Partial seizure or bad float levels in the carb could explain it. Older VW were prone to vapor lock. Another explanation is the advance weights in the distributor: If the axles are worn the advance curve will be modified. Also look at the condition of the vacuum advance tube. It can be worn and collapse or not work at all after the carb comes off choke.
Fangioparis answered 5 years ago
Tight valves, worn advance, bad float height, clogged fuel filter, low oil
I am having similar problems in my '68 VW Bug. Once in a while it will run like it's just on 3 cylinders. It will run that way for miles then all of a sudden it will mysteriously "clear up" and run normal. Then the next day start the car and problem again, real sluggish then I hit a bump and everything cleared up and running fine! I replaced fuel filter, there is plenty of oil and the car is not running hot! Advice?
