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About the only way to tell what you have there is to do a systematic approach to finding the problem. Muir has some good tips. I'd first check fuel pressure and flow rate as per Bentley. If you haven't changed the fuel filter in the last 6K miles, that might be full of crap. You might have a temp sensor on the outs, those are easy to check. Check all the hoses into the air intake distributor for leaks and cracks, replace if needed. Not sure if you have one of the electromechanical auxilary air valves on a '69, my '71 has a wholly mechanical one. This is a little dingus that sits in what would normally be the fuel pump hole on a carbed engine, its function is to act like an automatic choke would on a carb. Has a hose from the air cleaner and another going to the bottom of the air intake distributor. Lets additional air in when the engine is cold, causing a little extra fuel to be squirted in until it warms up. I've had these strip the little adjusting screw underneath and then the valve opens and shuts as the engine vibrates causing hard starting and variable idle. It can also stick open or shut, like it was when I first got the car. There's a little thermostat-type coil on the bottom end that moves the little D-shaped valve. Some years had a heater element added to close the valve a little sooner. On the mechanical ones, they're fairly easy to disassemble and clean, just make absolutely sure you mark which way you take the parts out and their orientation, if you do this. (And don't drop things down the hole in the crankcase!) There's other things that can cause hard starting. There's a bypass valve in the fuel pump head that has a rubber tip. These get hard and break off, causing a massive leak back into the tank and fuel pressure never really gets up enough to get running. When they're just hard, they never really seal the fuel ring and pressure bleeds off rapidly, causing prolonged cranking to get started. Unfortunately, this is a sealed part of the pump and parts aren't available, a new pump is about the only cure, if that's the problem. Can be detected with the pressure and fuel flow checks in Bentley. Since you can start when warm, I rather think it isn't the pump, but check it anyway.. The throttle position sensor can also cause starting problems. I'm not sure, but I think '69 only had one set of contacts, you'd have to check Bentley for the proper procedure for checking and adjustment. A broken wire in the loom to this switch will also cause problems. Hope your mechanic replaced the fuel lines with FI-rated stuff, carb stuff isn't interchangeable. Don't want another TIII barbecued. On Thu, 17 Dec 1998 13:47:21 -0500, you wrote: >To: type3@vwtype3.org >Subject: [T3] Starting Problems >From: klruff1@mail.webspan.net >Date: 17 Dec 1998 09:53:29 -0500 > >Hello fellow T-3ers, > >A few months ago, I sent a message to the BB about a cold start >problem. Good advice was given to turn the key on and off a few times >to build up fuel pressure. It worked at first, but I encountered another >problem shortly after cranking it over a few times in that gas leaked from >the right rear. Since then, I've had all new fuel lines installed. My mechanic >told me the ones on there were in decent shape but were the wrong size >(too large in diameter). Well now here is the new starting problem: the >car now has a harder time starting than it did before. When the car sits for a >few hours, when I crank it, it sort of kicks over, then instantly dies as if >there is no fuel flow. I can try to start a few more times and normally I get the >same syptom. Well I opted to do the unrecommended start up method and hit >the gas peddle when she turned over (not recommended on FI cars), and she did >then kick over with a puff or two (engine prob flooded slightly). Any ideas >why I am having this problem? I'm thinking my fuel pump is on the outs, >although once it starts, she runs great, and when she's warmed up, she start 1st >crank every time. This one is confusing to me. Please help! > >Keith Ruff >69 Fastback ------------------------------------------------------------------- List info at http://www.vwtype3.org/list or mailto:help@vwtype3.org