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Re: [T3] Another rough running engine


On 1 Apr 2002, at 9:25, jason.smith@sarcom.com wrote:

> My 72 FI AT fastback has this intermittent problem.  Occasionally, when I
> take it out on the road it will have absolutely no power and bogs down when you
> step on the gas.  You can drive below 20mph then try to increase the speed and
> the engine bogs down and sputters and backfires it then will barely go above
> 30-40mph.  However, sometimes it is fine and drives like a dream.  One scenario
> that may indicate a fuel problem is:  the last time this happened the tank was
> on about 1/4 tank.  I drove around awhile with it bogging down and with engine
> temp increase the problem got a little better. Then I filled the tank and the
> problem got a lot better, still a little hesitation but much better.  Now I
> don't know if the engine temp or the gas was what made it perform better. Any
> ideas?

I'd check the gas tank. Remove the gauge sender and look down there with a 
flashlight. Is it full of crud? Do you smell gas when you turn left? Are you 
careful not to fill the tank all the way because you know that it leaks if you 
do?

Check the overflow hose just behind the filler neck, up under the RF fender. It 
is almost certainly cracked and has allowed dust, dirt, and water into the 
tank. You'll have to fix this, then you can clean out the tank and replace the 
filter that is under it, with the fuel pump. You should also pull and clean the 
strainer that is inserted in the tank from below.

The other possibility is that your tank was "sealed" using one of the plastic 
coatings that are sold for this purpose and that this stuff has clogged up one 
of the internal passages in the tank. If this has happened, then you will have 
to either just keep the tank more than half full all the time, or get a good 
used replacement tank.  

There are always other possibilities, including the usual tune-up items, but 
you might want to check the tank first. Note that the 72 tune-up proceedure 
is unique, and only the Bentley manual gets it right.

-
Jim Adney
jadney@vwtype3.org
Madison, WI 53711-3054
USA

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