Solex Pict-2 AIr Idle screw has no effect

[steve.ba...@gmail.com]

Hello all,

A few weeks back I checked my oil and found a gallon of fuel in it.
Woops. Based on the advice of others in this situation I decided to
replace the fuel pump and also rebuild the carb.

I have been using a Solex Pict-3 for many years now, but I had a Solex
Pict-2 in my basement. From what I read, you are better off with
older carbs which have "less improvements". So instead of rebuilding
my Pict-3 again, I decided to rebuild the Pict-2 which I have never
used (came off a scrap engine I bought for $100).

To rebuild, I bought a kit from airheadparts.net. I did a very
thorough tear down, and cleaning with carb cleaner and canned air. I
replaced everything that the kit provided - except for the air idle
screw. Reason being, the new screw in the kit was about half the
length of the old screw. Perhaps that's normal ... I don't know.

With everything back together, my idle was MUCH lower than before.
This is actually a good thing, because prior to replacing the Solex
Pict-3 I couldn't seem to tame the idle down no matter what I tried
(which may have resulted in the excessive fuel in my crank case).

However - the idle is so low at a stop light that I am near stalling.
It's so low, it almost sounds like an engine that is skipping over
piston firings. I can unscrew the screw all the way out, and it still
idles just as low. If I take the screw all the way in, I can stall it
out.

It's nice warm weather here in Ohio and so I laid out and adjusted the
valves, and cleaned up a few things. Then I went for a drive and got
the engine warmed up. Then I checked the choke. I noticed that I was
past the last tooth on the idle arm (?). I don't think that is
normal. So I loosened the screws on the automatic choke and cranked
it 1/4 a turn past the middle mark on the carb to put the idle screw
onto the last tooth where I believe it belongs.

After another test drive I found that it idles much better at a stop
light. But I still get a wee bit of a stutter at around 40mph (which
was there before). Also, that air idle screw doesn't really seem to
do anything ... which is probably not good.

I know I'm being picky, as everything is running really well at the
moment. But would anyone know why this screw doesn't work? Was this
carb maybe too beat up to rebuild back to 100 percent?

Thanks,
-Steve Ballantyne
68' Bug

[dave AKA vwdoc1]

I thought that the 1968 Beetle was a single-port engine that took the Solex
30 PICT-1, but I could be wrong since I have only really "driven" 1967, 1966
and a 1976 Beetles.
The 30 PICT-1 usually has two adjustments, CO at idle and throttle plate
position.

It sounds like you have a dual-port engine in your '68 and you are running a
Solex 34 PICT-3 carb.
The 34 PICT-3 should have at least three adjustments, CO at idle, Idle Speed
(Air Screw) and throttle plate position.

But I also think the '69 and '70 Beetles with the single-port engine might
have other Solex 3x PICT-x type carbs.

So which engine do you have and please post ALL numbers to the carbs that
you are using. ;-)

Uhhh I know that you did an oil change. ;-)
AND you check the ign. points and timing and advance (both mechanical and
vacuum)
--
later,
(One out of many daves)

"steve.nospa...@gmail.com" <steve.ba...@gmail.com> wrote in
message
news:9d6e3156-2834-4e4a...@x6g2000vbg.googlegroups.com...

[Jim...@msn.com]

Maybe the little idle screw needs a cleaning and a new o-ring.
While it is out, spray some B-12 Chemtool in the hole to clean it out.

This tech link may be some help:
http://www.vw-resource.com/30PICT2.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On May 3, 1:45 pm, "steve.nospam.ballant...@gmail.com"

[Bill Spiliotopoulos]

There are 2 possible causes if the idle mixture screw has no effect.
1) Butterfly opened more than necessary during idle.
2) Blocked idle circuit. Either a passage or the idle jet (which depending
on the carb model may be integrated on the electromagnetic cut-off valve),
or electromagnetic cut-off valve not working.
You can't rebuild a carb without removing all jets and blowing compressed
air through all passages and jets. You need a real air compressor to do
this.

Adjustment is dependant on carb model. Can you send the complete model and
if possible a link with a picture of the carb (e.g. using
http://imageshack.us/) ?

Bill Spiliotopoulos,
'67 Bug.

"steve.nospa...@gmail.com" <steve.ba...@gmail.com> wrote in
message
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[Joey Tribiani]

"Bill Spiliotopoulos" <vsp...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:gtmsi6$aqr$1...@ulysses.noc.ntua.gr...

> There are 2 possible causes if the idle mixture screw has no effect.
> 1) Butterfly opened more than necessary during idle.
> 2) Blocked idle circuit. Either a passage or the idle jet (which depending
> on the carb model may be integrated on the electromagnetic cut-off valve),
> or electromagnetic cut-off valve not working.
> You can't rebuild a carb without removing all jets and blowing compressed
> air through all passages and jets. You need a real air compressor to do
> this.
>
> Adjustment is dependant on carb model. Can you send the complete model and
> if possible a link with a picture of the carb (e.g. using
> http://imageshack.us/) ?
>
> Bill Spiliotopoulos,

a third possibility is an intake leak...