HELLO...NEW MEMBER....HAVE '74 BUG....DRIVING DOWN THE HIWAY...BUG SPUTTERED, TURNED OFF. WOULD NOT RE-START...HAD JUST FILLED UP WITH GAS, SO NOT OUT OF GAS....HAD TO TOW HOME....ANY IDEAS AS TO POSSIBLE PROBLEM.....

 

does it try to start? crank, anything? perhaps you got some bad fuel and it clogged the fuel filter?

 

THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY PATRICK...YES, ID DOES CRANK....BUT DOES'NT START. WHEN I WAS BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WAITING FOR MY TOW...I DID REMOVE THE FUEL FILTER, BLEW THRU IT....NO PROBLEM. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS CLOGGED OR SOMETHING...MAYBE SOME BAD FUEL, AS YOU SUGGESTED...BUT AS I SAID.....I BLEW RIGHT THRU THE FILTER. GOT THE CAR HOME....CHECKED FOR LOOSE SPARK PLUG....ALL OK...TRIED STARTING IT....CRANKS BUT WON'T START!?????????????

 

i would check to see if you have spark..if not, the coil might be bad...im afriad that im not very familiar with the driveline setup on that car...

 

Did fuel come out of the line when you pulled the filter out? If you don't have a fuel problem then it's gotta be the spark. The same sort of thing happened to my 73' Thing. I could get it started but could only keep it running with higher RPM's. Check the vacuum caps. Make sure your engine has good vacuum by checking the little pipes around the carb. It’s a three-dollar fix if you’re lucky.
RobM.

 

I used to own a 73 bug, same thing used to happen to me, I used to jump out with about a 12 mm open end wrench and tighten up the throttle sensor has 1 wire running to it, located just under the carb intake, the only other time my Bug did not want to start was when (like an idiot) I put in Champion spark plugs. They burned all the way down in about 3 monthes. Put in anew set of Bosh platinium plugs and rest the point gap. Check your distributor cap, in fact replace it with a Bosh Cap! If that doesn't work and you can see or smell gas getting to the carb , I would say the coil or wires are shot. Most of the work you should be able to do yourself! About $50 should get you up and running for a few years. GOOD LUCK

 

I had a '74 Super Beetle that used to do this for me. Typically it occurred when it had been warm outside and been running for a little while. We determined that it was overheating. If you sit for about 15 - 20 minutes it should crank up and run again. I had it strand me on the highway and out in the middle of no where once before. HTH.