I have a 1974 Super Beetle auto shift that was running great then one day I step out of the car and hear a bubbling sound. I look under the hood and the gas is boiling in the fuel filter. All the fluids are good and checked to make sure nothing was caught up in the fan. I let it cool over night but when I went to start it nothing happens. Battery is connected and lights work. What should I be looking at?
I’d start by checking the fuel pump.
when I went to start it nothing happens.
Doe you mean when you turn the key, it turns, but there is no sound or movement?
I would check the belt to make sure it is moving every thing it should.
It just clicks but no turnover at all and the belt looks good. Had a new one put in a month ago.
Starter failure is not a rare thing on aged Beetles and many times the problem is caused by a worn armature bushing in the transaxle case.
The bushing wears and this allows the armature in the starter motor to start dragging on the field coils in the starter frame.
If the starter is replaced the bushing must always be properly lubricated and replaced at the same time or starter problems will continue.
As to the boiling gasoline (or was it simply bubbles?) you could consider a failing fuel pump or leaking fuel line (even underneath the car) or an overheating engine; depending.
There are flaps inside the fan shroud that are thermostatically controlled and if the flaps bind or the T-stat control fails the flaps may be stuck closed. This will lead to engine overheating.
Was your starter operating well the prior day? If so, a wire might have come loose. That’s happened to me on my '70 vert a couple of times. The hot wire running to the starter slid right off. With the ignition switch off, look for a loose wire behind the passenger/rear side. The backup light wires are also in that vicinity, just as a heads up.
You could actualy hear that small amount of gas bubbling inside the fuel filter,even with the hood shut, What are you a Ninja?
You say nothing happens when you turn the key,can you stil rotate the crankshaft by hand via the generator? it would be very bad (obviously) if this engine siezed.