TheSamba.com :: View topic - DesertBob's "Last" Baja (Trail Ready at last!)

Thu Dec 25, 2008 8:22 am

Just a thought, but is your SVDA curved for that particular carb? I know I got one from John at Aircooled, and since it was curved for the Progressive, I had to send it back to him to be recurved for the IDF's.

Thu Dec 25, 2008 8:30 am

neanders wrote: Just a thought, but is your SVDA curved for that particular carb? I know I got one from John at Aircooled, and since it was curved for the Progressive, I had to send it back to him to be recurved for the IDF's.

My distributor is a stock German 034 distributor so it was originally mated with a 34 PICT 3.

Sat Dec 27, 2008 11:34 am

DesertBob wrote: Thanks Mattt!

The vacuum advance when set at 7.5* BTDC is 30* when the vacuum line is pulled from the carb and the carb port is plugged. The total advance with the vacuum line is connected is 40-42* BTDC with no load on the engine. This would appear to be right on spec with an 034 distributor. The main is a 127.5 and my idle jet is a 60g. I have tried a 55g and 65 with the same stumble. This thing should just purr. I think I will pull the carb over the holidays and give all the ports a blast with my compressor. Maybe something has gotten stuck in one of the small bleed ports. I have not gone in this direction because the carb was delivered to me spotless. I am connected to the vacuum port on the side of the carb. The one on the front is plugged.

Hmmm......problems like this are a pain. Do you have an adjustable timing light to see if the advance is coming on correctly as the RPMs increase? I have an adjustable one you could borrow. Seems like usually driveability issues are ignition related, but it could be the carb as well.

Sun Dec 28, 2008 5:30 pm

mattt wrote: Hmmm......problems like this are a pain. Do you have an adjustable timing light to see if the advance is coming on correctly as the RPMs increase? I have an adjustable one you could borrow. Seems like usually driveability issues are ignition related, but it could be the carb as well.

How do these timing lights work? I know my advance is working but how would I determine when it should be coming in?

Sun Jan 04, 2009 6:41 pm

Bob, this may be way out in left field but I had a similar problem on an 1835 I had.

It would idle perfect but when I hopped on it it would crap out. My timing was spot on, everything was dialed in the carb. Turned out that the shims under the distributor drive gear had fallen out and the distributor wasn't fully engaging into the slot in the gear. At the time I didnt know about the shims so diagnosing it was maddening!! :x

I had the engine turned upside down on the bench and that caused the gear to slide out enough to let the shims into the engine... doh!

The symptoms were the same as what your describing.

Tue Jan 06, 2009 5:02 pm

Any update on this one Bob? :?

Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:29 am

CopperBaja wrote: Any update on this one Bob? :?

On a whim I replaced my SVDA Distributor ( I had also tested it previously with a DVDA and 009) with a Stock SVDA a buddy had on his bus and it worked better. So I went out and got a brand spanking new Bosch SVDA Distributor from AJ Sims and had them check it on his tester and had the advance curved done for the 34 PICT 3 and now it runs much, much better.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:35 am

So did you get your rear torsion bars yet? Did you make it to the Pomona swap meet?

I just got some used stock bars to get me going. I changed my mind about the LR bars.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:40 am

Good to hear Bob!

If you're itching to go out, cr250250r and I are heading to Superstition this weekend. ...and a Jeep and a Bronco. I think there's going to be a bike or 2 as well. :D

Fri Jan 23, 2009 1:12 pm

I did go to Pomona and it was a bust. Found some Solid Rocker Shafts and some nice headlight rings. That was it.

CopperBaja - Still need to get my skid plate on for serious offroading. Will get that done this weekend. Hoping to go on the Buggies ride next Sunday to the top of Santiago Peak.

Lotrat - Your thread on the torsion bars made me think about saving for the SAW bars. Mine only leans a bit to the driver sides so maybe next month.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 1:21 pm

DesertBob wrote: Lotrat - Your thread on the torsion bars made me think about saving for the SAW bars. Mine only leans a bit to the driver sides so maybe next month.

Yeah, same here. Mine started with a lean. I did a reindex, and now it's leaning again. I have quite a bit of pre-load on that side and now it's leaning again. If I find a pile of SAW bars, I'll let you know.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 1:26 pm

I was thinking about adding those adjustable Spring Plates to adjust the drivers side but I think that they cost as much as the SAW torsion bars do.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 1:49 pm

DesertBob wrote: I was thinking about adding those adjustable Spring Plates to adjust the drivers side but I think that they cost as much as the SAW torsion bars do.

I think having more pre-load on one side to level the car is a mistake. My baja has a weird hop to it now. Even driving down the street, it wants to bounce sideways.

Fri Jan 23, 2009 2:05 pm

Lotrat wrote: I think having more pre-load on one side to level the car is a mistake. My baja has a weird hop to it now. Even driving down the street, it wants to bounce sideways.

Lotrat...I've seen you drive...you sure it's the torsions? :lol: ;)

Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:00 pm

CopperBaja wrote: Lotrat wrote: I think having more pre-load on one side to level the car is a mistake. My baja has a weird hop to it now. Even driving down the street, it wants to bounce sideways.

Lotrat...I've seen you drive...you sure it's the torsions? :lol: ;)

How could you see anything with all my dust in your way? :lol:

Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:20 pm

DesertBob wrote:

Hoping to go on the Buggies ride next Sunday to the top of Santiago Peak.

It's next SATURDAY
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3559262#3559262

Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:35 pm

Saturday -- Got it ---Thanks I would have been pissed if I had missed it.

Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:14 pm

Got my skid plate put on. Ready for the Anza Borrego Rock Fest!

Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:33 pm

There's no dirt on it. It doesn't look right. Maybe it's the lack of oil splatter and dings and scratches. I don't know. I can't put my finger on it.

It is a REALLY nice skid plate, though.

Tue Feb 10, 2009 7:47 am

Rest assured that it already has some oil drips on it and it will get plenty dirty (and muddy) this weekend as I have a Holy Jim Canyon test run planned in preparation for the Anza Borrego run.