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Tue Nov 09, 2010 8:56 am

Transported the Bus from my parents house up to my house a few weeks back. Brought it up on a trailer since she is not *quite* ready for the road. The bus is now nice and cozy, taking up basically all of the space in my 1 car garage.

Today I adjusted the valves, all were pretty much spot on since I have not run this engine much since I had it out. Had to adjust a few but they were all very close to spec.

Then, finally busted out the timing light and properly timed the engine (I had timed it by ear when I first fired it up and never readjusted), glad I did because it was timed around 15BTDC. Brought it back down to 7.5 at idle (about 900RPM) and it runs and idles a bit better now.

I do have a question though. When I rev the engine, it does advance quite a bit (up to around 25-28), so I do know that the vacuum advance is working. However, it takes a while to come back to 7.5, it kind of hangs up between 12 and 7.5 for a while, slowly making its way back down to 7.5. Does this mean that the advance plate in the distributor is sticking a little?

Checked dwell, was around 53.5 and varied less than one degree at any RPMs. The Bentley said 45 to 50 degrees is the correct range. I have a Pertronix, is this an issue?

Mitch

Tue Nov 09, 2010 6:58 pm

Mitch,

Sweet bus!

Forget about the dwell. It means nothing since you have a petronics. The fact that you can get a signal is good though.

Assuming you have a stock 205P or a 205S distibutor, I would time it to 28º BTDC when all of the centrifical advance is all in ~ 3500 RPMs or so (the exact RPM does not matter). Remove the vacuum line to the distributor can before you do that. Engine warm, please.

What you are looking for is a nice smooth advance curve using the timing light. Jumping around indicates the distributor needs cleaning and re-lubricating. Make sure it retards nicely also.

Hook up the vacuum line and see where it lies at idle (aka "inital timing") you want to be about 7.5º BTDC at idle speed of about 900 RPMs, but don't change it. Make a mental note please.

If you pretend in your driveway that you are driving down a slight hill at 65 MPH (high RPMm with a light throttle) expect to see total advance of about 42-44º advance. That would be max centrifical advance + max vacuum advance.

In the charts, it will look sort of like this.....

I expect to see that bus at the next "Buses By the Buoys" you know.

When it doesn't come back to idle intial advance , generally that means that you might want to clean and relubricate the distributor or that it is running a bit rich. It could be sticking. Or it could have a vacuum leak.How does it drive?

Do you have a fuel pressure gauge? $20 well spent.

Been here? http://www.itinerant-air-cooled.com/viewtopic.php?t=7761

I should have my LM1 back in a few weeks (it is vacationing in Indaina right now). Let me know if you want to borrow it.

I was just up in Brewer, I should have stopped in. PM me if you have any questions.

Tue Nov 09, 2010 8:37 pm

EZ Gruv wrote: Late bays should have extendable cot poles. You have incorrect poles. because they wont fit in the storage under the back seat. right?

Wed Nov 10, 2010 7:25 am

mikemiller wrote: EZ Gruv wrote: Late bays should have extendable cot poles. You have incorrect poles. because they wont fit in the storage under the back seat. right?

Not sure, mine physically would not fit in the begs on the A pillar, they were too short.

Wed Nov 10, 2010 8:28 am

Wow, that is soo cool with the solar panel... it really does look like a professional installation with the gauge panel and everything installed. That panel would look awesome installed into the side of some of the cabinet work... would be like the control center on a yacht.

Sigh... I remember when I lived in the North-East... we called those heavy jackets "Ski-Jackets" and we always left our ski-lift tags on there, almost as a badge of pride for mountains we had conquered.

A very simple concept which absolutely none of my South Florida buddies have even the slightest clue about! hahah...

Holy ****, I just saw the pictures on the last page after you had it painted! The Bus looks AWESOME!!!

Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:16 am

82-T/A wrote:
Sigh... I remember when I lived in the North-East... we called those heavy jackets "Ski-Jackets" and we always left our ski-lift tags on there, almost as a badge of pride for mountains we had conquered.

A very simple concept which absolutely none of my South Florida buddies have even the slightest clue about! hahah...

Holy ****, I just saw the pictures on the last page after you had it painted! The Bus looks AWESOME!!!

Yes, we have just recently pulled the ski jackets out of summer storage. And, funny you should mention the ski tags, I actually have a few hanging off of my jacket right now from last year. If you look at the picture, my girlfriend Sarah has one on her jacket there, too!

Thanks for the compliments!

Retimed today with the help of Randy in Maine, timed with vac hoses off to 28 degrees max centrifugal advance, with hoses on at idle it falls around 7.5. Adjusted idle and it's running and (especially) starting up better.

Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:11 am

OK, it's been awhile. The Bus has been in hibernation mode, and i've been picking away it it a little over this very cold, snowy winter.

Recently I finished cleaning up the little paint "oopsies", a little overspray here and there.

I have also gotten all of the door handles/latches/gaskets back on and installed, antenna, etc...

Just got my tax refund, and guess where it went! $700 order from Busdepot.....ALL window seals & door seals, brake parts, and CV stuff along with some other random stuff. Wanted to get a poptop canvas too but I am going to insist on the OG yellow German one and that is around $500 with the seals, etc....youch. That will be next. I also need an OG drivers green door panel if anyone has a presentable one they are willing to part with.

I plan on replacing all of the window seals (front and rear window were already done when I painted it), doing the brakes (all rubber hoses, front pads, rear shoes, flush system), doing the CV boots, and figuring out the brake booster lines (currently inop and plugged at manifold).....and then she will be ready for the road!

Mitch

Mon Jun 20, 2011 4:13 pm

Annnnnnd......we're on the road!

Need to finish up a few things here and there (speakers, door panel work, window seals) but I've driven it probably 150 miles in the last four days and it's been great!

Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:19 am

dubluvv wrote: Annnnnnd......we're on the road!

That looks great. I've got my marinogelb '76 in the paint shop this week.

Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:25 am

Ill be getting my marinogelb 77 done over the winter, just wondering, are you guys doing a base/clear paint job?

Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:47 am

Looks good sir!
Did you ever get your timing figured out. I read that you set it at 28BTDC at around 3500rpm with no vac, but when you reconnected the vac did it advance any farther? I think my vac can is shot or my vac lines are incorrect.

Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:21 am

Looking good!

That bus want to go for a good ride.

Kangaboy....will your vacuum can hold a vacuum? I use a hand vacuum pump myself to test it but it should hold a vacuum for a long time if it does work. If it is all disgusting inside the distributor (with dead grease and stuff), some solvent sprayed in there and increasing the movement will tell you if it really needs to be all cleaned and re-lubricated.

At 3500 RPMs or so and with a light throttle, you can expect to see the total advance (centrifical + vacuum) up around 42º or so. Pretend you are driving down the highway at 65 mph and are headed down a hill. The total should all be in under that scenario.

Correct vaccum hook ups should look something like this....

Using a DVDA distributor......

Using a SVDA distributor....

Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:11 pm

Colonel_Mustard wrote: Ill be getting my marinogelb 77 done over the winter, just wondering, are you guys doing a base/clear paint job?

I did not do base / clear on this Bus, I did single stage. I am very happy with the way it came out and how easy it was to spray, however, I'm not too impressed with the durability. I have found that the paint is pretty soft and easy to chip, and I put on 3+ coats on the whole Bus.

I did base/clear on the bumpers since those will likely see the most abuse. They are the original bumper color as well, L90D pastel white.

The single stage was cheap and it looks fine, but i'm sure down the road it will wear more quickly.

Thanks for all of the comments guys, I've been taking the Bus to work off and on and it's running great. My commute is 18 miles one way and about 15 of it is on a 55mph back road and it sure is fun in the Bus.

Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:51 pm

Thanks for the info. Your bus looks great.

Mon Jul 04, 2011 3:34 pm

First real long distance trip in the Bus this weekend, went about 135 miles one way to my parents camp. Elevation gain was significant....around 2000' higher than my home. Bus ran great and temps were all in range....sweet! Only downside was I only averaged around 15MPG....had the canoe on the roof, three 65lb dogs in the back, myself, my girlfriend, and probably 150lbs of additional gear or so.

On with the pics!

Enjoy!

Mon Jul 04, 2011 3:48 pm

That looks awesome in about 6 ways. Nice!!

Tue Aug 23, 2011 5:40 pm

Been driving quite a bit, working out the issues. Drove up to camp again and all was good on the way there during the cool morning. On the way home, had to pull over a few times to cool off. It was a 90 degree day plus I had the canoe on the roof plus my gear and two dogs. Oil temp got up to around 240 on the highway... :shock: Or so my gauge said.

Loosing about a half a quart of oil every few HOURS when driving, looks like it's coming from where the engine meets the tranny. Rear main is new, hoping my breather is plugged and forcing oil out somewhere.

Pic to make reading this worth it:

Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:17 pm

Wow man you started with a great platform. This baby is really coming out nice. That color is great.

Wed Aug 24, 2011 1:53 pm

Congratulations!
Very nice bus!

Great pictures,thanks for sharing.

Forgot to publish a photo down the river with the canoe. :D