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Sun Jun 10, 2012 4:51 am

Wildthings wrote: honeybus wrote: OK, if I time my STOCK '78 2,0 liter to 28-32 degrees BTDC @ 3500 RPM, with the hoses off, does it matter that my timing at idle (950 RPM) reads like 2 degrees ATDC vice 7.5 degrees BTDC?

What distributor are you running? You say hoses off (as in 2 hoses?) which would mean you have a double vacuum distributor so 2° ATDC at idle would be close to book spec.

Sorry. Only one vacuum hose. Advance.

Distributed number not readily available right now. I am afraid to open the engine compartment for fear of feral or fowl but I believe either the 021 905 205P or 022 905 205S.

Barry sends

Sun Jun 10, 2012 5:24 am

If you have a stock single vacuum distributor and have set the timing at 28-30° BTDC at 3500+ rpms hoses off and are getting an idle timing of 2° ATDC your distributor sounds like it is getting pretty worn. If it will accelerate well from a stop then it is not an issue, but if you are getting a bog coming off idle it may be time for a new dizzy. Is yours a point style distributor or does it have a Hall sender? An Aircooled.net SVDA distributor would be a good replacement if yours is no longer serviceable.

Sun Jun 10, 2012 7:44 am

honeybus wrote: Why are parts falling off my 1978 VW camper?

Did I do something really bad, karma (busma) wise? Was I a naughty child? Am I being punished for being too good? Do the VW buses constantly following me really need that CV Joint that came disconnected, or the screws coming out if my door hinges and dash board.

Do fuel line hose clamps normally unscrew after 1,623 miles and light bulbs fall out of their socket at that point. [Reminder to self: check the fuel clamps UNDER the gas tank, & those behind the firewall / breast plate, plus the gas tank,,,]

I wonder if I will make it to a 2,000 mile checkup, when both front caliper came loose at 200 miles? And discovered at 1,200 miles when the 'clunking' noise became worrisome to my passengers. Every bump in the road = CLUNK.

Why are things constantly coming loose on my recently restored 1978 VW camper?

Barry sends

get one of these:

and then use it to torque to spec. :twisted:

just kidding. :lol:

Sun Jun 10, 2012 4:03 pm

Stuartzickefoose wrote: honeybus wrote: Why are parts falling off my 1978 VW camper?

Did I do something really bad, karma (busma) wise? Was I a naughty child? Am I being punished for being too good? Do the VW buses constantly following me really need that CV Joint that came disconnected, or the screws coming out if my door hinges and dash board.

Do fuel line hose clamps normally unscrew after 1,623 miles and light bulbs fall out of their socket at that point. [Reminder to self: check the fuel clamps UNDER the gas tank, & those behind the firewall / breast plate, plus the gas tank,,,]

I wonder if I will make it to a 2,000 mile checkup, when both front caliper came loose at 200 miles? And discovered at 1,200 miles when the 'clunking' noise became worrisome to my passengers. Every bump in the road = CLUNK.

Why are things constantly coming loose on my recently restored 1978 VW camper?

Barry sends

get one of these:

and then use it to torque to spec. :twisted:

just kidding. :lol:

torque to yield you mean :lol:

I would say it's a torque issue, honeybus. Are you torquing things to spec?

It could just have VW fall-apart-itis. Both my ex beetle and my bay had issues with some bits and pieces working their way off. My beetle lost a heat exchange and maybe two J pipes, one of its headlights kept dislodging too.

My bay had the loosening off CV bolt issue for years. Could never figure out why so I got sick of it and used loctite. Don't remember which type. I hope it wasn't stud lock.
The screws in the door handle straps need constant tightening. A heat exchange valve pipe thing fell off once too. Heaps of other miscellaneous bits and pieces all over it do that, so about all I can do is preventative maintenance and check everything that could come loose.

Thankfully nothing core like brakes have done that. The accelerator did repeatedly but I "fixed" that.

hmm, I just remembered a dream I had last night of a needle valve failing and the engine being absolutely full of fuel. I think I might check the oil today.

Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:22 pm

RatCamper wrote:

Why are parts falling off my 1978 VW camper?

torque to yield you mean :lol:

I would say it's a torque issue, honeybus. Are you torquing things to spec?

My bay had the loosening off CV bolt issue for years. Could never figure out why so I got sick of it and used loctite.

The screws in the door handle straps need constant tightening.

Thankfully nothing core like brakes have done that. The accelerator did repeatedly but I "fixed" that.

"Are you torquing things to spec?" OK, whose specs? What does Bentley say to torque the CV Bolts?

And there is no torque for the myriad of sheet metal screws or the cooling tin bolts.

Hint from Heloise: When re-seating the CV Bolts, add a small drop of 3M vinyl adhesive to the CV Bolt's thread. Or perhaps just a toothpick drop of 3M adhesive in the CV Bolt holes. Then, after torqued to 'taste', a drop of white latex house paint at the point where the CV Bolt head meets the CV Joint flange. You could do a visual check over the next 10 years, or everytime you scoot under the rear to see what just fell off,,,

Barry sends

Tue Jun 12, 2012 1:33 pm

honeybus wrote: "Are you torquing things to spec?" OK, whose specs? What does Bentley say to torque the CV Bolts?

The Bay specs are 24 ft-lbs for the identical parts that are specced at 36 ft-lbs on a Vanagon. I elect to use the Vanagon specs on my bay. The bolts can take it and there is less chance of the CV's squirming a bit against the flanges.

Quote:

And there is no torque for the myriad of sheet metal screws or the cooling tin bolts.

Properly tightened I have not had much of a problem with the cheesehead screws coming loose. If you have a big a$$ screwdriver and reef hard on them they shouldn't come loose. Of course if you leave one to two screws out because you dropped or otherwise lost them, the tin will move and rattle more and the remaining screws may well come loose. Using silicone on any poorly fitting pieces will also keep them from moving around and loosening the screws.

Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:40 am

So I pulled it out (trying to figure out how it hooks up with that unused charcol cannister...) This can/should be cleaned...right? How?...Stupid, right?

Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:20 am

Herebebears wrote: This can/should be cleaned...right? How

From: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/71bus.php

Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:48 am

Very cool, thanks! but there is no fitting to attach a hose (d) from the charcoal filter...Maybe that's why the charcoal filter is just sitting there, not hooked up...If there was a hose running between the two, would the other end of the hose (d) attach to the end of the charcoal filter with the single fitting? The end facing the rear of the bus? Should I figure out a way to add a fitting/attach a hose to that air cleaner?

Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:19 am

You've got a 68-70 unit, you'll either have to add a nipple to the side or find a real 71 aircleaner.

Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:38 am

busdaddy wrote: You've got a 68-70 unit, you'll either have to add a nipple to the side or find a real 71 aircleaner.

Cool, and the other end of the (currently missing) hose 'd' would attach to the charcoal canister on the end with the single fitting?

Thu Jun 14, 2012 3:11 pm

Theres a spring sticking up out of the distributor hole/drive shaft in the engine case. Its sticking up a couple inches. Is this normal?

Thu Jun 14, 2012 3:19 pm

Big Papi wrote: Theres a spring sticking up out of the distributor hole/drive shaft in the engine case. Its sticking up a couple inches. Is this normal?

Yes of course, it keeps the drive from working up and down.

Thu Jun 14, 2012 3:31 pm

I know I asked this previously, in a thread for it I think but I still don't quite have what I need.
Could somebody please provide me with at least one photograph of where the outer bottom point for the rear lap belt mounts? I think it was said that it is in the wheel well close to the wall panel but I want to get this exact. My bay doesn't have anything there and I have no point of reference. I want to get that point shifted to where it should be both so I can improve safety and so a panel can be fitted to the side covering up the "X" support and such.

Thu Jun 14, 2012 3:37 pm

On a bay window brake-booster; which way does the arrow point? i.e. the check valve on the vacuum hose.

I'm thinking it points toward the front seats. Is this correct? thanx.

Thu Jun 14, 2012 4:29 pm

donemoto wrote: On a bay window brake-booster; which way does the arrow point? i.e. the check valve on the vacuum hose.

I'm thinking it points toward the front seats. Is this correct? thanx.

If you put it in backwards you will not have power brakes.

Thu Jun 14, 2012 6:30 pm

The arrow points in the direction the air flows when it is getting sucked out of the booster by the manifold vacuum :oops:

Fri Jun 15, 2012 6:44 am

thanx. Why is it some things you just can't figure out when it's in your hand? :? 8)

Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:27 am

donemoto wrote: thanx. Why is it some things you just can't figure out when it's in your hand? :? 8)

so many jokes could be said in response to that statement.... :lol:

Fri Jun 15, 2012 2:32 pm

Egine out of bus. Type 4

So when I turn it over by hand it gives resistance until it reaches a point then flops over when each cylinder pair hit home then less resistance. Repeats and normal. But theres a little wiring sound after I turn it over each time. Sounds like a childs toy car. The kind that rev up when you pull them back and let go with the wheels in the air. It keeps going for a couple seconds after I stop rotating the engine.

What is this noise? what gear keeps going like that?

Is this normal?

thanks