TheSamba.com :: View topic - Windage tray, distributor,solid rocker spacer questions.

Wed May 09, 2012 9:26 pm

I have a project 77 camper with a 1.7 in pieces. Converting to the 2.0L its supposed to be (federal). Bone stock rebuilt heads. Rebuilt and balanced 2.0 rods. Ground 2.0 crank. New stock cam and lifters. New oil pump. New 94mm mahle cyls and pistons. Question 1..Am I supposed to have a windage tray? Question 2 I have the distributor from the 1.7L....no tag on it. Once its smogged I can put it where I want or am I wasting my time with it???? Question 3 I want to run with the elephant feet valve adjusters and I had someone tell me perhaps I should use solid spacers between the rockers??? Thx Larry

Wed May 09, 2012 9:52 pm

Larry who did your heads and what valve spring pressures are you running? What cam? Hydraulic or solid lifter?

The solid spacers reduce the risk of side loads with higher reving engines or hydraulic lifters. I use them in my 2.0.

The elephant feet take a different size rocker arm screw than a stock 2.0 head.

If your bus is 1976 (you say 1977) or later it will be FI so the battle to smog it will be a challenge. Good luck. You will probably need a working EGR and PCV valve which are NLA. If you don't have good used ones start looking.

Wed May 09, 2012 10:06 pm

as far as im aware windage trays were for car applications. could be you have a 411 or 914 case.

whats the engine code on your block?

http://www.tunacan.net/t4/reference/case.htm

if thats the case the distributor you have should not be be the best for the bus application.. whats the part number on it?

http://www.oldvolkshome.com/ignition.htm

Wed May 09, 2012 10:12 pm

You probably have a CB engine case if it came with the windage tray.

It was used in the 411 & 914 1.7 engines. Delete it from your build.

You will also need to find the proper ignition distributor for your build.
Dist. part # 022 905 205 S is for 76-79 Federal.
Maybe place a Wanted ad on the Samba.

Spend your $$ on getting it ready to Pass the Test and do your
rocker spacers and Elephant LATER.

Thu May 10, 2012 12:10 am

Your distributor should have numbers stamped on the side of the housing. If it doesn't have numbers, does it have a vacuum advance can? Could be some off brand 009 copy.

With quality valves and adjusting screws and stock valve geometry elephant feet aren't necessary. At typical road speeds with a mild solid cam then solid spacers are not necessary either. They were added on engines that had hydraulic lifters.

Not sure what the windage tray was ever suppose to do. The block itself acts as a very good windage tray, if anything the windage tray prevents drainage of oil into the sump and increases the likely hood of oil pooling in the rocker boxes on hard cornering.

Thu May 10, 2012 6:14 am

"W","EA","EB", and "EC" were 411 and 914 1.7 engine codes and some came with the windage tray.
It was to help stop oil frothing and keep the oil in the sump under hard cornering. With enlarging the holes in the tray it works pretty well if you have the gaskets.
For the elephant feet you need the 1.7 rockers as they use the 8mm screws. Use only the Porsche adjusters as the other wear out quickly! I like the solid rocker spacers too as it keeps the rockers from falling off the valve tip. Over the years I have had several rockers slip off using the rocker shaft springs.

Nothing wrong with using these 1.7 cases as they are quite strong and shouldn't be pounded out as much as a bus case.

Thu May 10, 2012 12:50 pm

SGKent wrote: The solid spacers reduce the risk of side loads with higher reving engines or hydraulic lifters. I use them in my 2.0.

With solid lifters?

Thu May 10, 2012 3:01 pm

BUSBOSS wrote: SGKent wrote: The solid spacers reduce the risk of side loads with higher reving engines or hydraulic lifters. I use them in my 2.0.

With solid lifters?

They work fine with solid lifters, but are a must with hydraulic ones.

Thu May 10, 2012 8:37 pm

BUSBOSS wrote: SGKent wrote: The solid spacers reduce the risk of side loads with higher reving engines or hydraulic lifters. I use them in my 2.0.

With solid lifters?

absolutely. It is one of the upgrades on my engine. It holds the rocker arms in one place so they CAN'T float sideways. VW probably didn't see it start to happen until they went to the humongous valve springs used on hydraulic lifters.

Use a factory set off a GE engine or these from Jake Raby. He has other nice upgrades too.

http://www.aircooledtechnology.com/store/product.php?productid=16478&cat=286&page=1