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Tue Jun 15, 2004 3:00 pm

Just today, I bought a brand new 009 distributor and installed it, set the points, and set the timing. Now my 1 and 2 cylinders are not firing. B4 I did this, they were. I went to a local vw shop and the guy said my valves on that side may need adjustment. But he also said that my jets for that carburetor( I have a 1776 w/ dual 40's) may be plugged. But how is that possible??? I have 2 fuel filters, clean as I don't know what and I didn't even touch the carbs. I haven't touched the carbs for a while.

This sucks because this is my only car and I have to go to work @ 8:30 p.m. :cry:

I am currently letting it sit in the garage with the decklid open so it can cool off quicker(hopefully) so I can adjust the valves before I have to go in today. I hope thats the problem because I don't know what Im gonna do if it not.

Tue Jun 15, 2004 3:15 pm

Before you start tearing your engine down, go with the most relevant troubleshooting steps first. Have you checked if the distributor cap is cracked? With the engine running, if you pull the #1 plug wire from the distributor, does the spark jump to the wire? If it was running before you changed the distributor and you didn't remove the carbs and didn't adjust the valves, chances are not very good that's the root of the problem. Did you damage or cross the wires when replacing the distributor. How did you determine that it's the #1 and #2 that aren't firing?
I am assuming that you recently drove the car prior to the 009, did you change the old distributor for an 009 because of problems with the other distributor? If you put the other distributor back in, does the car fire on all 4?
Most of the time the carbs get plugged not from the fuel side but from the air intake side.

Tue Jun 15, 2004 3:39 pm

Well, when I take the #1 and #2 wire off of the cap, there is no change in idle. But there are tiny sparks that fly when I put the wire close to the cap. I did the timing on my other distributor and adjusted the valves. Now, I'm sure since I changed distributor and set the timing, that I would have to adjust the valves again, wouldn't I? The cap looks fine, and I only disconnected the wires from the cap and put them on this new one. I don't think I handled them too rough. And they are on the correct cylinders.

I changed the distributor because a well respected mechanic around here said that my distributor was going bad. He was trying to do my timing and it was "jumping all over the place" he said. He said some spring on the inside may have gone bad and it would be cheaper to buy a new one instead of just trying to repair it, so I took his advice.

Which jets are the air jets for 40 Webers? Are they those 2 giant sized thing in the middle when you take the filters off? Oh, and if this helps, the passenger carburetor is not sucking in air @ all.

Tue Jun 15, 2004 3:56 pm

Well now... No air being sucked in, adjusting the valves prior the 009 and sparking at the cap sounds like you need to adjust the valves. It sounds like they aren't closing. How did you set them?

Replacing the distributor doesn't mean you need to adjust the valves. Improperly adjusting the valves prior to replacing the distributor does mean you will have to readjust the valves.

Yes they are the "giant sized thing in the middle".

Good luck/make sure you're adjusting the valves in proper sequence.

Tue Jun 15, 2004 4:05 pm

I'm adjusting them @ .006 in starting @ #1 cylinder, then I turn the pulley counter clockwise to BTC @ #2, then I do the same thing, and so on. I will attempt to adjust them again. I will also soo if my air jets are plugged but I am 99.9% sure they aren't but I will check anyway.

Should I try adjusting them to .005?

Thanks for the advice "GoppelDanger" :wink: (That was funny)
No but really, thanks Doppelganger.

Tue Jun 15, 2004 4:17 pm

Okay I think the problem with your valve adjustment is the sequence you're adjusting them in. You need to adjust them in the firing order starting with the #1(R.front), then #4(L.rear), then #3(L.front) and last but not least the #2(R.rear).
That should help things out a bit.

0.006" is is fine, it is actually what is recommended unless you're running Chromoly pushrods.

Tue Jun 15, 2004 6:32 pm

If you're starting at TDC for #1, and then you turn the crank 180 degrees counter clockwise, you can adjust it that way.. So you will adjust it #1, #2, #3, and finally #4.

Wed Jun 16, 2004 1:33 am

That is exactly what I did today. For some reason, my sh t is still f**ked. I checked my air jets, and no sign of them being plugged. I blew them with compressed air. I guess later in the morning when I wake up, I will check my jets and see if they are plugged because that has to be it.

Christ!!!!! Anyone wanna buy a 1776 w/ dual webers, ceramic flanged j-tube exhaust, and a hideaway? Cuz I can't take this shit!!! :x

Wed Jun 16, 2004 6:18 am

You adjusted the valves, fine. We move on.

You can check the valves backwards...it is easier than the firing order. You do not have to jump from side to side of the car. You had it right.

Now, no firing ehh? How do you know they are not firing? If you put your hand on the exhaust and it sizzles, the cylinder is firing, okay? One whole bank #1, #2, not firing sounds like throttle plates closed to me. Run the engine at part throttle and touch the exhaust..lightly..you do not want to barbeque your hand..and see if they are hot. Hot means they are firing!

At rest or idle, back off on the throttle plate adjuster and screw in 1 full turn. Run the engine. See if they are firing.

Basics...ignition, mechanical, fuel. You know the engine is not broken. If you have spark with the other cylinders, then the problem is no more up the stream than the distributor cap. I do not think it is the distributor. Make sure the wires are not bad.

Touching the exhaust is your final test that can test the mechanical, fuel, and electrical diagnostics all at once. We do this at the race track. Do not get burned!

test it out and call me in the morning.

regards. NSR

Wed Jun 16, 2004 9:41 am

check for corrosion, i bought brand new points once, and the second i fired em up they fused, then broke (inferior parts), check all connections, for continuity, if you have an AVO (voltometer) meter, set is to 2000 AC, if not just go in the distributer, file point, the little spinny thingy (sorry dont remember the name) and file the spots on the cap where the spinny thingy arches to send power to the plugs. check the wires, take one at a time off, and hold the end close to the car(keep other end in distributer), have someone crank the car and look for a spark from the wire to the car (it okay the car will ground the electricity) then check your plugs. Honestley, the only way its the vavle is if you just tightend them all the way, remember .006in. for newer, and .009in. for older, no more, no less.(.006 and .009 is the clearence between valve and rocker arm) make sure your at the center of the valve, and that your feeler gauge, moves in and out with minimal hesitation, however NOT freely. hope i helped

Wed Jun 16, 2004 11:33 am

I'm not a Weber guy so bare with me. Do these have an electric chock? Is it still properly connected? I'm sure you've tripple checked the plug wires... Good luck.

Wed Jun 16, 2004 12:00 pm

Thanks for the input guys, it is very much appreciated. I don't think I wanna start turning screws on the carb just yet because I had a hell of a time getting them right. It seems the things you all had to say in common were the wires. I am goin to check those right now. Do they usually have a short life like this. I know its been less than a year since I replaced them, I think :? .

I have noticed one thing when I was just about to go to work yesterday. My plug wire that connects from the distributor to the coil is not real tight on the coil, nor the distributor. But it is on there, all the way.

What the heck is an electric chock? Did you mean choke? What the heck is an electric choke? :|

Wed Jun 16, 2004 2:10 pm

Well, I had an extra brand new set of spark plug wires in the garage. I installed them on my vw. I must say, it runs a little bit better but it still doesn't run like it should. When I take the #1 wire off the cap, I can hear a slight, slight drop. But when I pull #2, there is nothing. Still the same. When I remove the #3 & #4 wire, the idle drops considerably. I removed my jets on my passenger carb(you know, the ones above the idle mixture screws) and I blew the BaJesus out of the jets and where the jets rest inside the carb with compressed air.

I was thinking, could it be that I need to replace my spark plugs? I have Bosch Platinums(WR8AP is what is said on the spark plug, if that even matters). Damn, this is so frusterating.

:2gunfire: @ my engine.

Wed Jun 16, 2004 6:06 pm

Well, I tried the spark plugs. I replaced every single one of them. Still isn't runnnig up to par. So I've come to this conclusion:

Anyone wanna buy a 1776? or trade for a stock 1600 on these conditions:

-1600 at least has to have some decent ceramic coated headers(Kymco, S&S)
-Has to be in damn good condition
-Has to be willing to give me an extra $200 :roll:

Wed Jun 16, 2004 7:28 pm

So are both of your carbs drawing in air?

Well before you give up on this thing, get rid of the platinum plugs. Sometimes that make that happen. Make sure your wires are the correct Bosch ones for your unit.

I would be on the internet right now buying a new unilite dizzy from aircooled for that nice engine. Might as well make it run right.

Wed Jun 16, 2004 7:45 pm

Well, my drivers side is fine. I put my hand over one stack, and the amn thing will try to cut off. That is a good sign I know. But if i do it for the passenger's side, I would be holding my hand there all night and the engine still wont cut off. There is air sucking in but it is fairly faint. I don't know what to do except this:

http://thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=82888

Wed Jun 16, 2004 10:31 pm

:oops: I did mean choke...but I guess not. Hang in there kid. Don't trade your motor. You'll figure it out. Maybe an intake leak on that side? Have you run a compression test on all cylinders? Sorry, too lazy to go re-read the thread. 8) Anybody live near this guy to go take a look. ](*,) He's at this stage!

Thu Jun 17, 2004 1:43 am

Wouldn't an intake leak cause backfiring on deceleration? Because I have no backfiring on deceleration. I have run a compression test like 1 year ago. But my dad did that. Only God knows how accurate he was. I personally don't know how to do it.

And Blessed Bus, I'm past that stage. If they had an emoticon that showed it smashing its head through the brick wall, that would be more like my stage right there. :evil:

Fri Jun 18, 2004 6:28 pm

Suggestion:

Why don't you just pay somebody to get rid of the vacuum leaks and sync the carbs? Tell them you also want a compression test done and want the want the non-platinum Bosch plugs put in.

Tell them you want to watch to see how it is done.

Hell, for a couple of hundred bucks you could have somebody fix the thing and drive it.

Fri Jun 18, 2004 6:56 pm

hey guys, I've got a similar problem as SLawson. When I do removed the sparkplug wires and listen for a change in engine noise I noticed a change with every cylinder except for #3. I changed the plug and the wire and still no change. When I bring the wire to another piece of metal on the engine I can see the spark. Is it possible that only that one cylinder is seized up or could it be that the spark is too weak, maybe a problem with the points or distributor? It's a 77 camper bus 2.0 converted to carbs. I don't need it as a daily driver so I'm not too worried about it, but the idea of a seized cylinder (if that's even possible)bothers me
Any ideas or thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dan

btw, good luck SLawson