Busted Bus By the Bay

[captincanuck]

Hello Samba folks;
This is my first post as I’m in a bit of a time crunch. I’m stuck without my car and now the bus broke down.

So I have been driving my bus for most of the summer after it being in storage for several years with no problems, until now. With the summer coming to an end I wanted to do some upgrades to try and improve my horrible mpg and maybe take a drive down south in the fall.

Here is what I did:
Read “The Samba” and “Ratwells” site for tips
Replaced all the fuel lines
New fuel filter
New accordion tubes (mine were full of mouse nests)
Removed 009 the installed 034 with vacuum advance and pertronix (Shaved the grommet to allow full movement “Thanks again Samba”)
Repaired fuel tank sender
Replace engine foam
Swapped out loud rattley fuel pump with regulator for a rotary pump that delivers 4psi
Blew the walnuts and other crud out of the BA6 (Might need that soon)
Drank some home brew

About the bus:
1979 Westfalia CA model (Goes by Firefly)
FI remover by PO and duel weber 40 IDFs installed (All other CA stuff also long gone by PO)

The Good:
After doing these upgrades, tuning the webers and setting up the timing to 7.5 BTDC the bus was running like a champ so I took a test drive, great no problems. So it’s off to work. Got on the Highway (403 towards Niagara Falls) and got it up to 70mph with no problem (and no dead spot anymore )

The Bad:
As I reach the Burlington Skyway (My busses nemesis, I blew an oil seal there like 8 years ago) I start to loose power. Made it to just before the top and died (A bit more and gravity could have taken me home). Probable the worst place in the area to have a break down. Had to tow it home (luckily I was only 10km from my house) $140 down, and take a cab to work $25. There go my dreams of putting a propane tank on the bus.

The Patients Symptoms:
I can get it to start with my foot to the floor and the carbs wide open. It won’t go past 1200rpm wide open and dies if I take my foot off the gas at all

Diagnosis:
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

So sad, His first ride on a tow truck in the 12 years I have had him. I was a good run buddy

[Wasted youth]

Have you been able to keep it running long enough to check for vacuum leaks?

Have you verified that your ignition system is all properly connected, not grounding out and no open circuits?

[nodrenim]

I trust that you have checked ALL of the fuel linkage from the accelerator to the the carbs. Another point to check, are both carbs secure on the manifolds? I would also check the ignition points for proper gap, they have been known to close up and give you fits. Hope this help0s. Peace and Good Luck!

[TomWesty]

Replace the fuel filter again. Even if it was replaced recently.
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[captincanuck]

Thanks for all the tips guys. The sun is up and I'm heading under the bus to check out all the thing you suggested, and some I dreamt about last night. 5 hours until work. Hope I can make it.

[williamM]

X2 on the above but sounds like huge vac leak- would look at the brake vac source- a good back fire can blow that big tap right off. A leaking assist can cause the one carb to really get un happy-
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[busdaddy]

Any black smoke from the tailpipe when you do get it running?
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[captincanuck]

Morning update:
No smoke at all. No points in the bus Petronix
Removed fuel line before filter and is running clear
Remover the fuel line at the pump after filter and its running fine (filter total clean)
Removed the fuel line at the carb and jumped the pump (got a petrol shower)
Checked all the vacuum lines, all look good
Moved on to ignition:
Got it to run at 900rpm with throttle opened up
checked timing..... cant see the mark I made yesterday with white out..
keep looking.. O Its over at the "H" in "NPCH" how the F did it get over there?
The clamp was tight.
Loosened the clamp and turned it back to 7.5 VOR and its seems to be running.
Any ideas why this would be Happening? Defective distributor or user error?
Maybe I should put the 050 back in. The vacuum thing is a bit high tech for me

[SGKent]

[captincanuck]

So I tried out the vacuum advance and this is how its functioning;
0 vac timing @ 7.5 VOR
5psi vac 10 VOR
8psi vac 16 VOR
that seems to be the max

The problem happened when I tried to climb my first hill. I'm new to this vacuum advance thing but if vacuum increases the advance further away from TDC and I'm assuming mechanical advance does the same but at increased rpm instead of increased load than how and what causes the advance to go over to the "H" in NACH. The only thing I can think of are loose distributor, bad distributor, or faulty petronix module.
Any other thoughts?

[germansupplyscott]

put the 050 back in and drive it. see what happens. what is "VOR"?
_________________
SL

[captincanuck]

Just drove around the block and all is good. I'm going to drive it to work (no hills in between me and work) and see what happens. VOR is what my timing scale has on it. I think its German for BTDC and NACH is ATDC (Someone can correct me if I'm wrong please)

[Anchovy]

As a side note, for someone that has posted little on the forum you are doing it right. Great background information, useful data and trouble shooting history, great diagnostics. Pay attention kids, this is how you ask for help. Way to go and good luck on your next drive.

[jtauxe]

VOR = BEFORE
NACH = AFTER
_________________
John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD

[Wildthings]

It is best to use a light and time your engine at 28-30° BTDC @ 3500+ rpms, hoses off.

[captincanuck]

[captincanuck]

[captincanuck]

Just had some free time an access to a nice dry well lit garage so I pulled the bus in, connected the timing light and the back tach and gave it some gas.
At 900rpm my timing is steady at 7.5 BTDC and at 3500rpm (with the vac line off) it's at 28 BTDC. No adjustment necessary I guess? I do believe it was well worth the extra money to go with the Bosch distributor over the knock off SVDA. Now if I can just figure out how/why it got so retarded when I when up that hill I would sleep better at night.

[Wildthings]

I have seen distributors installed where the the dog on the bottom of the distributor doesn't mesh with the slot in the drive. Given time the shafts will move in relation to each other and may eventually lock into place as they are supposed to.

[timvw7476]

that is it, that drivetang hang up, but i believe it would show up
when the distributor finally seated later...at that point the operator is
just happy everything is copacetic again and goes along their merry way,
forgetting to remember to twist the rotor a bit whenever re-installing to
truly SEAT THAT TANG..hate when that happens