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Do I need a condenser in my distributor?
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Eric&Barb
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2015 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just the plate to the body of the distributor.
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BarryL Premium Member
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2015 6:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Scorcho wrote:
Yeah looks like I will have to do that. Thanks!

Seeing as it is the ground strap its long as it is soldered I should be fine right? Doesn't connect to anything?


You bus could easily have been just shutting down due to that little ground strap breaking loose. Without it it will still ground but it's real flaky as it has to go through the bushing that the points plate rotates on and touch onto the body of the main distributor casting. That is not a decent intentional ground hence the high strand flex wire ground.

There is an NOS Bosch points plate part that comes with the wire but chances of you finding one are nil.

If you get a pink or red butt connector you can crimp a tiny pigtail and use a red or pink #4 eye and attach it to the screw that holds the points in adjustment. It's a temporary fix that will last a long time but hokey.
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Scorcho
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I definetly hope that's the problem!! It seems everytime I "fix" something something else comes up! I just want to drive it soooo badly.

I will just do it the right way. Thanks for your help guy!! Would have gone crazy finding out where this wire went Evil or Very Mad
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tasb
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The poorly attached or missing ground cable on this distributor design yields three possible results: 1. makes no never mind, 2. intermittent ignition failure-very frustrating to diagnose, 3 complete ignition failure. It doesn't seem to be predictable either.

Here is what I do keeping in mind that I do a production run of 100 of these at a time.

I buy a roll of de-soldering braid from Radio Shack, cut my wires to 2 inch pieces, attach a crimped eyelet to one end. Then I take the lot down to my local radiator repair shop and he has enough heat to braze the other end to the bottom of the points plate as original. He gets a real kick out of being able to say that he even works on air cooled VW's at his radiator shop! Laughing

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I've tried other fixes with soldering my own with the hottest iron I could find and the repair doesn't seem to last.
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tasb
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do actually see NOS points plates for the distributor that you have from time to time in the classifieds. Sometimes they have a 311 prefix in the part number but you can ignore that as they are the same critter as types 1 and 2.
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Eric&Barb
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2015 8:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

tasb wrote:

I've tried other fixes with soldering my own with the hottest iron I could find and the repair doesn't seem to last.


Have you tried a small propane torch?
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tasb
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2015 11:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, probably the best solution for an at home repair.

The problem with soldering the ground wire to the top of the points plate is that the wire tends to lay on top of the spring. The wire binds the spring and the spring will cut into the wire eventually putting you back to where you started.
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Scorcho
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 3:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was able to solder a new wire successfully. Now that everything is back together I am having trouble getting a spark, which I believe May be my coil. Do 6v coils give out power when only the ignition is on? I am trying to use a test light to see if the wire has outgoing current
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Eric&Barb
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

12 or 6 only work with ignition switch turned to "Run" position. If coil got voltage all the time the battery would be draining off, and if points happened to be close with engine off the wiring would singe and burn up dist points...
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Remove the distributor cap, rotate engine to make sure the points are in the open position, take off distributor side of the coil wire, turn on key, hold coil wire near one of the bolts holding it to the fan shroud but not touching it (keep your grasp back from the end of the wire but at least 2 inches). touch a screwdriver tip on and off the points gap, you should see a spark jump to the bolt.

Turn off key.
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Eric&Barb
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 1:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BarryL wrote:
take off distributor side of the coil wire, turn on key,


That will be the big one that goes to the center of dist cap.
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, E&B, I left off the word "cap".

Take off the distributor cap side of the big fat wire that goes from the coil to the distributor cap.
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Scorcho
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 12:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for all the help guys i did everything distributor-related but i am still having the same problem. The bus starts up fine and idles as long as the choke stays all the way open (or closed-whichever one it is at when the engine is still cold) but once it starts warming up and it starts to close, the engine just dies. Has to be a carb problem I'm assuming I'm going to clean it for the second time. Probably missed something the first time!
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 8:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does you carb have an electro magnetic cut off switch? If not do you know which thing is the pilot jet?
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 9:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Choke needs to be closed when cold and open up about 5 minutes later.

Clean it again. Have found sometimes it take three good cleanings for some to get it right. Now just clean them at least twice before putting back together...
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

not a good pic but that's what I have saved in my phone and I'm at work but on the lower left side would that be the cut off switch?
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 9:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes that is the switch. With the key on and the points open (or the little wire that leads to the points pulled off the coil) pull the cut-off wire and touch it to the contact and listen for a click. If you can pull it out and watch it click it's better. If that isn't working then it will do what your are experiencing. Turn the key off when done experimenting.

Last edited by BarryL on Sat Jul 11, 2015 9:44 am; edited 1 time in total
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Scorcho
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 9:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Will do thanks!! Key only in the on position before cranking the engine right?
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 9:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Scorcho wrote:
Will do thanks!! Key only in the on position before cranking the engine right?


Yes. Power on so you can test the cut-off switch, not start the engine.
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 12:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get rid of those cheap terminal connectors. At very least get brass ones and learn to solder and heat shrink. Tin coated brass ones are good also for soldering.

Or go one step better and get ones just like used at the factory.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=338938&highlight=brass+connector+crimper
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