TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue May 17, 2005 6:46 pm

I can't believe that I didn't notice it before I bought the car, but my '74's 009 distributor doesn't have a vacume advance bell on it :?: I haven't had the time to pull it out and check for sure, but I can't see anywhere on it where it should be. No holes in the dizzy body or anything. The car is really down on power, and I figured a good tune-up would do it some good. So when I had a few minutes to spare, I started looking around for obvious stuff, and that's when I noticed it. This can't be normal, can it? Would this explain (at least in part) why it has no power?

Tue May 17, 2005 6:49 pm

The Bosch 009 has always been mechanical advance only.

Why are you surprised by that?

Tue May 17, 2005 7:00 pm

Ah, OK :lol: my bad......
Lately I'd just seen several pix of dizzy's in the VW's with the vacume advance setup, and it just got me curious. Nevermind the fact that my carb has the vacume port on the side, and it's been plugged off with a golf tee in the hose :roll: Sadetree mechanics at it's finest :lol:

Tue May 17, 2005 7:17 pm

The 009 is crap. Im getting rid of mine. Perhaps I can use it as a wheel chock or something.

Tue May 17, 2005 10:26 pm

I think 009's belong in the emergency kit. They always work, just not very well. They're kind of like a spare tire.

Tue May 17, 2005 11:06 pm

shane red wrote: I think 009's being in the emergency kit. They always work, just not very well. They're kind of like a spare tire.

I got a 009 with a compufire module in it for my spare in my trunk, but I'm gonna get rid of the compufire because I'm just gonna put points in it.

Wed May 18, 2005 6:26 am

What is wrong with a 009??

Wed May 18, 2005 6:56 am

thumpergti84 wrote: What is wrong with a 009?? A shorter answer could be found if you asked what was right with the 009. The 009 is has a quirky advance curve. While it does work on an upright vw a/c engine, the stock configuration is what the engines were engineered to work with. I think I read somewhere that the 009 is more suited for an industrial engine?

Wed May 18, 2005 1:35 pm

USMCbug wrote: thumpergti84 wrote: What is wrong with a 009?? A shorter answer could be found if you asked what was right with the 009. The 009 is has a quirky advance curve. While it does work on an upright vw a/c engine, the stock configuration is what the engines were engineered to work with. I think I read somewhere that the 009 is more suited for an industrial engine?

Probably because it has more of a "power band", like a burst of power at high RPMs but little to no power off of idle & a mild amount of power in the midrange. If you drive the car with the clutch instead of the gas pedal, then it can work..... Until your clutch wears out.

Wed May 18, 2005 6:35 pm

Hmm....and I'd always been under the assumption that the '9 was the one to have. Even the "How to keep your VW alive" book touts it as being the best. What should I keep an eye out for as a replacement? My car is a complete dog starting out, but is fine when it gets up to around 40 MPH or so, then it cruises nicely at 65 MPH without any strain. "Freeway Flyer" R&P? Do the freeway flyer trannies have a lower 1st gear to compensate for the taller ratio of the R&P, or just the standard ratio?

Wed May 18, 2005 9:05 pm

If anyone wants to trade out your 009s, Pm or e-mail me.....