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Wed Aug 03, 2011 11:22 am

Hey guys,

I'm having a heck of a time trying to finish my tune up. I had bought a new chinese 009 dist from a local parts shop, and had gotten it running perfectly, even with my crabby old 34 Pict 3. Didn't even have a flat spot.

Unfortunately I was still running without good shocks on my car as I didn't have enough cash at the time to replace the old ones. After about a week of driving, the points got knocked to heck and I couldn't finish my drive to work because I had no power off idle.

So I've been trying to get the 009 running again, and it's just not having it. I've got it set exactly like it was before, but it just isn't advancing enough. I've shot my timing light at it watching both the 7.5* and 30* marks I've made on my pulley, and when I've got it revving to close to 3krpm it's missing and bogging and only advancing about halfway.

I haven't tried adjusting the dist while it's running yet, and that's my next step to see if I can get it to advance to 30*. I suppose I should also check the dwell while I'm revving to make sure it's not falling out of spec, but it's perfect at idle. I'm just really frustrated that I'm having so much of an issue with it after I had it running perfectly.

Anyway. I'm checking to see if you guys think that setting it with the timing light might get it to run right or if I should cut my losses and order a 034 SVDA, preferrably with electronic ignition. OR if I should consider replacing my ignition coil. OR should I just rebuild the carb before anything else(Seems like the throttle arm doens't have any play in the shaft while attached)? Is there a way to fiddle with the distributor to see if it's advancing properly, or to clean it to get it to advance properly? Finally, which spot on my carb would I unplug to connect the vacuum advance on the 034 to?

I've got new plugs, and new wires all around. Interestingly the wire that connects to the ignition coil is somewhat loose, but connects firmly to the dist cap. Should I mess with the connector inside to widen it to make it a more firm connection?

Wed Aug 03, 2011 11:40 am

What do you mean by "the points got knocked to heck?"

I would get rid of the Chinese 009 as soon as possible. How long have you had it? Perhaps you can return it? Damn shame folks even try to sell those things. If the engine is stock, get the SVDA. Points or electronic ... makes very little difference in performance.

I run a couple of German 009s without issue. Been running them for 25 years. But I DO NOT run the 34 pict.

Wed Aug 03, 2011 11:51 am

Q-Dog wrote: What do you mean by "the points got knocked to heck?"

I would get rid of the Chinese 009 as soon as possible. How long have you had it? Perhaps you can return it? Damn shame folks even try to sell those things. If the engine is stock, get the SVDA. Points or electronic ... makes very little difference in performance.

I run a couple of German 009s without issue. Been running them for 25 years. But I DO NOT run the 34 pict.

The genius PO had installed some random air shocks that weren't meant for my car. The system lost air pressure, so I was running just on the torsion bars. It was bouncy as heck, and bumps were a pretty big deal.

The points got thrown out of adjustment, and the dwell was all messed up. I reset the points to the proper gap, and the dwell is showing to be back within spec as well.

I had picked up a new 009 because it was what was in my car before. Unforunately that one had it's lobes worn down unevenly so the points/dwell were not consistent on each lobe.

Wed Aug 03, 2011 1:01 pm

I have NEVER seen a rough riding car throw the points out of adjustment, not even in off-road cars. It's possible something broke in the advance mechanism of the Chinese distributor, but it wasn't caused by bad shocks.

If the old distributor was German or Brasilian get an electronic ignition for the 009 and put the old distributor back on. The electronic module does not care about worn lobes.

Otherwise, get the SVDA.

Wed Aug 03, 2011 4:59 pm

Q-Dog wrote: I have NEVER seen a rough riding car throw the points out of adjustment, not even in off-road cars. It's possible something broke in the advance mechanism of the Chinese distributor, but it wasn't caused by bad shocks.

If the old distributor was German or Brasilian get an electronic ignition for the 009 and put the old distributor back on. The electronic module does not care about worn lobes.

Otherwise, get the SVDA.

Damn, I have already chucked the old dist.

Should I get:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=641377

or
http://vwparts.aircooled.net/Aircooled-Net-SVDA-Distributor-p/acn%20svda.htm

Wed Aug 03, 2011 6:07 pm

Try this one. It's Genuine Bosch and nearly identical to what the factory put on your car: http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=1348

Wed Aug 03, 2011 6:08 pm

betatested wrote:
or
http://vwparts.aircooled.net/Aircooled-Net-SVDA-Distributor-p/acn%20svda.htm
John's is genuine Bosch and he tweaks them for best performance.

Wed Aug 03, 2011 10:57 pm

ahhh come on the guy say's he doesnt have any money but here we go again with 009's are junk buy a SVDA . ?
As in bleep Me ?
How about we make the car runn right again then if he figures he has enough money to upgrade to the 043 SVDA after it's runnin right he can go from there ??
Hell im not even there and I can tell what he most likely did wrong .
Under the dizzy capp on the rimm of the dizzy edge there's a slash mark .
Resett engine to TDC #1 .
Turn the slash mark of the dizzy to the general area of the distrib #1 terminal and then re time it with a test lamp at 10 DEg BTDC .
You will have to move the spark plug wires to there correct terminal's after you twist the dizzy to line up the slash mark .
Then start her up runn her for awhile and time it with a stroboscopic time-ing light .
28-32 degrees total advance at 3400 R.P.M.
Now to check the dizzy just merely twist the rotor to one side and lett go .
It should spring back to it's original posistion with no stickyness or stiffness .
Other test involve the timming light and other test equipment but if it has good spring it's most likely advanceing correctly .
The slash mark on the dizzy rimm indicates #1 capp terminal this is why you are not advanceing correctly .
Dont understand post again !
Or go buy the SVDA but I warn ya it has a slash mark on the rim as well and need's to be properly / correctly installed and tim'ed, as well, just like the 009 to work properly. LMAO
Sean

Wed Aug 03, 2011 11:04 pm

candymustang65 wrote: ahhh come on the guy say's he doesnt have any money but here we go again with 009's are junk buy a SVDA . ?
As in bleep Me ?
How about we make the car runn right again then if he figures he has enough money to upgrade to the 043 SVDA after it's runnin right he can go from there ??
Hell im not even there and I can tell what he most likely did wrong .
Under the dizzy capp on the rimm of the dizzy edge there's a slash mark .
Resett engine to TDC #1 .
Turn the slash mark of the dizzy to the general area of the distrib #1 terminal and then re time it with a test lamp at 10 DEg BTDC .
You will have to move the spark plug wires to there correct terminal's after you twist the dizzy to line up the slash mark .
Then start her up runn her for awhile and time it with a stroboscopic time-ing light .
28-32 degrees total advance at 3400 R.P.M.
Now to check the dizzy just merely twist the rotor to one side and lett go .
It should spring back to it's original posistion with no stickyness or stiffness .
Other test involve the timming light and other test equipment but if it has good spring it's most likely advanceing correctly .
The slash mark on the dizzy rimm indicates #1 capp terminal this is why you are not advanceing correctly .
Dont understand post again !
Or go buy the SVDA but I warn ya it has a slash mark on the rim as well and need's to be properly / correctly installed and tim'ed, as well, just like the 009 to work properly. LMAO
Sean

I'll try rotating the dizzy around to the slash for my #1 and give it a shot and let you guys know before I pull the trigger on a 034.

I've got the cash at this point to plop for a new dist, if that's what the problem is, but it would be great to get it running again with this dist.

Sat Aug 06, 2011 8:02 am

betatested wrote:

I'll try rotating the dizzy around to the slash for my #1 and give it a shot and let you guys know before I pull the trigger on a 034.

I've got the cash at this point to plop for a new dist, if that's what the problem is, but it would be great to get it running again with this dist.

Rotated and set the static timing this morning before breakfast. Was running much better. Idle was higher, and closer to normal, and it was missing less at higher RPM. Dwell was a little low, so tonight I'm going to reset the points closer to get the Dwell back to spec, and check the advance with the light. If it's advancing fully, I'll tune the carb back into shape and see how she drives.

Thanks for the tip CandyMustang.

Sun Aug 07, 2011 7:10 am

betatested wrote: betatested wrote:

I'll try rotating the dizzy around to the slash for my #1 and give it a shot and let you guys know before I pull the trigger on a 034.

I've got the cash at this point to plop for a new dist, if that's what the problem is, but it would be great to get it running again with this dist.

Rotated and set the static timing this morning before breakfast. Was running much better. Idle was higher, and closer to normal, and it was missing less at higher RPM. Dwell was a little low, so tonight I'm going to reset the points closer to get the Dwell back to spec, and check the advance with the light. If it's advancing fully, I'll tune the carb back into shape and see how she drives.

Thanks for the tip CandyMustang.

Welp, that distributor won't hold a damn tune. I got the Dwell dialed in, set the static timing. I then used my timing gun to set the full advance right near 30* BTDC. Interestingly, even with the throttle position set stead and holding at 3krpm, the timing mark would bobble a little bit. So I got it so the 30* mark would be right on the mark more often then not, but sometimes it would come up to the left or right by a little bit.

Anyways, set it all up, and took it for a gentle drive through the neighborhood. All was well for about 1/2 mile at 10-25mph and then I started losing power off of idle again. I don't even need to hook up the lights anymore to know she's gotten back out of timing for whatever reason. I know I tightened that damn 10mm bolt down to clamp the distributor in right.

So I'll be ordering a new 034 from aircooled, and hope that will solve all of my problems.

Sun Aug 07, 2011 7:53 am

You might try a decent set of points instead of the probable garbage that came with the chinese junk.

Fred

Thu Aug 11, 2011 7:08 am

fmartin_gila wrote: You might try a decent set of points instead of the probable garbage that came with the chinese junk.

Fred

That may end up fixing the problem, and making sure that I really torque down the screw holding the points in place once set. However I am DONE messing around with that thing, because my 034 SVDA came in yesterday.

Got the 034 installed last night. Checked the dwell, and it was spot on. Got the timing set up, perfectly within spec. The car is AMAZING now. I thought the flat spot had been mostly tuned out of my old combo, but this distributor really helps to make a difference and feel like I have full power through the full range of RPM.

If you have a 009 that's giving you problems and can afford it, go get yourself an SVDA 034 from aircooled. This thing is awesome. I got it set up right quick and it's perfect. I've had a bit of practice setting the timing on my bug recently though, haha.