TheSamba.com :: View topic - Bosch 0 231 170 034 / 043 905 205 Distributor

Fri May 31, 2019 5:29 am

I have 3 NOS Bosch 0 231 170 034 / 043 905 205 distributors.

Two of them have a distributor cap made by Bosch Mexico with part number 1 235 522 183 and a Bosch condenser with part number 237 330 204. They have manufacture dates of May 1998 and May 1999. The colour of the distributor caps is very dark brown

The third distributor has a Bosch distibutor cap with part number 1 235 522 056 and a Bosch condenser part number 9 231 081 575. It has a manufacture date of October 2007. The colour of the distributor cap is light brown.

Are the distributor cap and condenser parts for this third unit correct?

Fri May 31, 2019 5:44 am

There are a number of caps that can interchange. Many time there are 3-4 that have different part numbers but will fit. Condensers are pretty generic with only the length of the wire and mounts being different.

For example, for the Bosch 031 the following caps fit 03012, 03013, 03005 and 03019. They are made of different material and the caps are slightly different colors. But they all fit.

Those are all Mexican made Bosch distributors.

Fri May 31, 2019 6:38 am

The ":183" cap is known as the 'dark brown cap" that Bosch Germany utilized in 1968-71 before going with the much more common 056 brown orange cap. The information on what Bosch Mexico went with is still a bit incomplete. Are you sure that the 183 caps are of Mexican manufacture?

As Glenn stated, the lead wire length and the mounting design are what determines condenser part numbers. The condensers themselves are pretty much the same. The truly interesting aspect of Bosch condensers is the date of manufacture stamped on them.

Fri May 31, 2019 6:46 am

Also the 9 231 081 575 tells me it a Bosch Brazil part number.

Sat Jun 01, 2019 1:13 am

Here are photographs of the distributors.

Sat Jun 01, 2019 6:09 am

I'll take 2 ... any 2.

Sat Jun 01, 2019 6:17 am

Q-Dog wrote: I'll take 2 ... any 2.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2282734

Sat Jun 01, 2019 9:35 am

Quote

"Also the 9 231 081 575 tells me it a Bosch Brazil part number."

The condenser with part number 9 231 081 575 looks like it may be made in Mexico. Or am I reading the "Mex" labeling wrong.

Sat Jun 01, 2019 4:50 pm

I've restored several of these Mexican Bosch 034's. They are excellent distributors. The internal parts are as high quality as the German made versions. They parts look identical. The parts interchange between them as well. The big difference is the finish of the bodies vs. the German.

They have the same advance rate and specs as the German made ones on my Sun distributor machine.

I've sold several of these restored Mexican made Bosch 034's all and the folks loved them.

Thu Jun 06, 2019 10:02 pm

wcfvw69 wrote: I've sold several of these restored Mexican made Bosch 034's all and the folks loved them.

I've sold several of these NOS Mexican made Bosch 034's all and the folks loved them. (Free o-ring and spare Bosch cap for a buyer in Canada).

Thu Jun 06, 2019 10:17 pm

183 series caps got superseded decades ago. In my Gallery I did a comparison of classic and contemporary caps:

Fri Jun 07, 2019 4:23 pm

glutamodo wrote: 183 series caps got superseded decades ago. In my Gallery I did a comparison of classic and contemporary caps:

The 183 caps are the most rare in my experiences. I "think" they were used from 1968 through 1971-1972. I have an NOS 211905205Q distributor. It has the 183 dark brown Bosch bakelite cap on it. I also have an NOS 113905205AJ distributor but it has the 113905207AB orange cap marked made in Germany on it.

I occasionally come across the 183 caps mounted on low mileage core distributors that I buy. I've also found some NOS ones as well. They just look correct on the engines that were originally mounted on.

Fri Jun 07, 2019 7:06 pm

I actually thought it was kind of cool that the black Brazil 711 cap looked to be a copy of the superseded 183 cap. I've never liked the modern orange bakelite colour that Bosch uses - even older German 056 caps have a better tone to them than the new ones do. But a black cap that works there? That's cool. However, I don't know if that Brazil part number is still available. It was at one point - I know, I ordered it!