TheSamba.com :: View topic - Magna spark installation question 1966 bug.

Sat Jul 19, 2025 12:47 pm

Hello friends
I’m installing a magna spark 2 on the vw 66 and the distributor won’t lock into the engine. If this has been addressed in the forum my apologies but I was not able to find it. If not please shoot me your thoughts. Thanks. CB is closed today so I was not able to call them.

Sat Jul 19, 2025 12:59 pm

Are you use the stock clamps or a billet clamp?

Try it without the clamp, sometimes those billet clamps are too thick.

Sat Jul 19, 2025 2:23 pm

Maiz67 wrote: Hello friends
I’m installing a magna spark 2 on the vw 66 and the distributor won’t lock into the engine. If this has been addressed in the forum my apologies but I was not able to find it. If not please shoot me your thoughts. Thanks. CB is closed today so I was not able to call them.
Does the distributor shaft lock into the engine timing/distributor drive dog?

If not, you need to use a little more force to get it indexed with the drive shaft.

As stated above, sometimes the billet clamp is too thick.

Sat Jul 19, 2025 3:30 pm

Hello,
:shock: Yes I’ve tried with and without clamp and I have inserted both units all the way to the hilt and no enchilada. I compared the 009 and the magna spark and they are the same length and the end of both stems have the same “teeth” yet the ms does not lock into place.There are two groves on the side of the 009 that are not on the ms. Logic tells me it should work the same for both. What am I missing. hmmm. Thanks for helping.

Sat Jul 19, 2025 5:07 pm

Are the distributor drive dogs locking into the distributor drive shaft even without the clamp?

Meaning, after the distributor is in the engine, can you rotate the distributor rotor or is it locked in place?

Sat Jul 19, 2025 7:03 pm

I recently switched to an MSD distributor and found that the drive or cog on the distributor wasn't as "broken in" as the original. It took some de burring to mate up. Good luck.

Sat Jul 19, 2025 7:27 pm

Thanks for the suggestions. It bottoms out but does not lock into place.
If I don’t find a solution here I’ll call cb on Monday and follow up here, just in case others are running into this same issue.

Best regards.

Mon Jul 28, 2025 4:42 pm

I was told by a mechanic that it was due to an 0 ring. Anyhow, she’s now working.