1500 Franken Rail

[Haku_Kaiju]

Hi first post here. If I need to break this up into multiple posts I can but every thing is related which is why I am starting with one post.

Quick intro I am new to VW engines but not auto mechanics. Over 20 years wrenching on everything ..... accept air-cooled VWs. My dream since I was 6 was to have a daily driver sand rail. Well it is finally a reality. I am now the proud owner of a street legal sand rail that is a beautiful collection of random VW parts.

After doing 100s of hours of research reading ton of stuff posted on here and other VW sites you are all familiar with. I cannot find the answer or solution to some two questions.

First my rails info

1969 H5 serial 1500 engine single port
Solex 30 pict 1 carb newer?
009 mechanical distributor of some kind
Some coil that is connected to a resistor (Not really important as i am planning to replace)

So I know from research that the engine should have

30 pict2 carb (Or Modern Replacement 30/31 pict3)
Vacuum Advance ONLY distributor
Matching coil no resistor

I want to say I know I could upgrade to dual port 1600 heads and pistons. This would provide more power and (depending on who you ask on here lol) potentially better fuel economy if balanced right etc..... I don't want to do that...yet... do to limited budget. I want a rail that can go over 70mph, be driven potentially over 300 miles A DAY, starts every time and just needs oil changes and plugs for awhile.

The issue I was having at first was severe hesitation in 3rd and 4th gear. I dont know the rpm I am shifting at but matching the sound on 1st-2nd shift (smoothly no struggling) going from 2nd-3rd it acts like its really struggling. Then as it speeds up levels out, same issue 3rd-4th. 4th seems to really struggle to reach 65 on flat road. Any hill and it drops to 50. According to spec I should be topping out at 78.

It was able to make the 5 hour drive home, on highways, the day I bought it. I figured it was out of time and would do the timing. At max advance she is at 30 degrees now and barely runs when put in gear and bogs when trying to accelerate.

Also it wont idle right unless you turn the idle screw way in on the choke cam. Which I know isn't right and should be gapped at .004-.006.

This all seems to mean my carb needs to be cleaned if not fully rebuilt. However I need answers before I decide to do that.

Soooooo that brings me to my questions. Since everything is not what it is supposed to be for this engine I am looking at buying modern stuff. I figured when I started looking for a sand rail "VWs are so popular I am sure they have new better working versions of everything" It was quiet a shock from my other car building and modifying experience to see almost every one say "Find the old stuff and rebuilt it. Its the best." And after looking at most of what is available I don't doubt that for many things on these cars.

Question one- One Distributor that just works?
If I buy and install a Pertronix D7180810 (the billet level III one) with their matching Pertronix 60103 coil and time it 30 at top advance. Will that be compatible with just about any carburetor/single port-dual port set up that I might change to?
From what I have read the answer seems to be yes. Since the electronics handle the curve and timing adjustment even adding a rev limiter.
I know people have mixed feelings about Pertronix parts and quality vs a remanned original Germany part. I am just making sure my understanding of its capabilities is correct. That if installed I no longer have to worry about vacuum advance and point and making sure the "Distributor matches the carb." It just sees what the engine is doing and adjusts. Given that is is timed properly of course.

Question two- 30 Pict 1 vs 30 Pict 2 vs H30/31 vs Dual 34 Pict 3 kit?

I want to note here my intake is damaged from wear there is no intake leak but the metal cover for the heat pipe is cracked and pulling away from the intake tube and will need to be replaced. Which adds to my conundrum.

30 Pict 1-- From what I have read some people think this carb is fine up to 1500. Other say that since it has no power jet that it wont work right. I already have one I can rebuild so that is a possibility. I just don't know if it will ever run properly or provide enough fuel.

30 Pict 2-- it is what came factory on the 69 1500. These carbs seemingly not available new. Used ones run 250+. Considering that a dual carb/single port kit NEW is $400 - $500 that seems like a waste of money. Plus chance the rebuilt was not done right depending where I get it.

H30/31-- As I understand this is the replacement “Modern” carb for all single port engines. However so many people hate this carb and say it is nothing but fiddling and tuning and is never as good as the original.

34 Pict 3-- Seems to be what all the single port dual carb kits use as well as single carb kits for 1600. I will have to replace my intake manifold there are single center ones available that fit both the 30 and 34. But the are the two piece style and run $210 for both pieces and 80 for a 34 carb.

34 Pict 3 Dual carb Single Port EMPI kit. Yes it adds complexity but illiminates the need for heat pipe and at $400-$500 for everything plus pre-jetted for 1500 engine. It would seem to be the best bang for the money.

The question being if I have understood all this carb stuff correctly and what your guys thoughts are on it. I do plan on driving this thing rain or shine in north Florida/Georgia/Alabama area a lot. So your collective input would be great.

[oprn]

Your lack of power could be anything from the engine fuel and spark systems right through to tires and brakes on a new to you car including pinched fuel lines , bad throttle cable/gas peddle travel and on and on.

The first thing to do for the engine is a comprehensive engine condition survey. If the engine is in poor condition NOTHING you buy and install on the outside of it will fix it. The carb is always the first thing to catch the blame.
_________________
We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[bsairhead]

[modok]

the way the VW engine is designed makes it a PITA to put a carburetor on, and everybody wants something different, they just have to find their own way, and there is no best way for all purposes, rather different best ways for different purposes.

There are a lot of GOOD solutions but it has very little relationship to whats for sale on any given day.
the parts sellers make what people want buy instead of what works good,
oh well, they sell a lot more parts that way.
I would not be wanting aftermarket SP manifolds, or solex carbs, or petronix.

You want a distributor........ check the date. About 30-40 years too late. So that's why the best distributors are OLD. You want an 8-track player? Nothing wrong with it, It's jut not in style anymore.

It has a solex carb and a 009 distributor on it, just use that, that's fine. If it's not working it's because you need to fix or tune it, or un wreck it. Check with a timing light that the distributor is advancing correctly.
I'd MUCh rather have a 009 with CDI, TFI or compufire module, or a DUI, CB distributor, chinese MSD compatible distributor.... than anything pertronix.
Pertronix is toys for kids.

Anyway, the WAY the SP manifold attaches to the heads can be a source of leaks, because it's not flexible at all and at this point is always the wrong width to fit the engine once you start changing around the engine.
The manifold is also SUPPORTED by the heat risers and needing the heat risers to keep it warm. If you want to run a single carb then you need the exhaust system to work with the heat risers. Why don't they sell that? i don't know man. I guess you just supposed to buy dual carbs.
And they other common mistake is putting some stubby airfilter on it, that slightly screws it up, what would be more correct is fabricate something that works more like the stock aircleaners did, 4" of velocity stack before opeining up into the plenum or filter or airbox.
MOST rail owners think they can steel weld tubes together so if you are that type then should be able to fix your intake manifold and exhaust and airfilter, but there are all types, you don't HAVE to, have somebody else do it!

So MAYBE you want to JUMP directly to dual ICT carbs, or Kadrons, or maybe you want to FIX your carb. Maybe get a single DRLA someday, once you are ready for it. That's my favorite for a rail.

Carburetors are a series of calibrated holes, so, that's kinda easy IN THEORY when you put it that way.
Any problem is because the holes are too big or too small or something stuck in the hole, so you have to get some sets of mico drills or something to GAUGE all the jets and clean all the passages and get them back right size and it will work like new, if it was installed correctly, which it probably isn't.
Also need the information about what sizes the holes should be and map out the passages and that's the part that really frustrates me, but once you've GOT that info, then you are good to go, so CHOOSE wisely if you want to get into it or not. No point going halfway. For some people "rebuilt carb" is they just released a lot of carb cleaner into the atmosphere in it's general direction..... and maybe the oxidation is all clean now but that's not a rebuild.
Or buy a rebuilt carb or a new carb, maybe also possible, I don't know about that.

Thanks for not wanting a progressive.