82 Auto Westy -- too hot!

[vw4life269s]

yes I do have it hooked up. someone told me that its the timing. I would like to know how much and how do I do it?I know I have to disconnect the idle stabilizer and then open the little cap to see the pulley, but then should I set the timing at 7.5 btdc means after the little line on the pulley or other words to the right of the mark or left? then rev it at 3000 rpms and then what should it be thank you in advance.

[Poor Realist]

Sorry, man, not enough info. You'll need to know what distributor and how your engine was built. Every curve varies. I know there's a site out there for it, but I don't know it off hand. You need to know the Bosch and/or VW numbers.

Regardless, ranges I've heard for full advance go from 28-32^ on mechanical (without vacuum). I would suggest timing it on the low side, then finding out where it ends up at idle. See if it makes sense. Then see how it drives WHILE KEEPING AN EYE ON THE CHT GUAGE THE WHOLE TIME.

Have you ever given your car a tune up?

[vw4life269s]

sorry let me tell your specs,2.0L crank,rods,96mm p+c,hydro lifters,1.8Ltype4 heads stock valves,tin off a 74 type4,F.I. off a 1980 type2
distr. has 2 vac lines going to the intake and the front pulley off type4,WHOLE F.I. off the 1980,meaning O2 sensor temp sensors,I cleaned injectors,tested flow very good,23-25mpg city,27-30mpg hwy,thanks for the help All in a type3

[Poor Realist]

Sounds like you need a Bentley. I would order one if I were you. It'll save you a lot of headaches in the future.

[Randy in Maine]

I assume you got this FI set off a CA model, since you have the O2 sensor and the vac advance vac retard dizzy and I assume factory electronic ignition.

If you are "pinging" you are too advanced and the motor won't like that condition for very long.

I think the correct factory timing is like 5* ATDC at the correct idle speed. Take off the vac retard hose and plug it and see if the timing then goes to 7.5* BTDC. If it does and when you put the retard line back on it is acting like it is supposed to.

Why don't you just plug the retard line and treat it as a vacuum advance only and set it for 7.5* at idle speed?

What are your CHT numbers running?

[vw4life269s]

randy you hit it on the button. I bought a dial timing gun and checked the timing.It was at way to retard. I set it at factory 5degrees ATDC and full throttle is at 32 full advance. Now at 3500 rpms with oil temp at 200+degrees the engine will ping a little. So I set the retard at 10degrees ATDC and full throttle at 28degrees.It stop pinging but hard to start cold and when warm. So I think I call bus depot and order rebuilt dizzy with ONLY vacuum advance dizzy since I dont need cal. emissions.And also air flow meter but they dont know the difference between cal. emissions and non-cal. with the airflow meter. Do you guys know? My dizzy shaft has a little side play and a friend saw how the needle jumped when I was setting timing and said get rebuilt dizzy for better accuracy on timing.

[Randy in Maine]

I think the jumping timing light is called "scatter" and is sort of common with dizzys as they wear out or were not machined to the tightest tolerances when new. Maybe with this motor you might have a really high high compression ratio and might have to move up to a high octane gas.

I think the total advance is something like 32-38* at 3600. Play with it.

For cheaper money you could just bag the vacuum retard and buy a SVDA from aircooled.com or use about any type 4 205 dizzy if you can find one. They all have about equal advance characteristics.

If you have the dough, the Mallory Unilite is the way to go they say. Lessw scatter and more cool. 3 bills though.

[vw4life269s]

I heard that the msd and mallory are overrated and its always better just to stick with stock for less problems. Plus $40 for a svd is good deal. Do you know if the busdepot sells parts that are good quality? Autozone sells my dizzy for $75 plus their quality on vw stuff sucks.And new is out of the question either too much money or not available.

Does anyone know the difference on the Airflow meters between cal and non-cal emissions?

[Randy in Maine]

Bus Depot is my choice for most of the stuff I buy. At least they try to do a good job.

Karl who post over on the baywindow section has a lot of the dizzys he has rescued.

If you are looking to replace your AFM and want to stay with the CA stuff, try scott over at German Supply (I think they have a banner ad here).

The difference might have something to do with the O2 sensor.