I set valve clearances at the 10° timing mark. Bug is not happy.

[the_8th_dwarf]

My problem is basically as the title suggests. I read online that for an 009 distributor, I should use the right-most timing mark on the pulley, aka the 10° mark. So I set all my valve clearances to .006 (1600cc dual port engine). Now the bug is not happy. It sputters cyclically when trying to start, and does not wind up starting. (It used to be that once the bug started to fire, it would start up and run decently). Did I mess up by using the 10° mark to set the clearances? I have read some conflicting info online about which mark to use and now I'm unsure what to do next.

[Joey]

The valves must be adjusted with the piston at TDC.

timing for a 009 distributor should be 28-32⁰ at full advance.
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Joey

‘60 Kombi - '74 Bus - '79 Panel - '65 Beetle

[Igpoe]

You need both the intake and exhaust valves to be closed when you check and adjust their clearance. 10° of advance would be an initial advance of timing for the idle of your motor. You're not adjusting your valves while the motor is running I'm fairly sure.

[the_8th_dwarf]

[Igpoe]

Yes

[owdlvr]

[sjbartnik]

Valve adjustment is done at TDC.

Ignition timing is different than valve adjustment.
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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

[modok]

[the_8th_dwarf]

[61SNRF]

If I may...

Valve lash is just another way to say valve clearance.

Valve overlap is when the exhaust valve is closing and the intake valve is beginning to open. Since the VW engine only has four lobes on it's cam to operate 8 valves, this means when cylinder #1 is on overlap #3 is on TDC firing. The same follows for all four cylinders, when #3 is on overlap #1 is TDC firing and so on.

That same four lobe cam is nearly round opposite it's peak. I have found by experience unless you have a wild hi-po cam in there setting the valves at 10 BTDC or 10 ATDC will not make a noticeable difference.
In other words don't fret too much over a few degrees and look for other causes for your issue.
_________________
-Bruce

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[MrGoodtunes]

[dirtkeeper]

[the_8th_dwarf]

[sb001]

There is obviously some disagreement here as to whether the 10° setting is causing the issue of your bug not running right- I tend to agree with the posters who said it really wouldn't make that much of a difference, but just for kicks and sniggles go set it again (engine ice cold) using the left most mark on your pulley for cylinders 1 & 3 which as you stated should be 0° TDC, and 180° opposite that for cylinders 2 and 4.
I am also wondering if perhaps it's possible you might have accidentally been 360° off when doing your adjustment? i.e. you may have been on TDC for cylinder #3 when you thought you were on TDC for cylinder #1, since they both would use the same mark on the crank pulley. As a reference here is a photo I took a while back of the way your #1 and #2 valves should be oriented when you are on TDC for #1. You should see cylinder #1's intake and exhaust valves and #2's intake valve in the CLOSED position, and #2's exhaust valve OPEN:

_________________
I'm the humblest guy on this board.

1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
1600 SP engine
Solex 30 PICT 3 carburetor
Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor

[the_8th_dwarf]

I'm pretty certain I got all the right cylinders. I followed the spark plug wires and double checked the rotor position constantly as I was doing this. Probably gonna snow tomorrow but I'll see if i can't just get out and change the clearances anyway - I hate wasting weekends without making some progress on this thing

[Evil Clown]

[modok]

I'm not saying you are doing anything wrong, rather providing an alternate method, which can be used to double check your work, OR can be used if the engine does not have a distributor, does not have marks on the pulley, or if the distributor is set wrong, or (in my case) if it's so coated in oil and dirt you don't particularly want to even touch it, for your own sake as well as for fear of introducing dirt into the distributor.....which could cause a problem similar to whatever your problem is. Not that it has.....tho it could.
You can fondle your distributor all you want and it "should" not cause a problem if you do it right, but that's another issue entirely.

But point is....
If the valve lash (as it's called in the USA) of each cylinder is adjusted by placing the opposite cylinder in overlap(the point both valves are open at once), then you know that the lash IS set correctly no matter how many other parts of the engine are wrong.

[bugbyte]

What, set the valves at 10°? One of the most wrong things I've ever read on the samba since I joined.

[gt1953]

You honestly need to identify the actual Top Dead Center TDC on number 1 cylinder. So how is that accomplished. Remove valve cover for number 1 2 cylinder. Remove number 1 spark plug. Rotate engine to what you think is TDC on number 1. Both valves on number 1 closed, insert a plastic straw into number 1 spark plug hole. Now rotate slightly one way and the other while monitoring the straw. It will go down a lil and up a lil. When the straw is at the top and does not go down that is your TDC. Mark Pulley. Now proceed with valve adjustment.
_________________
Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[61SNRF]

For reference here is a cam lobe profile chart...

Notice in particular how large the base circle radius is. This should qualify my statement of why you can turn the engine so it is 10* before or past TDC and the lifter will still riding be on that base circle allowing a good valve lash adjustment.

Here's a pic with both lobes...

_________________
-Bruce

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.