71 DP 1600 - Looking at upgrading to electronic distributor

[Bug53]

I want to upgrade my OEM Bosch but are there other or better options. Just getting back to air cooled, it's been a while.
I don't really want parts built by that company named CH INA

[Cusser]

Stay with points and your OEM distributor.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[Tim Donahoe]

There is no upgrade for OEM Bosch.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[tasb]

China is about your only option if you want to "upgrade" away from original German Bosch.
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Roads Scholar
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

Member# 2059

[BenJAMin]

I can recommend 123 Ignition from Holland. But, you'll pay. www.123ignition.nl

[maggiolo72]

[Lingwendil]

If you want to avoid chinese parts it will be very dfficult to get anything better than an original Bosch VW distributor. My suggestion is to have your original distributor restored by a professional and then install an electronic conversion if you must- although in my experience points are much more reliable for a car that gets used a lot, and most of the electronic conversions are made in china too, if that matters to you
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73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!

Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884

Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087!

[Glenn]

IF your engine is stock and IF you have the original carb then the original distributor is best.

Given that, depending on the condition of the distributor it can be rebuilt to new condition. Now if you want to eliminate the points there are electronic points replacements out there. Pertronix is the most well known can can be installed in your stock distributor. Just understand that the do fail and when they do it will be without warning. The engine will just stop running.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי

[ashman40]

Here's my $0.02 ...

At the bottom end of price/quality you will find:
Electronic modules - These install inside the distributor bodies and replace the points and condenser. Different models fit the variety of VW distributors used over the years. They electronically open/close the point contacts to trigger the ignition coil.

Accu-Fire
Hotspark
Compu-Fire
Pertronix Ignitor I / II / III
*The Pertronix Ignitor III is probably at the top of this list. It is more than just a simple points replacement. It has variable dwell and an rpm limiter. It also has a protection circuit to prevent burning out when wired backwards.

New distributors preinstalled with electronic modules - These are the same electronic modules as above but have been preinstalled into a cheap aftermarket distributor, usually a Chinese-made OO9 or SVDA. It would actually be better to take one of the above modules and install it into a good working OE Bosch/VW distributor than to buy one of these, but I can understand the convenience and ease of just swapping your old distributor for a new one.

Hotspark distributor (OO9 or SVDA)
Pertronix Ignitor I / II / III distributor (OO9 or SVDA)

High end / Racing distributors - These are custom distributors (often billet) with electronic ignitions. As expected, they are expensive options. They are more adjustable as springs/weights can be replaced to change the timing curve. All three of the below are mechanical-only distributors.
It is not clear if any of these are (partially or wholly) made overseas, or not. Maybe something you can check before you buy. Oddly, all three distributors look very similar. Because of the larger caps some will not fit with stock mechanical fuel pumps so do your homework.

MSD Pro-Billet Distributor (8485)

CB Performance MAGNASPARK II Distributor (2008)

PerTronix Flame-Thrower Plug and Play Billet Distributors with Ignitor III Module (D7180811)

DUI Distributor
This distributor is based on the GM HEI distributor used in millions(?) of GM cars from the '70s and '80s. It includes an internal coil that can generate a 50kV spark, allowing the spark plug gap to be increased to more than 0.045"!! Parts are easy to find (new and used) and there are many performance mods like weights and springs to adjust the advance curve. GM HEI distributors are still commonly used on performance GM engines even today. Considering these were common on V-8 engines that fire twice as many sparks per revolution they will easily power a 4-cylinder's needs.

CB Performance Black Box Programmable Timing Control Module (2013)
*This is not a distributor but an electronic control module which you can programed. It gives you the ability to map the rpm and vacuum based timing advance curves as you wish giving you maximum control over the timing curve. This is similar to the ignition control within an aftermarket ECU. It still depends on a non-advancing signal from a distributor or other timing device. It sits between this device and the ignition coil where it controls when the ignition coil is fired.

Crank driven ignition systems - You can think of these as "distributor replacements" or "distributorless" so are actually outside of what you originally asked about. These get their trigger from the crank pulley which is twice as accurate as the distributor when it comes to timing (crank rotates thru 720deg for each 360deg of distributor rotation). These are all electronic but require significant modifications (eg. new/modified crank pulley; mounted magnetic pickup; control unit; multiple coils in some cases).

MAGNASPARK Crank Trigger Ignition System and Data Logger (2094)

Compu-Fire DIS-IX Distributorless Ignition Systems (11100-B)

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AshMan40
---------------------------
'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}

[Glenn]

^^^^^^^

Most of those "Billet" distributors are no better than the rest. They use look fancy but they have plenty of issues that the OG Bosch do not.

If you really need an adjustable ignition for racing, you should have an engine management system do it.. aka crankfire.

BTW, the OP has a stock engine, so a Billet distributor is a waste of money.

In his situation, the smartest thing to do is just install a Pertronix in his existing OG Bosch distributor as long as its in good working order.
_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי

[Bug53]

It came with an 009 which I will probably re-build or have rebuilt.
Looking for someone who will do it with a fast turn around or exchange.

[Glenn]

[halfassleatherworks]

with the 009. consider what carburetor you have.

[Cusser]

[Lemons 4 Gigi]

I run a new Pertronix Flamethrower with no problem. Fires right up, great acceleration and no more adjusting points.
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1971 Super Convertible "Gigi", Lemon Yellow (Factory Zitronengelb L-11E)
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T "Jezzy", 440, 4-spd, pLuM cRaZy!
A couple of Jeeps..

[Zundfolge1432]

Yes the flamethrower. What a low quality POS that is, I bought one and it lasted about two years and the diagram started leaking. Listen to what those with experience are telling you.

[bnam]

Ashman40 - another good write up. If you could add the 123 distributor to the list then I think it is complete. Would be good to have this stickied in the faq.
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1971 1302LS Convertible (RHD) owned since '74
Click to view image
1965 Karmann Ghia Coupe - under restoration
1966 Fiat 1500 Cabrio (with 1600 Twin cam)
1952 Citroen TA 11BL

[tasb]

Agree that AshMan40's write up is a keeper. I would like to ad that if appearances are important all but option 1 will pretty dramatically change the look of your engine. These were designed in the1940's and all the ultra modern components look way out of place if you have a stock engine.

A final option would be to have one of the distributor builders on here prepare a stock distributor for you.
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Roads Scholar
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

Member# 2059

[keg184]

[tasb]