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Ry-dog
Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2003
Posts: 489
Location: Lunenburg, MA
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 Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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Per Muir's Idiot's Guide:
Troubleshooting Non-Start Issues (Condensor Test):
1. disconnect wire from condensor that leads to the coil and clip one end of your test light to the end of the condensor wire.
2. connect other end of test light to the coil's negative side (where the condensor wire should go.
3. rotate your engine so that the point gap is open and put a thin piece of carboard between the points so that they cannot touch.
4. Turn key on .. . If test light stays ON, your condensor is shot, If light goes is OFF, keep troubleshooting.
My test light was ON the whole time even when rotating engine with the cardboard piece between the points ... . so per Muir's guide, I was led to believe my condensor was shot.
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'70 Westy
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel |
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glutamodo 
The Android
Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26595
Location: Douglas, WY
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Sounds more like gapping or cleaning the points to me. |
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mnussbau
Samba Member
Joined: August 26, 2006
Posts: 4610
Location: Central Maryland
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Ry-dog wrote: |
| It was the first time I did that condensor diagnostics test (cardboard between open points, etc.) - neat diagnostic that nailed down the source of my problem. |
What test is that? 
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Mike
‘74 bug vert
Parts... |
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Ry-dog
Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2003
Posts: 489
Location: Lunenburg, MA
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| Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 10:38 am Post subject: |
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The plugs are good so far - my non-starting issue was due to my distributor cap. That spring loaded center pin fell off and into my distributor body and shorted out my condensor (or something like that). New cap, rotor, points, condensor and those Bosch Super Pluses and it runs great! It was the first time I did that condensor diagnostics test (cardboard between open points, etc.) - neat diagnostic that nailed down the source of my problem.
Thanks for the feedback.
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'70 Westy
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel |
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glutamodo
The Android
Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26595
Location: Douglas, WY
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| Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 12:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Ry-dog wrote: |
| figured I'd check in on how these Yttrium plugs perform and if this could (hopefully) be the source of my non-starting issue. |
I was visiting a mechanic friend of mine across the state a couple of months ago, and he threw a set of WR8AC+ Yttrium/Copper plugs at me and told me to try them out. I'd not seen Bug ones yet, been running them in a 98 Jetta I take care of though for a couple years and they do fine there. I went and put that set of SuperPlus plugs in right then and there (reallly easy in a Baja Bug) and have been running them ever since. I have had zero problems, and probably 2000 miles so far. Been waiting for more miles to clock up before making any conclusions though.
-Andy |
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fastinradford
Samba Member
Joined: June 08, 2008
Posts: 2895
Location: Athens Ohio
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| Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 11:08 am Post subject: |
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a spark is a spark...
unless you are going for peak performance or preference.
lighten up. |
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Yellowbeard
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2006
Posts: 2288
Location: At large again...
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| Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:57 am Post subject: |
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Just FWIW...
I've been running nothing but Champion plugs in my cars for a bit better than 20 years now and haven't had a problem.
YMMV.
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| Lohe wrote: |
Thanks. Thread went from me not being able to understand what Ipis was saying because English is obviously not his first language to me not being able to understand it because English is my first language  |
Fuel pumps galore:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=845378 |
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Ry-dog
Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2003
Posts: 489
Location: Lunenburg, MA
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| Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:47 am Post subject: |
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How about the Bosch Super Plus with Yttrium? (on a 1970 1600SP)
I recently did a tune up and installed these (purchased from BD). Bus ran great, then died out on me mid-flight on a nice quiet road (thankfully). I have been troubleshooting for a bit and still can't get it started and suspect the plugs. . . Certainly some more troubleshooting to do, but figured I'd check in on how these Yttrium plugs perform and if this could (hopefully) be the source of my non-starting issue.
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'70 Westy
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel |
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mlorrell
Samba Member
Joined: April 19, 2007
Posts: 6
Location: se missouri
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| Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:38 am Post subject: |
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Has anyone tried the E3 Spark plugs justwondering about them.
http://www.e3sparkplugs.com |
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glutamodo
The Android
Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26595
Location: Douglas, WY
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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| VW listed Champion spark plugs in the Owner's manuals all the way back to the early 1950s. I'm sure it was an availability thing, you'd use what you could buy. But just because they fit doesn't mean they were the best choice though. |
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jared8783
Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2009
Posts: 203
Location: Norhern Indiana
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:38 am Post subject: |
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Yeah I got a set of cheapo autolite copper in mine right now too
When I first bought the car it had bosch platinums that weren't even corroded
they were in very good shape
just a few days after I bought the car I replaced them with the autolites
Immediatly I noticed a difference in performance and they work well
FYI rusty o tool
Bosch AND Champion were the factory recommended spark plug for all Beetles year 1970-1978
Probably some earlier too but I dont know because my chiltons is only for 1970-1981 |
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scotty-o
Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2008
Posts: 76
Location: Silver Spring, MD
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| Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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Been running Auto Lites for a few thousand miles now. Got them because my FLAPS was out of Bosch and NGKs and I needed some plugs to get me on the road ASAP. They seem to be fine and the car runs great. It's the only time I've ever run plugs other than Bosch or NGK in my VWs but will be putting Bosch or NGKs back in when its time for new plugs.
FWIW
-Scotty |
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fred69vert
Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2007
Posts: 2200
Location: Home of the US Navy Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk, VA
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| Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:49 am Post subject: |
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| Rusty O'Toole wrote: |
I would NEVER use a Champion, AC or other american plug in a VW. Especially Champion.
They seem to be a hair longer than the stock plugs and stick into the combustion chamber a hair farther. When the plug is old and coated with deposits they are awfully hard to unscrew from the cylinder. The knob of deposits on the end of the plug chews the threads of the plug hole and after a few plug changes there are no threads left.
I noticed a long time ago this only happened with Champions not with Bosch.
Since then I use only Bosch or NGK plugs in a VW. In fact I always use the original equipment brand of plugs in any car if I can get them and this is one of the reasons. |
Had this exact thing happen with a 65 (40 hp) I had back in the 80's. Local bug guy told me "It's a German car, run German plugs" and, after installing inserts in my heads, sold me Bosch plugs. I won't run anything else.
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I'm not losing my hair, it's just retired and relocating further south.
1969 VW convertible, "Heidi" |
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ashman40
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2007
Posts: 16742
Location: North Florida, USA
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| Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 4:00 am Post subject: |
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| PEI Jonny wrote: |
| Hi everyone, I was told to get BR6HS NGK plugs for my bug by a local bug guru in my area. Has anyone ever heard of these plugs? or something equivilent? Thanks |
The stock plug for T1 aircooled VWs is B6HS. The BR6HS is the resistor version of the same plug. It has a built in resistor inside the plug to reduce radio interference.
Ideally you only want ONE resistor in your ignition spark path and you probably already have one in the rotor of your distributor.
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AshMan40
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'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!} |
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johnnypan
Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007
Posts: 7431
Location: sackamenna
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 9:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Just ran a set of Bosch platinums for twenty thousand miles...good performing plugs,was going to change them out not from a miss,but I figured its time with a conventional ignition system.Low and be hold,three of them are beautiful,holding gap and ashy grey at the tip of the electrode...but the forth one...electrode and porcelain completely gone all the way up inside the plug bore....it was still firing too...pulled the head,all ok,I figure it passed out the exhaust valve in pieces...going standard copper bosch from now on.... |
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Rusty O'Toole
Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2009
Posts: 594
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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I would NEVER use a Champion, AC or other american plug in a VW. Especially Champion.
They seem to be a hair longer than the stock plugs and stick into the combustion chamber a hair farther. When the plug is old and coated with deposits they are awfully hard to unscrew from the cylinder. The knob of deposits on the end of the plug chews the threads of the plug hole and after a few plug changes there are no threads left.
I noticed a long time ago this only happened with Champions not with Bosch.
Since then I use only Bosch or NGK plugs in a VW. In fact I always use the original equipment brand of plugs in any car if I can get them and this is one of the reasons. |
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jared8783
Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2009
Posts: 203
Location: Norhern Indiana
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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These used to be the only plugs I used but then I did my homework.
Biggest wast of money these plugs are.
Especially if you are concerned with efficency.
First of all platinum plugs were originally designed for airplanes because for some reason unknown to me airplane plugs corrode faster. Platinum plugs usually last 50,000 miles while copper plugs last only 10,000miles.
But,
If your are looking for efficency and performance then the question is which of the two metals conduct electrictiy better.
The answer is copper.
Copper=better mpg=more hp
Second of all why in the world would anyone want to pay extra money for the extra electrodes. Electricity is lazy and will take the shortest path. Always. So whichever electrode has the shortest path is the one and only one that the spark will go to. Meaning that it dont matter how many electrodes you have only one will be used and the rest of them are there just for looks.
Third
Please forgive me I don't know the proper terms here
But
just compare a bosch platinum to any other average spark plug
the peice of metal that sticks out of the white ceramic part.
Notice how on most spart plugs it actually sticks out
But on the bosch platinums it doesn't
I'm no expert now but way I see it with less metal being there then the quicker it can corrode and loose effiecency.
So with all that in mine I will NEVER volontarily so long as there is another option use a bosch platinum plug again. I know bosch makes good products but this one here is one big scam.
Champions are great as well as NGK's are great.
I would get eithor or but whichever you get go with copper. |
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PEI Jonny
Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2006
Posts: 313
Location: Atlantic Canada
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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Hi everyone, I was told to get BR6HS NGK plugs for my bug by a local bug guru in my area. Has anyone ever heard of these plugs? or something equivilent? Thanks
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'70 vert
'72 super
'73 std beetle( not running)
74 std beetle ( not running) |
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GatorJZ
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 473
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 9:07 am Post subject: |
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| Win Or Break! wrote: |
...........but the ngk are the longest surviving dam plugs you can get..... but thats the only thing good about them  |
The second half of this statement is utter, complete nonsense. |
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glutamodo
The Android
Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26595
Location: Douglas, WY
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:53 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| The multiple electrode format.....like you see on platinum plus fours...ahs been around since the late 70's or early 80's....and is proven and very effective. |
I just wish someone made a good three or four terminal copper plug equivalent to the W8AC, like a W8ATC, like the W7DTCs I run in my Golf. Maybe they can't make an "A" heat range in that style plug though. (I did this following picture a while backe where I was showing the difference between the old German made W7DTCs from Germany and the new ones Bosch makes in, ugh, China)
| Win Or Break! wrote: |
| but the ngk are the longest surviving dam plugs you can get..... but thats the only thing good about them |
Bosch ain't too bad in that regard either though... I remember one time I meant to change the plugs in my Baja, and did my tuneup but got distracted or something along the way and never did the plugs. Not til my next time around that is, when I found this set of extra W8ACs in my toolbox! The thing is, the engine still ran fine, despite the heavy deposits on a couple of the plugs and gaps worn from initially .025 to .040-.044
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