Air or water-cooled distributor parts diagram

[Wildthings]

FWIW, I moved from running the fiber washer sandwich to running a stack of all steel washers maybe 15 years ago. No failures up to this point, whereas if I was still running the fiber washers I would likely have had one or more failures by now. IIRC I just bought a baggy of precision washers from Granger, but it's been so long at this point I doubt that I could come up with the part number. Thinking back I may have gotten two different thicknesses of steel washers so I could adjust the end play with a bit more accuracy.

[heimlich]

The free play should be 0.10MM or less. The less the better.

There are Bosch Hall sensors around. I have them. I find deals on them every so often. You just have to look.

The distributor you have is actually very good. On all of them I have rebuilt they test very well on my distributor machine. I always find the bushings to be bad but that is quite normal in used distributors.

The only time I see people change distributors to the points style is when they change the fuel injection to carburetors.
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[Backtotheeightiesagain]

Thank you.
That's really useful!
I need a good spare distributor for when this one breaks down.
Up and down there should be some play,for heat expansion?
One rebuilder said "no play at all" so I was wary leaving one there.
As there are no bosch new hall sensors, that is often,unpredictable and never at a convenient moment.
The type 4 has 3 gaps in the shutter wheel the same, one large.
Perhaps timing and heat have something to do with the odd one.
In a Rabbit /water-cooled all gaps equal, as you know..
Hopefully eventually can find a good points distributor, and good points/condensers, if any left .
A steep learning curve for me, I never saw any tech at franchised vw dealership strip a distributor, even going back 40 years.
Do you have a favourite bosch model of a vacuum distributor, maybe more reliable with less plastic?

[heimlich]

In the picture you posted you put a shim there first. Then you put the fiber washer on. Then you insert the shaft. Then you put a fiber washer on the shaft. Then you put shims. Then you put the drive gear.

The washer inside can disintegrate completely. Sometimes you can find parts of it there.

When you put the red fiber washer in the oil does it change color? If it does it is not made from fiber. The fiber washers do not change color. Fake fiber washers made from paper will change color. You don't want paper ones. They are not the correct material. It's really hard to tell the difference but one easy way is a color change. If you think it's fake you can bend it back and forth and you will see the layers separate but only when it is dry.
_________________
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Not all parts are made the same. NOS OE/OEM parts made mainly in West Germany, Early Germany, and Early Brazil are where VW produced the best quality parts and best fitting products.
5% Off your order with coupon code: 5%OFF
Restored Distributors Available (<--Click here)

[Backtotheeightiesagain]

Washer under this maybe?
Dunno how I got that far, with posting image. Or disassembly...

[Backtotheeightiesagain]

I think i know what you mean, not 100% without a diagram tho.
The lower one at drive dog probably.
There seems a big difference in play, a lot more installed than removed.
I can't mess with bearings anyway....today .
I will be taking a wild guess with play, doing anything possible to reduce, shim it.
Bosch 0221 122 023 is the distributor part number.
Seemed no evidence of a washer at the top inside - surely some bits would be left?
I could only get hold of these red dimpled washers which I will soak on engine oil...
Similar parts are used inside a rabbit distributor. I am betting those were 30% cooler, as they don't give anything like the trouble and there not any other explanation.
Because of that really any brittle plastic should be replaced .

[heimlich]

When you remove the shaft from the distributor there is a shim then a fiber washer on it. Then you put the shaft into the distributor body. Then a fiber washer and then one or more shims. Doing this will place the fiber washers next to the bushings. The fiber washers have dimples on them. Those dimples hold oil next to the bushings to keep them lubricated.

What is the number on the side of your distributor?
_________________
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Classic Brands. Classic Quality.
Not all parts are made the same. NOS OE/OEM parts made mainly in West Germany, Early Germany, and Early Brazil are where VW produced the best quality parts and best fitting products.
5% Off your order with coupon code: 5%OFF
Restored Distributors Available (<--Click here)

[Backtotheeightiesagain]

Hi, thankyou!
This is 1980-82 aircooled vanagon.
The fibre washers- are there two in each distributor?
Is one above the gear drive above the brass washer, at the Base?
And the other , maybe under weight assembly?
Sorry not Internet minded enough draw you a diagram.....

[heimlich]

I sell the Bosch fiber washers with the dimples in them. Those will sit next to the bushings. To the outside of those are metal shims. I have a kit which includes them all.

As for those plastic pieces no one that I know of manufactures them. You have to take them from another core. They rarely are bad unless you have a lot of heat and use on the distributor.
_________________
www.vwnos.com [email protected]
Classic Brands. Classic Quality.
Not all parts are made the same. NOS OE/OEM parts made mainly in West Germany, Early Germany, and Early Brazil are where VW produced the best quality parts and best fitting products.
5% Off your order with coupon code: 5%OFF
Restored Distributors Available (<--Click here)

[Backtotheeightiesagain]

Hi,
As the felt washers had disintegrated and disappeared i need to know please wherever they were.
The ones I found did not list what type of washer, metal or other and on a drawing looks all the same...
Thanks
Ps am looking for those 2 black plastic half moon parts that sit inside the weights towards the shaft