How to use the Dwell/Tach/Voltmeter?

[elanelias]

I just bought a Actron Dwell/Tach/Volmeter for my 1969 beetle. I'm new at adjusting the carb, but I know about the Volume screw (the small one) and the Air Bypass (the big screw). That's where I'm at!

I want to know how to use the meter, what my Dwell degree should be (or where to find it in John Muir's book), what my idle RPM should be, and what should my Volt setting be reading?

It's an August of 1969 Beetle, running a SOLEX "H30/31PICT" single carb, 1600cc engine.

[vectorsprint]

I had that same carb on my 74 super. It's a complete PITA since it's supposed to be a 30 pict carb with the 34's vacuum features, but the vacuum doesn't work right, meaning any kind of SVDA or DVDA won't work right. As for the Actron, is is the digital sold by sears? If so, connect red to the green wire coming off of the coil and ground black. Make sure the leads stay away from the pulley. Set the meter to RPM 4 cyl and it reads it in RPM x 10. The H30/31 has the same tune procedure as a 34 pict 3 so I think it should be set to 850-900 rpm, so 85 or 90 on the meter. But I could be wrong, consult your Bently book. Dwell, I think, is checked the same way, just put the meter on 4 cyl dwell. But if you gapped the points to 16 thou, it should be close enough for government work, assuming your points aren't pitted, and rubbing block isn't worn out. And dab some Bosch distributor grease on the cam while you're in there.

[jberry]

Well you connect the green clip to the negative side of the ignition coil, where the distributor is connected and the black to some clean, bare metal or maybe the decklid catch.

You want it set to 12 volts.. If there's no 4 cylinder reading, use 8 cyl. but x2. You want the dwell to be around 47°-50°, that's your point gap. Adjust points with ignition off or you'll burn them up. So, if you're getting a reading of 23°-25° dwell on 8 cyl., you're good. You want rpms around 850-950. Again, remember, it will be half this number due to it being the 8 cyl. readout.

Try doin a search on the carb. adjustment for your h30/31. I'd turn them both all the way in, gently, then unscrew the the small one 2 full turns and the big one 2.5 turns. That should be your starting point.

Of course, after you adjust your points, you'll need to do your timing.

Have done a valve adjustment? That's the first step.

[Cusser]

[elanelias]

[elanelias]

[Glenn]

[jberry]

The timing depends on the type of distributor you have. You should see some numbers engraved on the distributor body.

If you have no vacuum lines coming from your distributor, it's a mechanical advance only. Most likely a 009 distributor. This is the exact setup mine used to have, 009 and h30/31.

Get a timing light with the dial on it..

What kind of crank pulley have you got? Stock with two or three notches or a "degree pulley" with the degrees engraved?

On a 009, IIRC, you set the timing for 30-35° at 3500 rpm.

The big V notch on your pulley should indicate top dead center, you'll use that when timing.
Some pulleys don't have notches for top dead center (TDC).

You need to know where TDC is and have it marked on pulley.

With your tach connected and timing light connected..

With engine warmed up, give her gas til your rpms are up then, with your dial on timing gun set to 32° or so, (have distributor body clamp loosened first) then rotate the distributor body clockwise or counterclockwise til you see the big V notch (TDC, 0°) lined up in the 12 o'clock position. Aligned with the seam in the engine crankcase.

Now, if you've got vacuum lines.. Timing is done differently.

Single vacuum dual advance (SVDA) (one vacuum hose) --- 7.5° before TDC (BTDC) at idle (~900 rpm) with all hoses, vacuum ports plugged.

Dual vacuum dual advance (DVDA) I'm not sure.. Lol. Something like 5° after TDC (ATDC)

[vectorsprint]

[jberry]

Oh OK, mine just has green and black.. It's analog. Says model cp7605.

[jberry]

Just run a search on these forums, man.. Seems like everything has been covered before in great detail. I owe any success I've had getting mine running right to these forums.

[Tim Donahoe]

I have the same Actron as jberry. One green lead for the number 1 coil terminal (where the green wire from the condenser is hooked onto)--and one black wire, which I connect to a good ground (in my case, it's a place on the hood latch where the paint is scraped off). I have no red lead on my Actron. This is for checking dwell and rpms, according to which one I switch my switch to.

However, If I want to check how many volts are coming from the ignition to the coil, I take my green lead and clip it to the number 15 on the coil (the other terminal--other than the condenser-wire side). Then I switch my Actron to "Volts" and it tells me I have 12--if I'm lucky.

We need to know which Actron you have. Does it have a 4 cylinder set of scales? Or is it just 8 and 6 cylinder? The 8 and 6 cylinder Actrons, require that you read the rpms and dwell on the 8 cylinder scale, and times 2 these figures.

For instance, on the 8 cylinder scale--if your needle is on the 4, then you times this by 2. 2 times 4 is 8. Now times this number by 100. 100 times 8 is 800 rpms. Got it?

Or, on the 8 cylinder "dwell scale", if the needle is on the 25, you times this number by 2. So, 2 times 25 is 50 degrees dwell. If you have a nice "50", then your points are set dead on at .016 thousands of an inch.

For timing, we need the numbers and/or type of distributor you have.

And just put a little grease on the distributor post that Glenn shows in his picture. This will keep the fiber material that rides on the cam from wearing so quickly.

Tim

[djkeev]

Just remeber that you are working on a running engine, spinning pulleys, rotating belt, all in close proximity.

Think safety, clothing, jewelry, tools, hair, wires, fingers..........

A spining belt will grab and pull things in with such speed that it will be absolutely amazing!

Dave
_________________
Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[gt1953]

Agreed with djkeev about getting caught in the pulley or belt. Find a good ground to use. Just don't were a neck tie when working the VW.
_________________
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})

[elanelias]

okay so I have adjusted the valves, the timing is good.

Now, based on what I've read about the H30/31 PICT, the factory setting for the Volume control valve is 2.5 turns counterclockwise.

I did that.

Then, I turn on the engine, with the meter connected to the wire that goes to the distributor, then I adjust the air mixture valve on the carb clockwise until the engine slows down, then counterclockwise until the engine runs faster, then half a turn more. Just like Muir said!

But, once I'm at this point, the meter reads idle 1200 RPM. That's the lowest I can get. And the engine still runs hot, so I know I must be doing wrong.

Does anyone have a video, or photo step by step they can toss in?

[D/A/N]