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Mr Brown
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006
Posts: 161
Location: Somewhere In Canada
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 Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 9:36 pm Post subject: Pertronix woes |
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I recently installed the Pertronix in my 82 Westfalia and have had two issues come up. Firstly, the rotor now rubs the cap where the carbon contact is, the rotor is sitting too high. The cap has also cracked in that area. It is a federal Vanagon with the original 050 distributor. I am running a Bosch cap and rotor and the magnet sleeve is definitely down all the way, Has anyone else had this problem?
The second issue is that the timing is drifting by 4 to 6 degrees, one day it was 4 deg retarded, today it came in at 8 deg advanced. The dwell is constant. I will put the points back in tonight and recheck the timing after tomorrow's commute to see if it drifts again. |
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Randy in Maine
Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2003
Posts: 34890
Location: The Beach
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| Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 4:26 am Post subject: |
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I don't think it ever came with a 050 distributor. Not what you want either. See if you can find 022-905-205S like it is supposed to have. It will run cooler also.
Vanagon Federal 1980-1983 * 2000
Note: This Distributor also fits Type 4 (412) 1974
Distributor: VW 022-905-205S, Bosch 0231 170 093
Note: VW 021-905-205P, Bosch 022-905-205S, 0231 168 005
Can Use:
Points: 01 011
Condensor: 02 074
Rotor: 04 033
Dust Cover: 039-905-241, Bosch 1230 500 139 > 1230 500 147
Cap: 03 010
Distributor Cap Clip: 034-905-265, Bosch 1231 251 033
Parts Kit (Shims, Washers & Hardware): 059-998-211, Bosch 1237 010 007
Coil: 00 012
Vacuum Can: 07 060
Ignition Wires: 09 171
Spark Plug: W8CC
Timing Set At:: 7.5deg BTDC @ 850-950 rpm (Man Trans), 900-1000 rpm (Auto Trans) w/strobe, vacuum hose connected. (Bentley Table on Page 28.3 incorrectly states with hose disconnected).
Advance/Retard Range: Vacuum: 8-12deg Adv @ 7.9 In. Hg; Centrifugal: 9-14deg @ 1600 rpm, 21-25deg @ 3400 rpm
Been here?
http://www.type2.com/library/electrip/050rev.htm |
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Mr Brown
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006
Posts: 161
Location: Somewhere In Canada
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| Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 6:31 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks Randy. I was mistaken on the type of distributor. It was an assumption based on wrong information. I do in fact have the 231 170 093. What could cause the timing to drift? |
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SlowLane
Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2005
Posts: 1044
Location: Livermore, CA
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| Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 11:29 am Post subject: Re: Pertronix woes |
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| dvanulden wrote: |
| Firstly, the rotor now rubs the cap where the carbon contact is, the rotor is sitting too high. Has anyone else had this problem? |
I do recall having this problem once. I ended up shortening the rotor about 1/8" by trimming some material off the bottom. That would seem the be the safest place to do it. I don't recall having to do this recently with aftermarket rotors, however...
| Quote: |
The second issue is that the timing is drifting by 4 to 6 degrees, one day it was 4 deg retarded, today it came in at 8 deg advanced. The dwell is constant. I will put the points back in tonight and recheck the timing after tomorrow's commute to see if it drifts again. |
Either of your advance mechanisms might be sticking. Either the mechanical, due to grease hardening and gunk buildup, or the vacuum, due to restriction of movement by the thick wires used on the Pertronix.
I had the same issue when I installed a Pertronix on my '81. The routing of the wires, combined with the thickness of the insulation, presented a resistance to free motion of the vacuum advance mechanism. That's why I switched to the Crane Cams XR700 ignition. It's a bit more finicky to set up at first, but it works great.
Try sucking on the vacuum advance hose while observing the motion of the mechanism and see if the Pertronix wires aren't getting in the way.
Also consider disassembling your distributor and cleaning up the centrifugal advance mechanism. My engine ran worlds better after I did this.
_________________
Present:
'81 Westfalia: 2L, manual. Originally Canadian, now Californiated
Back in the day:
'72 Super Beetle
'69 Camper Van - Corvair powered
'71 Window Van - Transferred Corvair from '69
"With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine." - Internet RFC 1925
"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance." - Sir Terry Pratchett |
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