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windfish
Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2012
Posts: 1126
Location: NC
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 Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 8:15 pm Post subject: Having trouble getting it running |
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'70 Beetle, bit of a long-term project. Came without an engine so I found a '71 for it.
Been working on it as I'm able, I'm new to all of this so just been learning as I go (I do have the books).
Carb was a bit far gone (couple stripped out screws, adjustment screws did nada) so I got a rebuilt from Tim at volkzbitz.com.
I got it running good enough to take it up and down the driveway, but wasn't great. Did some googling and found that the mechanical-only distributor wasn't the best for use with my 34PICT-3, so I figured while I was adjusting things anyways I might as well get something better.
Bought a Pertronix D186504 and put it in, now I can't get it running.
Best I've done is gotten it to begrudgingly run for about a minute or so, throttle about halfway down but the engine idling-ish with some backfire and overall unhappy sounds.
I hooked up the new distributor as per instructions, black to neg on the coil red to 12v power. I set the static timing to the (single) notch on the front pulley (on this engine it appears to be 5 degrees to the left of tdc). Had the vacuum line hooked up, but took it off and plugged it to remove a variable.
Also reset the carb screws to four out for the volume control and 2.5 for the bypass.
That should be enough to get me started right?
Most of the adjustments and tuning steps seem to start with an already warm engine, especially timing with a light.
(Most of the engine wiring is disconnected at the moment, it came clipped and I haven't gotten around to to tracing what goes where yet; found the 12v and hooked it to the coil but that's about it [carb's autochoke and fuel cutoff are hooked to that 12v]) |
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Relyt
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Joined: January 09, 2012
Posts: 1008
Location: WA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 9:35 pm Post subject: |
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You also have one of those silly belts, a friend of mines bug came with it.
The notch to the left of top dead center is probably 5* ATDC which is for a dual vacuum distributor. Your SVDA needs to be timed at about 7.5* BTDC and 32* BTDC at full advance. That would explain your troubles.
You want to get a timing light and mark the proper degree locations on your pulley.
_________________
69 Beetle - Daily driver
1600 SP (unknown history)
30 PICT 1 w/power circuit (Volkzbitz)
205T (Bill) |
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BW~VW
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Joined: September 14, 2013
Posts: 18
Location: Bellingham/Lynden
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windfish
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Joined: September 05, 2012
Posts: 1126
Location: NC
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| Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 3:15 am Post subject: |
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Ah, thought the timing was based on engine not distributor type.
That would explain it, will give that a shot thanks! |
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windfish
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Joined: September 05, 2012
Posts: 1126
Location: NC
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| Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 10:59 pm Post subject: |
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Poked it over the weekend, can't seem to get it running right.
Statically timed it to 7.5 degrees BTDC, it started out much better and I got it to run for about a min or so, applying some throttle to stop it from dying - until it did. Then it wouldn't restart.
It'll putt and backfire some but won't catch and actually run.
When it did run for that min or so it sounded pretty okay. Fiddled with the carb screws but it didn't make much difference in trying to restart it.
It came with what looks like a new fuel pump, took a line off and it seems to pump fine. It had a fair bit of pressure in the line when I disconnected it from the carb and it sprayed some fuel out. Car has about a quarter tank of gas in it.
Just seems odd. I had the engine running, not wonderfully but running all the same, with the old distributor. The only change is the new distributor, which does seem to be working at some level. Coil is a new Bosch, should work with it.
Feel like my lack of experience is working against me as its probably something dumb. Worst comes to worst I'll tow it to a local garage (towbar came in last week) but I was hoping to get it a little further. |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32632
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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ashman40
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Joined: February 16, 2007
Posts: 15987
Location: North Florida, USA
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| Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 4:27 am Post subject: |
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| windfish wrote: |
| Coil is a new Bosch, should work with it. |
Did you test the internal coil resistance? Your distributor should have come with instructions. The electronic points require a 3-ohm ballast resistor between the 12v source and the red power wire for the module. This is usually covered by the internal resistance found in the stock coil. Place an ohm meter on the two small terminals of the coil. You should read 3 to 4-ohms of resistance. Less than this and too much current will reach the electronic points.
While there, test the black (#15) wire that powers the coil. It should read 12v while the ignition is ON. While the engine is cranking the voltage may drop a little, but if it drops below around 10v there won't be enough for the module to work. Solid state electronics like the points module are much more sensitive to voltage differences than mechanical points. Points will work with as little as 9v.
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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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Relyt
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Joined: January 09, 2012
Posts: 1008
Location: WA
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| Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 8:40 am Post subject: |
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| djkeev wrote: |
Install your plug wires properly into your new distributor. High chance you've either lost #1 or dropped the order. It is very important to have #1 wire on the proper terminal.
Know that #1 and #3 share the same TDC timing mark, just 360* out.
Dave |
This is very true, when I replaced the original distributor in my 71 with the Pertronix all the wires had to be rotated one to the right.
_________________
69 Beetle - Daily driver
1600 SP (unknown history)
30 PICT 1 w/power circuit (Volkzbitz)
205T (Bill) |
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Busdriver79
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Joined: July 22, 2011
Posts: 1655
Location: The Peoples' Republic of "No" Jersey
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| Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 9:57 am Post subject: |
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| Your volume screw, the smaller of the two, might be out too far...try three turns out from all the way in...this works a bit better...and like the others have said, recheck the firing order...when I changed my distributor from stock to an 009 style, I had to move every plug wire over one position so the old girl would start...once she fired up, she ran great !! |
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windfish
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Joined: September 05, 2012
Posts: 1126
Location: NC
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| Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 9:15 pm Post subject: |
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Ah, plug wires it was!
Got it hooked up correctly and it immediately cranked up and ran quite well. Best I've seen it run yet.
Will adjust the carb some (idle is a little high) then set timing to 30 degrees BTDC (with the engine at 3500rpm or so).
Progress!
Cheers guys. |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32632
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Busdriver79
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Joined: July 22, 2011
Posts: 1655
Location: The Peoples' Republic of "No" Jersey
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| Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2013 5:42 am Post subject: |
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| windfish wrote: |
Ah, plug wires it was!
Got it hooked up correctly and it immediately cranked up and ran quite well. Best I've seen it run yet.
Will adjust the carb some (idle is a little high) then set timing to 30 degrees BTDC (with the engine at 3500rpm or so).
Progress!
Cheers guys. |
...  I just love happy endings !! |
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