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Phaedrus
Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2014
Posts: 500
Location: Washington
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 Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 11:14 am Post subject: 1986 Vanagon - Quick Question Re: Timing |
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Tuned up and timed the van yesterday. Set the timing to a 40* total advance (2" to the right on the v notch on the pulley). Drove the van around all morning with the engine compartment open to listen. She pulled fine, no strange noises, accelerated as fast/slow as she always does, pulled up hills at 3/4 throttle like normal. I watched the temp gauge to see if she was over-advanced. Everything seems okay. I am getting a bit of, what I think is, belt noise ~2.5k rpms (high-pitched momentary squeel), but I have a new alt belt on the way and will properly tension it when it arrives.
I guess my question is:
How do I know if my timing is the best it can be? I fudged around with the advance a little bit, adding maybe 3-4*, but didn't notice any difference. As it stands now the total advance is pretty much exactly 40*, and the U notch falls at the engine seam. I figure this is all fine... I just don't want to hurt anything... I've timed my fair share of motorcycles, just never a car.
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1986 WBX (Tin Top Camper) |
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transanalog
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2011
Posts: 67
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 1:42 pm Post subject: Yes, timing!! |
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I second this! I've been up and down The Samba and Dr Bentley and read numerous instructions and description on how to set the timing. Currently I'm (I think) at about 35 deg BTDC but... really I'm not sure. I put a mark 2" to the right of the V and put it on the seam at 3000RPM at temperature but... is this right?
What would be great, really awesomely incredibly great, would be for someone who's done this a gazillion times to post a VIDEO of how to do it properly. Something that someone with limited knowledge and a basic timing light (not the fancy one with the delay) could learn from and reliably repeat. We'd really appreciate it!
1991 2.1l by the way.
Mike in NoLA |
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 10283
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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If you haven't read this, then read. If you have read it and lots of other stuff -- forget the other stuff.
Scroll down to the post where Chris (tencentlife) details a timing method for the 2.1 engine and also recounts how to listen for pinging (that would suggest too much advance &/or too low an octane fuel):
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=261067
A similar approach works fine on a 1.9 engine, just have to adjust the measurement to allow for the V mark being 5° ATDC on that engine. |
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atomatom
Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2012
Posts: 1911
Location: in an 84 Westy or Bowen Island, BC
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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the 1.9 thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=409221
and more: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=252560
tldr; for 2.1 (35o for 1.9)
| tencentlife wrote: |
| If ever in doubt about how to time an engine, with specs unavailable, it's always a safe bet to rev it to 3000rpm and set the total advance to 38 deg at sea level. You can add 1 degree for every 1000' that is more than 4000' ASL (Matthew Z, in Telluride at 9000'ASL, could add 5 extra degrees advance). This will get you very close, and you can make smaller adjustments from there as to best throttle response vs. where it begins to ping. Some engines like a little more advance, a few a bit less (I would be suspecting carbon buildup in that case), and some can tolerate much more without pinging but that isn't necessarily where they make their best power. Roadtesting will tell. |
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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada. |
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