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Glenn 
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76939
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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 Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 6:48 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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I've rebuilt over 2500 and never had a problem with the exception of 3 that were so frozen, I had to sacrifice the drive dog to get it apart.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
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wcfvw69
Samba Purist
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 13389
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 8:52 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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| Zundfolge1432 wrote: |
I was thinking that someone somewhere had fabricated a holding device or fixture to really hold it in place. Being as I can't tighten the vise real tight to avoid crushing the body. The old steel bodies are more forgiving than aluminum, just wondering.  |
There's a picture somewhere of a wooden jig that you lay the body of the distributor on. The drive dog tabs resting on the side of the vises flat surface. You then drive out the pin with a punch.
I do the same thing but simply rest the distributor body on a 4x4 with the drive dog tangs resting on the flat portion of my vise. I've had several frozen solid distributors with the drive dogs so rusty that they were pitched into the garbage after the pins were driven out. I still was still able to drive the pins out of the badly rusted drive dogs w/out heat or press. Hopefully I don't run into one that requires heat.
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tasb
The Distributor Distributor
Joined: April 27, 2002
Posts: 6371
Location: Pentwater, Michigan
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| Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 8:54 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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Here's my strategy (as referenced earlier) the drive dogs on Bosch distributors are very hard.
Like Glenn, I've only had a very small handful that wouldn't come out.
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tasb
The Distributor Distributor
Joined: April 27, 2002
Posts: 6371
Location: Pentwater, Michigan
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| Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 9:06 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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as far as correct orientation of the drive dog goes...
When rebuilding a distributor I align the rotor notch on the top of the shaft with my body. On SVA and mechanical only advance distributors the narrow end of the offset is facing me (right side). On SVDA and DVDA distributors the wide side of the drive dog offset is facing me (left side). The exceptions are the early autostick and 36 hp Beetle distributors which are aligned like the SVA distributors.
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1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018
1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc
1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse
Last edited by tasb on Tue Jul 11, 2017 9:58 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Zundfolge1432
Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2004
Posts: 12468
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| Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 9:16 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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| Thank you everyone this thread has become educational. |
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sb001
Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2011
Posts: 10406
Location: NW Arkansas
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| Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 8:53 pm Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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I had to drive over to Zundfolge's neck of the woods today so I stopped by and he drove the pin out and reoriented the dog. Not that it was any big deal to just swap the plug wires around the distributor cap, but since everything else is pretty much 100% correct in the engine bay I figured I'd follow suit on this as well.
I gave him the POS Chinese 009 that came on the car as payment.  |
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Zundfolge1432
Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2004
Posts: 12468
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 4:03 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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| Soon as we looked at it could see homemade reference marks and evidence that it was installed backwards. Geez the things people do to cover up indescretions. going forward I think it would be easier to reinstall the drive gear than dink around with this pin. |
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heimlich
VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016
Posts: 6617
Location: Houston, Texas
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 6:50 pm Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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| Zundfolge1432 wrote: |
| kawfee wrote: |
| When you try and take off the drive dog do not put the aluminum part of the distributor in the vise. |
As with many other things on this car and life in general the saying goes
"If it don't fit don't force it". Common sense and a deft feel for the limitations of the material you are working with go a long way in being a successful mechanic. I don't do a lot of distributor work but have never ruined one doing as shown above. You could fashion a cradle which would support the entire distributor in a horizontal position. Leave a small opening beneath the pin. I'd still use a vise to hold the cradle. Perhaps the folks that do this type of work on a regular basis will share their knowledge with us all. Patience and common sense, try that first |
Yes, that was one of my more expensive VW lessons learned. Thankfully, to this site and the great people on here, I haven't had too many expensive lessons. |
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heimlich
VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016
Posts: 6617
Location: Houston, Texas
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 6:53 pm Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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sb001,
If you haven't taken it apart yet check the free play before you do. This way you will have an idea if you need to shim it further. Then once apart you can shim it. |
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chrisflstf
Samba Member
Joined: February 10, 2004
Posts: 3446
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2019 6:52 pm Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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Got a little tired of using a big hammer to drive the pin out, so I made a fixture to press the pin out with the Dake. Some scrap wood, a routed slot for the drive dog, groove for the oring, hole for the pin. Took a 3/16” punch I had, ground it down to fit and there you go. Works perfect.
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Glenn
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76939
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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| Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2019 7:08 pm Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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Personally I rather hold the punch and use a BFH. That way the punch can't slip and go flying.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
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Frederik
Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2007
Posts: 578
Location: Sweden
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| Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 1:12 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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I was tought that it's not recommended to rest the distributor/ shaft housing on the surface when removing the pin. The force from hammering the pin out is transfered to the shaft and housing/ bearings. Rest the drive dog or the drive dog "teeth" on the wise. This way less or no force goes to the shaft. I usually use a big towel under the distributor house in so it doesen't move around and it also collects the pin when it comes out. A sandpag or fixture would probably be better. I've seen some clamping the teeth in the wise, probably works great but personaly I have less aim punching sideways.
I've been thinking of making a fixture out of aluminum
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Glenn
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76939
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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| Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 2:06 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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I just clamp the tangs in a vise. That way you can't damage the bronze bushings.
3000+ and never a problem.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
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BIGMIKEY
Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2007
Posts: 1105
Location: North East Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 4:16 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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Is the pin tapered? Or will it come out either side of the Dog? I only tried getting that drive pin out of a distributor one time many years ago. It would not budge.
Mike T
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TK-CS
Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2019
Posts: 279
Location: D - Deutschland
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| Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 5:21 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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Either side.
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bomberbob
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Joined: May 17, 2015
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Location: Iowa
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| Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 5:29 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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I have probably done this 5 times on the distributor that goes in my 16 valve jetta, to replace the leaking seal so it stops bathing itself in oil. Does the air cooled distributor also have a seal that might leak, and needs replaced?
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Glenn
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76939
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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| Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 6:54 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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| bomberbob wrote: |
| I have probably done this 5 times on the distributor that goes in my 16 valve jetta, to replace the leaking seal so it stops bathing itself in oil. Does the air cooled distributor also have a seal that might leak, and needs replaced? |
Other than the o-ring there are fiber washers on the mainshaft that act as seals.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
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chrisflstf
Samba Member
Joined: February 10, 2004
Posts: 3446
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 8:56 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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| I tried clamping the drive dog in a vise as someone else does and promptly broke the housing from the hammer blow. With the press, there is no violent force put on the housing. Dont like the caveman method |
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Glenn
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76939
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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| Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:17 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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| chrisflstf wrote: |
| I tried clamping the drive dog in a vise as someone else does and promptly broke the housing from the hammer blow. With the press, there is no violent force put on the housing. Dont like the caveman method |
3000+ and never had a problem. You must of missed and hit the housing.
So you rather put all that pressure against a bronze bushing? You know they do deform and crack with not much pressure.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
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chrisflstf
Samba Member
Joined: February 10, 2004
Posts: 3446
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:28 am Post subject: Re: Fun with distributors. |
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| If the bronze bushing breaks it's because of you beating on them with a hammer. The factory used a simple fixture and a hand press. That is the proper way to press fit parts together |
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