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Electronic ignition?
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Lostinga
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2020 7:52 am    Post subject: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

Hi Y'all...

Traded into a very much home built VW dune buggy. I was able to determine that it has a Type 1 1200CC motor. I got it to turn over, but there's no spark. Checked the coil and getting consistent 9500 to 1000 ohm resistance and good output.
Pulled all the plugs and checked them...then cranked it with a plug removed (still connected to the distributor) and it didn't spark at all.
This is what I have:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I'm suspecting points issue at this point. I thought about mucking around with the points, but the electronic systems look so much easier to deal with. I'm looking at one of the following:
https://www.jbugs.com/product/1847A.html?utm_conte...UkQAvD_BwE
Pertronix

or

https://www.amazon.com/EMPI-00-9432-0-ACCU-FIRE-EL...&psc=1
EMPI

Just not sure if they'll work on this distributor or not. Anyone have experience in these matters?

Thanks!
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jbsx127
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2020 7:58 am    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

Did you ground the outside of the plug when cranking?
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Lostinga
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2020 9:40 am    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

jbsx127 wrote:
Did you ground the outside of the plug when cranking?

Yup, sure did. Nada.
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jbsx127
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2020 10:04 am    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

I would think you should see what's up with points/distributor before getting electronic ign parts. Points, cap, rotor and condenser are cheap. Check point gap.
Also, plug wires could be bad. look at those too.
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Glenn Premium Member
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2020 10:09 am    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

jbsx127 wrote:
Points, cap, rotor and condenser are cheap.

Not as cheap as they used to me.
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rayjay
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2020 10:47 am    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

The contacts on the points are absolutely grungy so it's no wonder there is no spark. Just filing the points would probably get you some spark to see if the motor might run.
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Lostinga
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2020 11:01 am    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

Thanks fellas. I'm in the middle of writing an essay at the moment, but will get back on that project Wednesday or so. I'll pull the innards and clean it up then report back!
Hope to get this bad boy back on the road within a month. Seats are going to be an interesting situation!
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jbsx127
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2020 11:02 am    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

Also, in case you don't know already, here's a good you tube on checking ignition, coil, and spark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GwTtrdtHbQ
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Dale M.
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2020 12:45 pm    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

rayjay wrote:
The contacts on the points are absolutely grungy so it's no wonder there is no spark. Just filing the points would probably get you some spark to see if the motor might run.


Ditto...

Dale
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Lostinga
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 6:55 am    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

Thank you everyone. I was able to get it to turn over a few times. I finally enlisted the help of a local VW guy. He was able to figure out what was going on. Cleaned the distributor as y'all suggested. The electrics were a mix of 6v and 12v, so he squared that away. Rebuilt the brakes as well. It runs like the devil now. I've been having a blast.
Not being too familiar with the rules of this forum yet...
Can I post questions about other aspects of this build in this thread or do I need to create a new thread for each question?
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oprn
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 5:04 am    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

The unwritten rule is that WE NEED PICTURES! Very Happy
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Lostinga
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 6:25 am    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

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oprn wrote:
The unwritten rule is that WE NEED PICTURES! Very Happy

Hehehe here you go!
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tasb
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 8:33 am    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

You could go either way. you could start a "My Build thread", and post everything there or start a new thread when you have a specific issue. I would like to suggest that you use the search function before posting on option two as many issues have been covered multitudinous times in the last twenty-two years.

Your distributor is a "big cap" with the condenser inside the housing. They are good stable distributors but the weak point in the design is the point where the points spring, condenser wire and coil lead wire come together. Sometimes that assembly grounds against the inside of the distributor housing.

Your points hold down screw is pretty chewed up! Replace it with a screw from a core distributor. They are all the same size and thread pitch with different lengths.

In my opinion, you should stay with what you have as you won't gain much by going to a points replacement module except a lighter wallet.
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oprn
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 9:57 am    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

Lostinga wrote:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

oprn wrote:
The unwritten rule is that WE NEED PICTURES! Very Happy

Hehehe here you go!

Yes! Love it! That is the definition of simplicity right there.

Now if that passed as street legal... bonus! I want to live where you do! I personally though would be tempted to add a pipe at steering shaft height starting at the front beam, welded to the steering loop and ending right behind the seat at the roll bar. That would stiffen up the chassis considerably and give you a wee bit of side protection in case someone "T bones" you in an intersection.

Man that thinks looks like fun!
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Lostinga
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 1:05 pm    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

oprn wrote:
Lostinga wrote:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

oprn wrote:
The unwritten rule is that WE NEED PICTURES! Very Happy

Hehehe here you go!

Yes! Love it! That is the definition of simplicity right there.

Now if that passed as street legal... bonus! I want to live where you do! I personally though would be tempted to add a pipe at steering shaft height starting at the front beam, welded to the steering loop and ending right behind the seat at the roll bar. That would stiffen up the chassis considerably and give you a wee bit of side protection in case someone "T bones" you in an intersection.

Man that thinks looks like fun!

well it's tagged, titled and insured. Georgia is sort of easy like that.
Agreed on welding a "rollover" type bar to it. The entire front end needs to be rebuilt. I think the rods and all are fine - just need bushings. Brakes are all new.
It's a riot. It's got the smaller motor, but it rips really well. It's actually parked at city hall in that picture...wife drove it up there to do some work for the city. Everyone got a ride.
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oprn
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 1:53 pm    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

Lostinga wrote:
Everyone got a ride.

Sweet!

40 HP is all you need on a 700 pound Buggy around town and across the fields. Can't see it being used on the highway much but I could be mistaken.
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Lostinga
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 2:33 pm    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

oprn wrote:
Lostinga wrote:
Everyone got a ride.

Sweet!

40 HP is all you need on a 700 pound Buggy around town and across the fields. Can't see it being used on the highway much but I could be mistaken.

Yeah, until it gets new tires, roll cage, lights, seats, seatbelts and front suspension there's no way I'm taking that death trap over 45mph!
Got a friend that's an expert welder and built his own buggy...going to drive it down there when it's got everything else fixed to get help with welding the frame. My welding looks like a 3 year old did it with their left hand...
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EVfun
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 4:03 pm    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

Lostinga wrote:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

oprn wrote:
The unwritten rule is that WE NEED PICTURES! Very Happy

Hehehe here you go!

I'd roll that -- it's a go-cart with license plates! I would figure out how to get a working emergency brake.

Perhaps a round gas tank behind the seats, a type 3 cooling system on the engine, and a little more functional flat pickup bed as future upgrades. A practical farm cart look, on the street. Cool
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Lostinga
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 4:41 pm    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

Thanks!
My goal is turn it into a camping rig. Fit a roll cage over the top withand windscreen of some sort and rotopax water and gas cans. Adjust the suspension so all 4 wheels can be the same size and mount a spare on the front behind a small electric winch.
The "bed" is probably going to be replaced with something bigger to hold my camping gear. The e-brake...I'm not so much worried about it as getting the loose throttle cable stowed. Still a lot of work to be done. The wiring is a mess too....
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oprn
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 5:10 am    Post subject: Re: Electronic ignition? Reply with quote

Mine doesn't have an E brake yet and I miss it badly. Every time I stop to open a gate I have to shut it off and put it in gear or it wants to roll away and this is flat country. I can't imagine how inconvenient it would be in the hills!
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