Engine Missing

[Reimenizer]

Hi Ghia Guru’s-

Running into a little problem with the 1971 Ghia with standard dual port engine.

The engine is misfiring on #3 cylinder only. It misfires worse when the engine is cold and gets a little better. Also, misfires under load. I put a timing light on #3 and it shows the misfire. All others are steady. Here is what I have done or checked:

#3 cylinder compression is 120. All others are 120 to 140.
#3 cylinder plug is black and all others are pretty clean
Carb removed adjusted and cleaned - Aftermarket 34 carb.
Brand new wires and plugs BR6HS
Choke adjusted and seems to work correctly
Bosch blue coil tested at 3.7 ohms
New Distributor cap Wagner with brass
Set the timing correctly
Gas is fresh
Using stock oil bath air cleaner
New points and adjusted gap .016 per this forum
New battery
Aftermarket distributor with no vacuum advance

Any ideas? The car warms up and it gets a little better. Talked to my car guy brother and he said maybe the spark plug in
#3 is arcing which I can get another plug. The only thing left is the distributor itself. Anyone hear of this and what remedy would you suggest?

Thanks all,

Ken

[rcooled]

What size main & idle jets are in the carb? The 34PICT-3 can be a bit tricky to get adjusted properly...how-to info here: http://www.vw-resource.com/34pict3.html

What's the ignition timing, and how was it set (static or with a strobe)?

Can you verify that the mechanical advance in the distributor is working properly?

Plugs from a well-tuned motor should look something like this ↓

_________________
'63 Ragtop (current)
'65 Ghia coupe (totaled)
'67 Ghia convertible (current)
'69.5 Ghia convertible and
'62, '63, '65, '69 Bugs (all long gone)

[jinx758]

Howdy ...
Glad you found this before it went on too long but a bummer for sure.

Maybe try these since you've isolated it to #3 only :

* Verify spark is reaching the end of the spark plug wire by holding end near metal.
* Just because something is new doesn't mean it's passed quality control. Use an ohm meter to verify. I've had to fix brand new wires cuz the wire wasn't crimped correctly inside the endcap. It was crimped right in the slit that forms the circle thingy & only had 2 thin wires touching metal.
* Ensure the wire is fully seated into distributor cap. I've seen a few that crept up with engine vibration. Try slightly crimping the metal going into the spark plug as well.
* Inspect inside cap for carbon arcing or warping. Use a measuring device between the brass tabs across from each other.. Perhaps one is seated too far - causing a miss.
*Using certain types of anti seize can insulate. Some people put a drop of oil on spark plug threads but I only use a small dab of a copper infused anti seize.

Hope you get this solved ... stay safe

jinx
_________________
" It's not valuable unless you learn something from an experience. " Henry Ford

It's not unlike the same difference

You can't push a rope


VALVES (cold)
POINTS
TIMING
CARB (fully warmed engine)

SCRAPE ALL GROUNDS

My Craigslist rescued 100 footer :
1971 Standard Bug
1776cc dual port
034 distributor
38mm EGAS Carburetor

[Reimenizer]

Hi Jinx. Thanks for the reply.

Good points here. I bought the best wires but you never know. I am thinking that one of the new NGKs was bad. It has been raining here and not able to test. I took the plug out of #3 and put it in #4 and put the timing light on the #4 wire and it looked like it was missing. I only ran it a few minutes so I bought a new plug and will test drive it later today.

I’ll check the wires again etc. great advice.

It is running super rich from the plugs and the gas smell. I will take the carb off and see what jet is in there. Had the dang thing off when I cleaned it and never looked since I did not have an issue previously.

I want to just replace the distributor just for peace of mind. Mine has a mechanical advance now and I heard they are not ideal? I want to buy a vacuum advance distributor. I researched here and it is a little dizzing to figure out which one to get. Going to get a Chinese one I guess. There are singles and dual advance. Which one should I get?

Thanks

[PeteSC]

The "R" in the BR6HS indicates it's a resistor plug. Those are designed for cars with senstive onboard electronics, the downside being they limit some of the plug's spark energy. Try using the B6HS plug; I've bought a boatload recently since West Marine has them on clearance for $0.91 per plug (while they last - I think at this price I now have accumulated a lifetime supply so I don't mind sharing the source, lol).

It might not be the root of your problem, but any incremental gain in spark energy may reduce some of the fouling. At the very least installing a component in your ignition circuit with an additional built in resistor that's not originally recommended probably isn't helping.

https://www.westmarine.com/ngk-spark-plugs-standard-spark-plug-b6hs-282368.html

[jinx758]

Odd that the plug was not conducting but I guess stranger things happen.

I've never owned nor worked on a Ghia so I'm not familiar with what carbs can be run.
The general rule is to match the distributor to the carb.
Bone stock EVERYTHING is always best.

A DVDA needs both ported & manifold vacuum to operate best. I think it retards #3 to help with cooling - I think.
An SVDA can truly help prevent off idle hesitation with many different carbs.
The 009 (mechanical only advance) was designed for industrial engines that operate at a constant RPM, not good for driveability.

I went with a Kuhltek 034 from Scamazon. It was about $48 back about 2018. Maybe I got lucky but it has worked so far/since. I got 2 but have yet to need the backup.
Click on my profile name & you can view pics of it in my engine. It's much dirtier now.

Best you can do is get a refurbished German 034. A few members have glowing reviews & back their great work.

Maybe post specifics of your combo & others should give better suggestions.

Upgrades are good ... stay safe

jinx
_________________
" It's not valuable unless you learn something from an experience. " Henry Ford

It's not unlike the same difference

You can't push a rope


VALVES (cold)
POINTS
TIMING
CARB (fully warmed engine)

SCRAPE ALL GROUNDS

My Craigslist rescued 100 footer :
1971 Standard Bug
1776cc dual port
034 distributor
38mm EGAS Carburetor

[rcooled]

[Reimenizer]

Ok I was finally able to test ride the Ghia since it stopped raining. It ran great with no apparent missing. I bought a replacement plug. I am using the BR6HS. It must have been a bad new plug since it was not missing any longer. I will order the hotter 5 plugs and replace them all.

I’ll have to take the carb off to see what type it is. I cannot see any markings on it. I am not sure what the distributor it is but on the back there is 009 stamped on it. Not sure about the brand. While the carb is off I’ll look at the jet too.

The valves need adjusting so I will sort that out as well since there is a slight tapping going on. I should have done that already and might be contributing to the dark plugs.

It is still running rich since I smell the fuel and the economy seems to be worse than the previous engine.

I want to do the vacuum advance as well. If that helps #3 cool that is a big issue for me. The previous engine #3 was cooked by PO hence the new engine.

Thanks for all the tips. I’ll keep everyone posted. Love this board and the knowledge here. She is running…yay!

[Reimenizer]

Ok got back on the Ghia a little. Been traveling and sick…

Well, here is the deal. Bought the #5 hotter plugs and should be here on Monday. They were kind of hard to find but got them.

Adjusted the valves and they were a little out of adjustment. We are good there.

Adjusted the carb choke. It was way out of adjustment. It was way too tight and the choke was always on. Might be the reason for the blackish plugs. Starts and runs way better now. No fuel smell now.

Adjusted the timing manually for now. It was a little off. I do not have a timing light with RMPs. I attempted to adjust the carb a little and it runs better but is still idling too high.

I will get timing light with rpm/dwell or get the proper meter. I’ll then take the carb and distributor out to see what y’all think about the match. Still need a vacuum advance distributor that bests match my carb.

Making advances!

Thanks,

[rcooled]

[Reimenizer]

I put the hotter plugs in and it ran well. I drove it about 25 miles this afternoon and I’ll take a look at the plugs in the morning. The choke works perfectly so that is good. I have got to pick up a timing light with the rpm’s on it and will adjust the carb. I am still wanting to change out the distributor for one with vacuum advance. Not sure if it will make it run better since it seems to run fine. Maybe it will a little cooler especially #3?

[Reimenizer]

I am feeling better. Turned out to be COVID and it is running its course.

[Rob Combs]

Sounds like you're sneaking up on getting it dialed in. Glad the plugs seem to have taken care of the misfire, and getting the choke set right should help with the over-rich condition. Now to the question of the 034 - It's difficult to say whether any trickery has been performed to make it run well without hesitations off-idle/at tip-in. But the 009/34 PICT-3 combo is notorious for hesitations that are hard to tune out.

Some have bent in the distributor mechanical advance stops, limiting advance so the idle timing can be cranked up while simultaneously not allowing over-advance at full throttle, and richening up the mixture by loosening, drilling, or replacing the pilot jet. This can help the 009 run better with a 34 PICT-3. Maybe yours seems to run ok because some or all of this has been done by someone before you.

I for one noticed a HUGE difference in overall driveability and smoothness when I replaced my 009 with an 034, but I used one of the cheap (Asian) import 034s and the vacuum canister lasted about 6 weeks. Second cheap 034 similar story, so I moved on to a digital-control timing box (with MAP sensor) on a locked-out 009 and used the pre-programmed simulated 034 curve. I'll never have to worry about vacuum canisters again. This brought challenges of its own, however.

The easiest way is probably to bite the bullet and get a good quality, rebuilt 034 with a GOOD vacuum canister and make sure to use the curved vacuum pipe from the carb to the advance canister. You might also see quite an improvement in fuel economy after the distributor is advancing as it should, and the jetting is set up correctly (and not set up rich to cover up driveability issues, if that is currently the case).

Good luck.

[kent70ghia]

Glad your feeling better. If it was running very rich due to the choke, you may want to also change the oil. I had a carb with a bad float, and washed gas past the rings I believe. Oil Definitely smelled like gas, was thin, and over full.

[Reimenizer]

Ok. Oil smelled ok but changed it anyway. Put some 10/30 in there with Rislone. Might go to Rotella 15/40 from now on. Engine was rebuild and honed.