Timing question

Ok, here's the situation
I have a '73 fastback, with a '71 EFI and a motor code that starts with U instead of X!!!!
My father and I have tried setting the timing as per various type 3 handbook but the car sounds rough and has no performance. There is a blue line on the fan housing that if you line the timing up with that line, it runs beautifully (about 20 degrees advanced). The vacuum advance is working!!!!

Could someone explain this strange timing?????

Does sound strange. What dissy does it run? Stock VW?

Its been a long time since I owned a type 3 and then it had a carby...

I'll see what I can find out....

Lee

Disconnect the vacuum line when setting or checking the timing.

It has the stock EFI dissy running fine.

I have tried disconnecting the vacuum line but it is still the same

Are you sure it's a 71 motor? If it's a 72 the timming procedure is different. Does it have two vacumm lines coming off the dizzy? The bentley has the procedure to time 72-73 engines, one step is to disconnect both lines. Also, this page has timming information with respect to your engine number http://www.hallvw.clara.co.uk/type3ign.htm

I hope this helps.

EDIT: BTW, from what I can tell engine numbers beginning with X were only for Callifornia.

[Edited on 18-3-2005 by Octa]

At the moment I'm not sure what type of motor is in it, but I do know it is a type 3 motor and the EFI came off a 71. There is only one vacuum hose on it. But the timing marks don't match up. If the timing marks line up the engine runs rough but when the timing is about 20 degrees to the left it is fine?????

Is the Dissy the one for that FI system? As they did change from model to model.

Marc

Looks like i'll need to pull the dissy off the old wreck then

Thanks for all you help

Kieran