Changed the points, condenser, leads & coil on my just purchased buggy. While changing the condenser, I realised that the distributor was moving when I put pressure on the screw to remove the old distributor. I marked the dissy and the clamping ring then removed the ring and dissy so that I could fix the clamp. It has been overtightened previously and bent the bolt and metal holding the bolt so that it couldn't be tightened enough now. I managed to straighten everything out and put it all back together but then decided to use my timing light to try to set timing. There is a mark on the pully and what was, I guess, a pointer on the case. My question is this. What cylinder is nr 1 (passenger side or drivers side) and is the mark on the pully top dead centre or the correct advance?? Other question is whether the pully has been put back on in the correct place when it was last removed but I'm crossing my fingers on that one.

Also noticed that when I stop the motor, there are bubbles going back up the fuel line from the pump to the inline fuel filter. Eventually the inline filter has no fuel in it. Could this be a problem with the pump having a pin prick hole and letting air back into the lines??

Any help out there for a first timer with a VW motor. I can't seem to find any useful information on the internet. Perhaps someone can point me to a useful site for tuning the VW motor as well.

Thanks in advance for your help

Doug
1st time Manx owner
Gold Coast

Doug, cylinders are marked on the top tin ware (either side of the fan housing) No1. is the front (front is front of car) right hand side cylinder.
They go RHS is No 1 and No 2 LHS is No 3 and No 4.

With the distrubutor clamp, make sure there is a wide flat washer under the nut and bolt (both ends) It will clamp more evenly like this. Especially bad with the crappy aftermarket chrome ones.

The rear pully can only go on one way. It has a key in the crank and pulley.

The mark on the pulley (if there is only one) should be the correct advance point for timing. Static timing is the best way to time VW aircolled motors.

The fuel thing ? could be a leaky diaphram. Can you smell fuel when you sniff the oil on the dipstick? Is the oild level mysteriuosly rising. Could also be a leaky valve in the pump allowing the fuel to drain back into the tank. Assume the filter is above the tank level.
Hope this helps

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Lane/1970/tuneuplinks.html  :thumb strobe it

[Edited on 19-6-2004 by lugnuts]

[Edited on 19-6-2004 by lugnuts]

Dean & Lugnuts,
I very much appreciate your help. Both your posts helped me enormously. I have now realised that the motor has an 009 dissy (no vacuum hoses) and now that I have cleaned away the built up grime, the number 009 at the end of a sequence of numbers. I have added a couple of washers for the dissy bolt. Had an MGB a long time ago which had similar problems. Must be something to do with the metal around that time. The MGB was a '68 model and I believe that the VW motor is around same era.
I can't smell petrol in the sump so probably draining back into the tank. Still a problem with pump but not as bad as it could be. And this morning I find that the fuel filter is full again.
I'm going out now to try to time the buggy and have all the right information. I think I will get it going better but still drop it off at a VW mechanic. Does anyone know of any good mechanics on the south side of Brisbane preferably around Logan/Springwood.

Cheers & thanks again
Doug

No worries Doug. The timing process is a little different with a 009 dizzy. Ideally you need to set it at max advance (32 degrees I think) dynamically at 3000rpm. The link that lugnuts posted will have more detail.

With the fuel filter, if its one of the little plastic ones, then my tip would be to relocate it to the inlet side of the pump. Couple of reasons. 1) the fuel pump will get the benefit of the filtered fuel and 2) no problems with pressurised fuel leaks if it cracks in service. Fuel leaks and air cooled motors dont go well together.
Dean

Did the timing and seems better. But now worried as there doesn't seem to be any fuel in the inline filter (between tank and pump) and car is not idling regularly like its not getting a regular supply of fuel. I think that I must have either air getting into pump somehow or a hole in the diaphragm. Looks like I will be taking it to a local VW shop sometime this week. I've got to get this sorted.

The site which lugnut pointed me to is very good. Glad I've now got some sort of reference for any future problems.

Cheers

Doug