Aircooled VW South Africa

Just rechecked timing, was a little retarded, but no real improvement. I guess I better move onto compression...


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Maybe also check for vacuum leaks on the manifold and carb flanges.

I had a very mysterious timing problem on mrsfig's Porsche 912, where the points gap kept changing. Only when I removed the points did I see that the arm had cracked right through. That was the first time I ever saw that.

What distributor do you have on the engine? Given the need to modify points, it may be incompatible with your set-up.

Thanks Fig. I did check the points thoroughly and they’re good. Will check for a vac leak.

I’ve got a standard vacuum advance dizzie.


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Poppy62 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 24, 2018 11:49 am I’ve got a standard vacuum advance dizzie.

That doesn't really tell us anything. Standard distributor on 1300/1600 engines is Bosch SVDA (single vacuum, dual advance), which has vacuum and centrifugal advance. 1200 and early 1300/1500 engines have a vacuum-only distributor which is wider and squatter than the SVDAs and is not compatible with later carbs.

Why did you need to modify points to fit?

fig wrote:

Poppy62 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 24, 2018 11:49 am I’ve got a standard vacuum advance dizzie.

That doesn't really tell us anything. Standard distributor on 1300/1600 engines is Bosch SVDA (single vacuum, dual advance), which has vacuum and centrifugal advance. 1200 and early 1300/1500 engines have a vacuum-only distributor which is wider and squatter than the SVDAs and is not compatible with later carbs.

Why did you need to modify points to fit?

Hmmm OK. Well it’s a single vacuum advance distributor, it’s not Bosch and it’s definitely not a 009, but tbh I don’t know if it has centrifugal advance too. Any way to tell without taking it apart?

I had to grind a little off the points base plate to clear a small bolt head inside the distributor.



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So I’ve just got round to checking the compression. (I came down with f@&£ing shingles a week ago!) and results are good: 950kpa/138psi in all cylinders except no. 2 which was 920. I’d have been pissed off with anything less really because I’ve only recently done the rings and heads. So it seems the problem isn’t there...


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Poppy62 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:21 pmHmmm OK. Well it’s a single vacuum advance distributor, it’s not Bosch and it’s definitely not a 009, but tbh I don’t know if it has centrifugal advance too. Any way to tell without taking it apart?

I had to grind a little off the points base plate to clear a small bolt head inside the distributor.

It sounds like you need to look for a correct distributor. If yours isn't Bosch, what is it? No name Chinese? Something else?

Poppy62 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:24 pm So I’ve just got round to checking the compression. (I came down with f@&£ing shingles a week ago!) and results are good: 950kpa/138psi in all cylinders except no. 2 which was 920. I’d have been pissed off with anything less really because I’ve only recently done the rings and heads. So it seems the problem isn’t there...
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Great now you have a starting point. There is nothing worse then shooting in the dark.

Now you need to systematically go through the steps one by one to locate the problem.

I am with Fig on this one, If you have an Distributor that you KNOW works, then fit it , set the points, set the timing, and try it.

if you not sure of the parts then place a photo here and the experts will tell you if its right or not.

The distributor you need should be a Bosch with the Bosch symbol on it, it should have the small bellow disk on the side for vacuum advance, and if you take out the rotor, and plastic dust cover, you will see counter weights and springs to advance the timing centrifugally.

These should all move freely

May need some oil, which you place in the center shaft just under the rotor, onto the little felt pad.


Good luck

Herman