Distributor woes...

[Merlin]

G' day,

Our '66 bug is currently running a 009 with vacuum advance. Accu-fire is installed.

1600 TP [stock], and twin Weber 36 ICHs.

The distributor has reached it's end, and now needs to be replaced.

What distributor is recommended? Another 009-type? What's the recommended distributor, and why?

I know the 009 has somewhat of a small flat spot, hence me asking.

More importantly, can I get a new distributor locally, or do I need to locate a used one?

Price estimates?

Thanks, N.

[Blitzkrieg]

Have you thought about replacing the distributor with a Wasserboxer one

[Merlin]

We're not keen to run wiring modules, etc.

Plain and simple replacement.

[fig]

The most notable feature of a 009 distributor is that it is centrifugal advance only, so it sounds as if your dizzy is not a 009. The modern Empi 009s are a load of crap and do not have the correct advance curve for anything but highly modified ACVW engines.

In general, your best bet for a dizzy is the stock Bosch SVDA (single vacuum dual advance, ie, with both vacuum and centrifugal advance).

Since you are already running electronic ignition you have nothing to lose by going the WBX route, which will give more accurate timing, increased power and lower fuel consumption.

What is wrong with your current dizzy? If it has excessive play on the shaft it can be repaired by rebushing. If the shaft bushes are not worn, then usually a good clean and relube does the trick.

[Merlin]

Possible. I'm not too clued up on what's what.

The timing wents Nuts on the way Home last week, so after crawling Home, we switched back to points thinking the Accu-Fire had died.

Checking the timing with an inducation light still showed the timing as erratic. In fact, it was jumping all over the place.

We took the dizzy to pieces and found, to our astonishment, that it was missing a miscellany of parts. Nylon bushing, secondary spring, 'clamp', etc. HtF it ran alright for so long is quite beyond us.

We then bought a donor dizzy and retrofitted the parts, along with a clean-up, but it didn't last long. The power was atrocious, and the fuel consumption went to Sh*t. No play on the shaft before you ask.

We're now out to replace the entire unit.

I'm not keen to run additional wiring for the 1.9 setup, and neither is my Father. Also, afaik, people are only finding these units as used, and most of the ones I've come across are pretty wasted.

Btw, it's an OG unit - not some modern EMPI rubbish.

I've just checked and Cip1 will be getting another load of recurved 009s soon. I seem to recall having some spares at Home. A "356" one from an old bus guy who lives here, and one that arrived in a box of spares with my KG. I'll move some stuff around tomorrow...I might get lucky and find a useable one, otherwise it looks like I might need to order from Cip1 again.

Thanks, N.

[fig]

009s are the only ones that you can still buy new, AFAIK. In my experience they are crap, despite the conventional wisdom that they are "performance" dizzies. You will get best results from them with twin carbs, but they are inferior to the SVDAs on a stock engine, or even on a mild twin carbed engine.

If the CIP1 009s have been modded to give the correct advance curve, they may be better; I have no experience with them.

[calooker]

The Original German 009 has been out of production for several decades, and it's intended use was as a cheap replacement for the stock 019, 010 or 050 or 022 (Porsche) Bosch dizzy's as used on the early buses, so I don't think you are going to find a good German 009. The Brazil one was in production up until 2006, which I have used and had no issues with them. Now Empi is making them, I have had one in my hands and can't tell you much about their operation but the US dudes will not even use them as paper weights.
You can't beat a stock dizzy on a stock motor but in your case it's not quite stock anymore, the carbs no longer have the correct signal going to the vac can when using a stock dizzy, the answer is a mechanical advance dizzy, there are other options here that are better than a 009, you should look in your pile, you may have either a 019, 010 that are much better, for your application if in good condition work better than a 009.
The problem is you are not going to find the 2 piece points, or a rotor cap that fits and the elec. ignition system you have will not fit, back to the next best option a good Brazil 009. The flat spot can be easily be overcome with simple a Jet change.
A mate has several good 009's last time I checked he was asking R500 each.
BTW a WBX elec. dizzy does not retard the spark on the #3 cylinder, so expect a hotter head, also not the best option.

[Merlin]

Bosch has stopped production of the 009. I think the last Bosch-derived 009s came from Mexico.

Cip1 sells both the one I mentioned above, and the last shipment of Mexi' Bosch 009s.

They [Cip1] claim the recurved - and significantly cheaper - 009s are better.

If my storage boxes come up trumps, then I'll have to resort to ordering one early next week.

...and keeping our cars running hits yet another hurdle.

Thanks, N.