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Educate me on the coil, fellas. I see several points for electrical connections. One goes to my fuel pump, one goes to my choke element, looks like one goes to the oil sensor. And then I have a couple that are empty, just elec hookups with nothing to them. Whatare they for? Auxillary electical components? Like if I wanted to hard wire in an oscillating fan for passengers or something like that? If I jumper over a wire from the battery to the coil, pole on the battery and which connecting spot on the coil? Man I need to read more electrical stuff. Sorry to drag you all through this. My main thing is, this baby ran like a dream until I ripped that hunk of junk stereo out. Now it just rrrrrrrrrrrr with now VROOOM!

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"Goin' Where the Wind Don't Blow so Strange"

Unhook one of the plug wires from the plugs, hold it close to some metal piece of the car (fan shroud, bumper, whatever...) and have somebody try to start it up. If you get shocked to poop or you see sparks coming from the end of the plug wire...THAT'S A GOOD THING.

That means you don't have electrical problems and can move on to checking other things.

I wouldn't go asking for too much more help without checking for spark though.

; )

WE HAVE LIFTOFF! I can't believe it is fixed now...and all thanks to my wife, who is blonde...no I didn't electrocute her. She mentioned as I has showing her what a dissy was, that it appeared like i didn't fasten the clips back on properly. I took the dissy cap off, jiggle the point with a screwdriver, made sure the cap was well seated, and VRRROOOOM. We are off for a drive...ice cream for all. More pics of my "success dance" on the photo site. Hey to all of you Kind brothers and sisters...many thanks. Keep on keepin on...



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"Goin' Where the Wind Don't Blow so Strange"

Head, glad you`re off and running again! Knew it was electrical and not fuel related. You just get a sense of these things after awhile with VWs.
Been looking at your album. Man what a beautiful bus . Your mechanic ai`nt bad either. Keep up the good work. Bob Ingman

Sometimes it is just the simple poop that drives you nuts. I filled her up with high test octane gas and just drove and drove and drove. She sounds like a kitten and I swear that 93 octane makes her responsive at throttle. Although the monza empi dual tips I am starting to get fed up with. Jake says to chuck them immediately or I am liable to burn a valve seat. What can I substitute. I want:

*A sharp look
*Somewhat quiet sound
*Somewhat sharper look than the ole repro box.

What are you guys running on your breadloafs?



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"Goin' Where the Wind Don't Blow so Strange"

Head, what heads do you have? Square port heads are hard to find good exhaust for. Also 72 is the only pancake without an upper engine access opening. Do`nt you hate it? I usually do`nt reccomend Berg but they do have good exhaust. There is a lot of cheapo stuff out there as you know from the Monza so beware. S&S has good looking bus headers but I hear they`re not what they were. Ceramic coating is the hot option now and for good reason. Buy a good product and have it coated and you`ve got it for life. The junk is good for about two yrs max. Good luck. Bob Ingman

paul,

get a geman stock muffler for 72-74. it is not as "pretty" but it will sound better, work better and your engine will thank you. if you want to make it pretty put a stainless tip on the exhaust pipe. bus depot has stainless bodied ones. make sure you get a german one, not danish. they fit perfectly and installation is a piece of cake. your van will run cooler with the stock muffler, i have direct experience with this swap. i just finished packing up my rusty, cracked empi monza piece of shite and sending it back to the mail-order place where i bought it. i got a little over 10k miles out of it and it is junk. lucky for me they have a guarantee.

scott lyons

Head , you sure your wife is Blonde?? Mine wont get near my engine now since the spark plug trick,

Glad to hear you got the van running,

Unfortunately, this is from a Vanagon so yes, I got the square (rectangle heads.) Jake is trying to sell me on one of his 2109cc's and man I am getting a stiffy just thinking about it. However, I am a pretty easy driver. No gunning the throttle or high hills to maintain...Texas is flat. I hear most of folks pull the heater boxes, but dangit I want this thing to have at least a little warmth in the winter. I know the crappy shop that sold me the Empis wont take em back, so I will run with what I got until I can afford a Raby Powerstroke. VAH-ROOM!


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"Goin' Where the Wind Don't Blow so Strange"

FixIt 101

First tool I got 35 years ago was a little sparkplug looking thing. You pull a plug wire insert the device and watch to see if you have a spark across it's gap when motor turns over. Actual used it in my lawn mowwing buisness--I was way to young to drive. Didn't know to expence it then, oh well did not know about income tax either--Dam those were the days!

Second tool was an ordinary 12 volt test lamp (for about a dime back then) to check for voltage on the + side of the coil with ignision on motor not turrning over.

Third tool I stole from mom, a plastic turkey baster to squirt fule in my 2 year old bug carb I paid $600.00 for, (not the carb the whole car!).

Total test kit about $.45 probably $1.95 today, depending on what kitchen utensels you can nab.

I listing the tools for this fellow so he won't have to work so hard at checking this thing out.

Forth and fith tool a think was a couple years later a timming light and compression testor (the fun began).

Dallas...if you get hung up at times, give me a call...drop me a line. I live in Dallas and work in Mesquite. Maybe I can help....or even add humorous confusion to your life. Ray