Knocking and low power on #1

schnyde · Post by **schnyde** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 8:10 am

I only have a mechanical advance distributer. That is what came with the bus. I did buy a new 009 (the original engine was in such bad shape, made sense at the time). Venders that I buy from don't even carry a vac advance anymore. I guess I will look harder...

schnyde · Post by **schnyde** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 8:23 am

How about this: Can I take the vac advance off my '74 beetle (reg, not super), replace that with the 009 and put the beetle vac distributer on my bus?

raygreenwood · Post by **raygreenwood** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 8:48 am

Ditto on the dizzy. Change it if you can. But...first things first. You have fixed the gasket/vacuum leak ..yes/no? Now...fix the exhaust leak. Take the heat exchanger header off...get a large flat bastard file and clean the flange faces up...file in one direction only. Make them as flat as possible.
If you have loose exhaust studs...fix those first. It can be done under the car with the engine in as long as you have one good stud per exhaust port. Do a search on "timeserts" or exhaust tsud repair. I have posted etailed instructions numerous times. You MUST not use helicoils...only solid wall inserts. Do not use "kee-n-serts"...do not use step studs either. That just puts the same flawed thread loading back in...but now you have drilled it out so large that if it fails again....you have no metal to even add a time-sert or EZ- lok brand thread insert. Now....while under the car with the engine cool....get two NEW copper exhaust rings AND a set of 12mm copper exhaust nuts. Get a tube of super glue...not gel type... butthe fast drying variety. Practice this first. After cleaning the step where the copper o-ring goes in with something like acetone.....with two fingers (like a peace sign) supporting the coppper ring....practice putting it straight up into the recess without fumbling. Got it? Then...put a dab of superglue at the outer end edge of each oval. Not on the flat surfaces where it contacts the face of the recess ...but on the edges. Stab that b*tch up in there!...Breath....hold...breeeeeeath hold....wait...breath...hold. Remove your fingers. The copper o-ring is now temporarily installed awaiting the manifold. Put the cleaned and polished manifold up to it. Tighten to specified torque, If you have no loose studs...this should get it. Ray

schnyde · Post by **schnyde** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 1:01 pm

Thanks Ray.

I spent the morning taking off the HX and noticed an uneven surface for #1. I evened this out w/file, fitting the (new) copper ring(s) and shining a light to see my progress. Having the HX smooth, I super glued the copper rings to the head ports, then put that guy in. The HX went in with no problems, other then more tin work to get the blower tube to fit correctly. The leak looks fixed, minus some smoking, most likely due ot me attempting to clean the head port with engine cleaner sprayed onto a paper towel to ensure proper seating of the ring. This could also be remenats of the liberal coating of WD-40 used to take the HX off. In the process, I checked and cleaned the pushrod tubes also. Engine sounds nice on that side now.

Every fix yields better preformance, but reveals more issues. Now, #1 and #2 side of engine is strong, but the #3 and #4 side gets hotter and runs more unevenly. This is the side (3,4) that had the vaccume leak Yesterday (which was fixed). No hissing and responsive carb (still). With linkage disconnected, I re-tuned my (34 ICT) carbs (daily ritual now) by screwing the mixture screw all the way in, then back out 3 complete turns, then backing the idle screw out enough where the throttle does not move, then in 1 1/2 turns. With bus running and warm, I sync the carbs using my sync tool and adjusting the idle screws to make adjustments (high carb down to low carb). Then I turn the mixture screws in (one carb at a time) until I hear a drop in RPM, back it out a little until running smooth again, then out 1/2 turn. Am I doing this right? I have concerns that my mixture on this side is lean, thus making it run hotter. I think the whole side is running evenly hotter, not just one cyl, so I am really leaning tword carb adjustment. Any advise?

I am going to check my valves again tonight...

Bob Ingman · Post by **Bob Ingman** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 5:32 pm

Your reasoning is good. If 1&2 are smooth then timing is on. Pull 3&4 plugs to read. Ideal color is light brown. Black sooty plugs are a sign of a rich mixture and gray is lean. Clean plugs and reinstall. Adjust that carb accordingly. Bob

Post by **Piledriver** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 11:55 pm

Congratulations!!!!

Ummmm....What kind of "sync" tool?

You do know that Uni-Syns cause insanity...?

Get a Snail. Only way to go...
(Search on Snail and relive Nextgens misery, and enlightenment a few months back)

http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic ... ight=snail

There are more threads. Nextgen now has learned to Love the Snail...

Also learn to love the unlit propane torch... Great way to find vacuum leaks.

schnyde · Post by **schnyde** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 8:05 am

This link goes to the type of sync tool I have.

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp ... C10%2D7125

...and the $8 rubber tube needed to use it with ICTs:

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp ... D7034%2D33

The site say "Deluxe", but still curious as to what type this is. It seems to work great, very responsive when tuning....

Post by **Piledriver** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 8:49 am

You're OK, it's a Snail. (Says so in the description)

Tha'ts a GREAT price BTW, must be the Chinese copy?
(The originals were German and ~$50, but the Chinese ones seem to work fine)

Trick:

For setting the linkage at high rpm, one can cut a notch in the rubber bit where it snaps in, there are 2 holes on the side of the snail...

You can then rotate the boot to open the new "bypass" holes to keep the needle mid range fo peak accuracy, close them for idle speed testing.