Itinerant Air-Cooled

I had a bucking problem on Charlie for years. Very intermittent but kept coming back again and again.

Same as you, happened on a mild grade if I gave it gas. Usually mid range to high range rpms.

I tried everything. Finally I took it to a real good mechanic near me and he said he did something to the distributor. Not sure exactly what but said he bent something a little to keep it from travelling as far?? Not sure but it's worked like a charm and drives fantastically. I'll write him and find out exactly what he did.

That would be great, IFBWax. Thank you.

IFBwax wrote:I had a bucking problem on Charlie for years. Very intermittent but kept coming back again and again.

Same as you, happened on a mild grade if I gave it gas. Usually mid range to high range rpms.

I tried everything. Finally I took it to a real good mechanic near me and he said he did something to the distributor. Not sure exactly what but said he bent something a little to keep it from travelling as far?? Not sure but it's worked like a charm and drives fantastically. I'll write him and find out exactly what he did.

Maybe your points look(ed) like this...



...and he bent the arm to make them look like this.

thanks for the pics, I never thought to look at that until now. something to watch for anyway...

Definitely temp-dependent, I realize now. Only does it while the engine is below operating temperature.

When it's doing it (I avoid driving it before it's totally warmed up now, but have been stuck a couple times having to drive it with only a few minutes warm-up), I can drive the bus but only by going very heavy on the throttle(accelerating very fast in each gear... or... as fast as a ACVW can accelerate, LOL). i.e. I have to drive like a blind, bat-shit crazy old lady, accelerating wildly and then slamming on the brakes constantly.

If I don't, if I just accelerate like one normally would, it sputters. It idles fine, then goes ok with the pedal to the metal, but it doesn't like being given just a little bit of gas.

So that's my update. Thanks.

By the way, Randy... my Temp Sensor II may be wacky (haven't even checked it yet) but it was actually replaced a few years ago, at your suggestion. :)