Bad distributor?
- ruckman101
- Lord God King Bwana
- Location: Up next to a volcano.
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Re: Bad distributor?
Are the spark plug wires fully seated in the distributor cap? In the past I have found I wasn't assertive enough and they had another 1/4, to 1/8 inch to get them all the way down. Might give a look for evidence of arcing where the spark plug wires attach to the cap.
neal
neal
The slipper has no teeth.
- Mr Blotto
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Northern Burbs / Chicago
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Re: Bad distributor?
Will check it out tonight. Thanks much for all the help!
1978 Sage Green Westy - 2.0 FI - SOLD WITH 109887 miles
- yondermtn
- Old School!
- Location: IL
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Re: Bad distributor?
That play looks normal to me.
If you don't have a stethoscope you can get similar results by using a long screwdriver. Put the head of the screwdriver where you want to hear something and put the handle up to your ear. You might be able to pinpoint the noise that way.
How about posting a video of the engine running so others can have a listen?
If you don't have a stethoscope you can get similar results by using a long screwdriver. Put the head of the screwdriver where you want to hear something and put the handle up to your ear. You might be able to pinpoint the noise that way.
How about posting a video of the engine running so others can have a listen?
1977 Westy 2.0FI
1990 Vanagon MV 2.1 Auto
1990 Vanagon MV 2.1 Auto
- Mr Blotto
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Northern Burbs / Chicago
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Re: Bad distributor?
Think I got it licked. After further inspection I noticed some corrosion on the top of the rotor and some black marks on the inside of the cap (in between the metal contacts). So, remembering that I have a used working spare cap & rotor in my bus tool box, I swapped them out, fired it up, and no more snap/crackle/pop! Perhaps they corroded while in storage for 6 months and began arching upon firing it back up?? The odd thing is that it ran fine - just sounded like someone was grinding a pepper mill inside of the distributor.
Anyhow, thanks (as always) for all the help....glad it was something cheap/easy!
Anyhow, thanks (as always) for all the help....glad it was something cheap/easy!
1978 Sage Green Westy - 2.0 FI - SOLD WITH 109887 miles
-
- Old School!
- Location: Seattle, WA./HB. Ca./Shizuoka, Japan
- Status: Offline
Re: Bad distributor?
When and how often do you oil the felt pad at the end of the distributor shaft (under the rotor)?
1972 Westy tintop
2056cc T-4 - 7.8:1 CR
Weber 40mm Duals - 47.5idles, 125mains, F11 tubes, 190 Air corr., 28mm Vents
96mm AA Biral P/C's w/Hastings rings
42x36mm Heads (AMC- Headflow Masters) w/Porsche swivel adjusters
71mm Stroke
Web Cam 73 w/matched Web lifters
S&S 4-1 exhaust w/Walker 17862 quiet-pack
Pertronix SVDA w/Pertronix module & Flamethrower 40K coil (7* initial 28* total @3200+)
NGK BP6ET plugs
002 3 rib trans
Hankook 185R14's
2056cc T-4 - 7.8:1 CR
Weber 40mm Duals - 47.5idles, 125mains, F11 tubes, 190 Air corr., 28mm Vents
96mm AA Biral P/C's w/Hastings rings
42x36mm Heads (AMC- Headflow Masters) w/Porsche swivel adjusters
71mm Stroke
Web Cam 73 w/matched Web lifters
S&S 4-1 exhaust w/Walker 17862 quiet-pack
Pertronix SVDA w/Pertronix module & Flamethrower 40K coil (7* initial 28* total @3200+)
NGK BP6ET plugs
002 3 rib trans
Hankook 185R14's
- Bleyseng
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Seattle again
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Re: Bad distributor?
isn't it at every oil change/valve adjustment.....
Geoff
77 Sage Green Westy- CS 2.0L-160,000 miles
70 Ghia vert, black, stock 1600SP,- 139,000 miles,
76 914 2.1L-Nepal Orange- 160,000+ miles
http://bleysengaway.blogspot.com/
77 Sage Green Westy- CS 2.0L-160,000 miles
70 Ghia vert, black, stock 1600SP,- 139,000 miles,
76 914 2.1L-Nepal Orange- 160,000+ miles
http://bleysengaway.blogspot.com/
- Amskeptic
- IAC "Help Desk"
- Status: Offline
Re: Bad distributor?
. . . which would be every three weeks for me . . .Bleyseng wrote:isn't it at every oil change/valve adjustment.....
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
-
- Old School!
- Location: Seattle, WA./HB. Ca./Shizuoka, Japan
- Status: Offline
Re: Bad distributor?
Odd that VW makes no mention of the felt pad in the owners manual. Every 12-15,000 miles is generally good enough...tune-up time for most. Couple drops. Done.
1972 Westy tintop
2056cc T-4 - 7.8:1 CR
Weber 40mm Duals - 47.5idles, 125mains, F11 tubes, 190 Air corr., 28mm Vents
96mm AA Biral P/C's w/Hastings rings
42x36mm Heads (AMC- Headflow Masters) w/Porsche swivel adjusters
71mm Stroke
Web Cam 73 w/matched Web lifters
S&S 4-1 exhaust w/Walker 17862 quiet-pack
Pertronix SVDA w/Pertronix module & Flamethrower 40K coil (7* initial 28* total @3200+)
NGK BP6ET plugs
002 3 rib trans
Hankook 185R14's
2056cc T-4 - 7.8:1 CR
Weber 40mm Duals - 47.5idles, 125mains, F11 tubes, 190 Air corr., 28mm Vents
96mm AA Biral P/C's w/Hastings rings
42x36mm Heads (AMC- Headflow Masters) w/Porsche swivel adjusters
71mm Stroke
Web Cam 73 w/matched Web lifters
S&S 4-1 exhaust w/Walker 17862 quiet-pack
Pertronix SVDA w/Pertronix module & Flamethrower 40K coil (7* initial 28* total @3200+)
NGK BP6ET plugs
002 3 rib trans
Hankook 185R14's
- Amskeptic
- IAC "Help Desk"
- Status: Offline
Re: Bad distributor?
They mention "bring it in for service every 6,000 miles". Were the dealer mechanics informed? All VWs with vacuum only distributors, from the late 50s to 1971, did not have this felt wick. Only the centrifugal distributors do.72Hardtop wrote:Odd that VW makes no mention of the felt pad in the owners manual.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles