Dr. Skeptic

satchmo · Post by **satchmo** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 12:34 pm

I thought this was a neat photo of Amskeptic supervising surgery on a 72 bus. Two 73 buses watch intently as their buddy has its guts worked on.

Makes me yearn for the warm evenings of summer. Vive la IAC!

Tim

covelo · Post by **covelo** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 2:03 pm

Nice picture! I like how our buses always turn on their tail lights for pictures.

steve74baywin · Post by **steve74baywin** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 2:09 pm

Is Colin still wearing those super short shorts?

tristessa · Post by **tristessa** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 2:40 pm

steve74baywin wrote:Is Colin still wearing those super short shorts?

I would hope not. We're getting into the "cold" part of the year for one thing. And even if that weren't the case, I'm sure he's at least taken them off to be washed.

LiveonJG · Post by **LiveonJG** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 7:49 pm

steve74baywin wrote:Is Colin still wearing those super short shorts?

I'll bet not, when he was here in Eugene it was a little cold, threating possible rain, and he changed into long pants.
Great pic!
-John

Post by **Amskeptic** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:58 pm

Those things were retired in Alabama 10/24 at 3:15PM when the sun disappeared behind a pack of clouds. And that was it for them.
Nice pic, satchmo. Is Drhallster's bus retired for the season or motoring about?
Colin

satchmo · Post by **satchmo** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 1:22 pm

Amskeptic wrote: Nice pic, satchmo. Is Drhallster's bus retired for the season or motoring about?
Colin

Drhallster's bus is still in surgery. Once we figured out the distributor drive gear was installed wrong, and got it started after the conversion back to dual carbs, Steve decided to take the engine out to repair all the oil leaks (oil pressure sender, fuel pump, push rod tubes, oil filler tube, oil dipstick boot), clean off the half inch of caked on oil, powder coat all the tin (no kidding and I'm jealous), clean out the gas tank area and replace fuel vapor hoses, replace the split/bent up heat exchangers, and clean up all the hardware in a tumbler. We just got the engine installed yesterday, but still no love because the ignition switch is playing very hard to get. That will be next on the list.

I think Steve will post a couple of pictures of the polished engine when he gets a chance.

Tim

PS: I found (and got to work) a distributor dual vacuum can that has an adjustable amount of advance. How cool is that? Now I have a back up.

Post by **Amskeptic** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 11:16 am

satchmo wrote: Steve decided to take the engine out to clean powder coat all but still no love because the ignition switch is playing very hard to get.

PS: I found (and got to work) a distributor dual vacuum can that has an adjustable amount of advance. How cool is that?

Kudos to Drhallster for his spiralling obsession =D>

I hope you all get the ignition switch squared away. I wrote a response in the Tech Forum.electrical.

Cool. What kind of dual retard/advance unit? Aftermarket?
Colin

Drhallster · Post by **Drhallster** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:59 pm

Here's the photos

Steve[/img]

satchmo · Post by **satchmo** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 10:45 am

Amskeptic wrote:
satchmo wrote: Steve decided to take the engine out to clean powder coat all but still no love because the ignition switch is playing very hard to get.

PS: I found (and got to work) a distributor dual vacuum can that has an adjustable amount of advance. How cool is that?

Cool. What kind of dual retard/advance unit? Aftermarket?
Colin

Here are a couple of pictures of the adjustable vacuum unit. I have no idea where it came from. If anyone can ID this, please do. The adjustment screw had a lock nut on it originally. It was rusted and immobile when I got it several years ago. I used some PB blaster and a little bit of fire from a torch and got it moving.

Tim

Post by **Amskeptic** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 11:17 am

Nice bunch of pictures, Drhallster, with proud pappa next to his fine work.
A clean engine/compartment is so much more enjoyable to work with.
Satchmo,
There are some sites with exhaustive distributor literature, Vintage Bus?
And I suppose you could ask Karl too. I'd love an advance unit like that.
Colin

satchmo · Post by **satchmo** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 12:17 pm

The most exhaustive list on distributors is here:
http://www.oldvolkshome.com/ignition.htm

They list part numbers for the vacuum can (five digits) for each distributor. Unfortunately, this part number bears no relation to the three digit number you find on the vacuum unit arm. I asked Karl about this once when he hinted that he had a cross reference for these numbers, but he said it would be too complicated to publish. Pooh.

Off the top of your head, Colin, what is the number on the arm of the distributor vacuum can that came on your bus originally? Do you know? It would be nice to know since that is the only real identifier one can find when searching for a replacement.

Tim

PS: We're gonna start drhallster's bus tomorrow and get those vintage carbs all nice and balanced.

Post by **Amskeptic** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:45 am

satchmo wrote: Off the top of your head, Colin, what is the number on the arm of the distributor vacuum can that came on your bus originally?

I'll check when I get back to Atlanta. I miss my bus. But I appreciate this BMW's ability to carve New York City traffic. . . .
Colin

dingo · Post by **dingo** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:41 pm

What sort of Bimmer are you driving ?

Post by **Amskeptic** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:59 am

'93 525i, the last of the pretty E34 BMWs. . . .
I prefer the 6 cylinder 5 series because they are much more nimble and balanced than the pig v-8s.

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