Distributor Cap "hack"

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scruffyboy
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Location: San Francisco, CA
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Distributor Cap "hack"

Post by scruffyboy » Tue Apr 30, 2013 2:55 pm

Ages ago I had a 65 beetle that just up and died for no apparent reason. It had fuel, spark and compression so WTF! After finding that I had no spark coming out of the spark plug leads (I had checked the coil lead and assumed...) I popped the cap and discovered that the carbon brush and spring in the center had disintergrated. No problem, I pulled apart a ball-point pen and stuck the spring from the pen into the cap and made my way home.

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Amskeptic
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Re: Distributor Cap "hack"

Post by Amskeptic » Wed May 01, 2013 6:59 pm

scruffyboy wrote:Ages ago I had a 65 beetle that just up and died for no apparent reason. It had fuel, spark and compression so WTF! After finding that I had no spark coming out of the spark plug leads (I had checked the coil lead and assumed...) I popped the cap and discovered that the carbon brush and spring in the center had disintergrated. No problem, I pulled apart a ball-point pen and stuck the spring from the pen into the cap and made my way home.
Right on! And congratulations to your Beetle for playing along.
Colin
(currently sporting TWO Diet Coke can wraps on left heat exchanger-to-muffler joint)
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

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JLT
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Location: Sacramento CA
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Re: Distributor Cap "hack"

Post by JLT » Wed May 01, 2013 9:23 pm

scruffyboy wrote:No problem, I pulled apart a ball-point pen and stuck the spring from the pen into the cap and made my way home.
And that gives you the "Flight of the Phoenix" award for the month.
-- JLT
Sacramento CA

Present bus: '71 Dormobile Westie "George"
(sometimes towing a '65 Allstate single-wheel trailer)
Former buses: '61 17-window Deluxe "Pink Bus"
'70 Frankenwestie "Blunder Bus"
'71 Frankenwestie "Thunder Bus"

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asiab3
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Location: San Diego, CA
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Re: Distributor Cap "hack"

Post by asiab3 » Sat Jan 04, 2014 7:19 pm

I seem to remember a thread about hacks to get you home, but I could only find this one.
Last weekend found me pulling my engine for fun with my mom, since she likes helping with it and got me a jack for Christmas……
On the air cleaner install I ripped the preheat hose straight in half, and there was no way to stretch it enough to work. I probably could have gotten home without it, but it was 40* outside and my bus loves some preheat any time it's sweatshirt weather or colder.

In the spirit of the Diet Coke Can, I found a water bottle in the bus. Got me home (200 miles) with only one or two initial cold stumbles. :cheers:

Finally got it replaced today with fresh heater hose. I salute you beverage container fixers everywhere!

Image

Image
1969 bus, "Buddy."
145k miles with me.
322k miles on Earth.

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Amskeptic
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Re: Distributor Cap "hack"

Post by Amskeptic » Sun Jan 05, 2014 3:05 pm

asiab3 wrote: I seem to remember a thread about hacks to get you home,
I salute you beverage container fixers everywhere!

viewtopic.php?t=6765#p120396

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

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