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009 Distributor question

I was just reading Ken's Buggy Barn web site in preparation of doing a tune-up on my VW. I have a 1600 CC type 1 engine with a 009 distributor. I have a couple of questions for my clarity of your instructions.

Ken, or anyone else who can answer, I take it that the 32 degrees calculation you did was based on an idle setting of 10 degrees and a 22 degree deflection caused by the advance.

Is this correct? Hence 10 (starting) + 22 (more) give you a sum total of 32 degrees at 3000 RPM.

My second question comes from the markings.

43 mm to hit 30 degrees. Is that around the circumference of the pully or strait line from the starting point to the notch? Not sure that question made any sence, so I am going to try to clarify. If I go around a round object the distance is further then cutting across the center. So I am trying to figure out if the measurement is running around or going straight through.

I was sure when reading it that your instructions were to go around the outside of the pulley. However, when I read the next section is when I got confused. The next section states to use a 15mm wrench opening to mark the 10 degree advance. Since you lay the two edges on the round surface, it is 15mm across the straight line. So then I thought, well maybe the 43mm is a straight line. But that math does not work in my head either, since I would have throught the measurements would have been linear (God help me, this is starting to sound like trig class) in which case to get 30 degrees you would simply multiply the 15mm by 3, since 15mm moves you 10 degrees, and that would indicate 45mm would be

30 degrees.

Your tips, advice and instruction have been fantastic as I venture into this new world of VW ownership. So please bear with me if my questions seem a little obscure.

Thanks for all your help... Chuck

PS. one more question: My carb is a Solex but the numbers are greek to me, they show as a H30/31 PICT. I have read much about the 31 PICT, and others, but is mine a 30 or 31 PICT? I guess it may not be either one, could it be something else? How should I refer to it whne trying to get parts, etc....

Reply to
chuck_townsley
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No.

The trouble here is that the build quality of th e009 distributors is inconsistent, some have 22 degrees advance while others have 18 or 28, etc.

So you have to tune them to the greatest SAFE *maximum* advance.

To be sure you have reached maximum advance, you need to run the engine at 3000rpms. The maximum advance should be reached well before that, BUT again the shoddy build quality of those distributors, you can't say at what rpms each unit reaches it. So 3000 rpms is a safe assumption that even the worst of them has reached it's maximum.

What is safe max advance then? It depends on the engine, how it was built. And what grade (octane and quality) gasoline is available for you. Generally, the concensus seems to be that a safe sustained maximum advance is around 32 segrees.

So you tune it at 3000 rpms to 32 degrees,

AND YOU LET THE IDLE ADVANCE SETTLE TO WHATEVER VALUE IT HAPPENS TO STOP AT.

All because you cannot tune these distributors at idle reliably.

I assume he measured along the arch of the pulley rathernm than a straight line between points A and B.

Regardless, also this measurement is inprecise, because there are different size pulleys. From the factory. The difference however is minimal and cannot make or break the engine if you used the said method of measuring. :D

Now you gave me a headache.

:D

Refer to it as it reads on the side of the carburator...

Jan

Reply to
Jan Andersson

Chuck - I can't answer your question but I just want you to know how comforting it is to me to know that there is somebody in this world who complicates life as much as I do. Now I realize that I am not so abnormal. I think Jan did a good job in his answer. - Bob

Reply to
Robert

Jan, Thanks for concise advice suggesting to not be so precise. :-) Robert is unfortunately correct, I have a strong tendency of over complicating everything.

I will use your words of wisdom and seriously thanks for putting my mind at ease. Chuck

Reply to
chuck_townsley

NO....as jan said the timing advance available from the 009 distributor varies from one to the next...that is why you *must* set the TOTAL advance...common experience and opinion from engine builders is to run a TOTAL advance of around

30-32 degrees BTDC at 3000RPM....then the idle will be what it will be....i have several 009's here and i know that the original german one i have has five degrees more advance built in than the brazillian one does....so set the advance at 3000rpm's and don't worry about initial advance(at idle)...the only time that matters with a 009 is when you are replacing a distributor or firing an engine for the first time, and you can get anywhere near close and the engine will start and run so you can time it....

check out this site....boomark the mainpage, you may find some very helpful info here:

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------------------- Chris Perdue "I'm ever so thankful for the Internet; it has allowed me to keep a finger in the pie and to make some small contribution to those younger who will carry the air-cooled legend forward" Jim Mais Feb. 2004

Reply to
Chris Perdue

hehe

:)

UR welcome

Jan

Reply to
Jan Andersson

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