I had more or less figured out my timing issues on the '67 bus...Until my idiot guide showed up and put me onto the idea that my engine just plain isn't from a '67 bus and may well require different timing than the 7.5º BTDC that I had set. The engine number is AD 219114 which as far as I can tell from extensive google searching is a generic "replacement 1600 engine for a bus" but tells me nothing about the year or the proper timing for it. Anyone have any clues?
-Chris
The engine code means zilch. Period.
Get the P/N off the distrib and go here:
Speedy Jim
Yup. So many people have had their fingers in these engines and replaced parts with non-original 'seemingly' identical parts (or sometimes not even close), that don't really belong.
Tune according to the distributor. Hope the carb matches the dizzy too so you get the correct vacuum signal.
Jan
What if the distributor isn't what originally came with the engine? I'm pretty sure the 34 PICT-3 that's on it wasn't part of it either.
doesn't matter if it is original or not....as Jan said so many opportunities to have been changed, therefore(as Jim stated) you time the engine based on the distributor(and it's properties) that is being used.... different distributors have different advance totals/etc.
Totally agree. Had no end of grief with timing set to 7.5deg BTDC even though that is what factory specs are. Eventually I twigged Dist was not original. I kept on retarding ignition till the pinging stopped, no more problems. That happens to be a few degrees after TDC in my case but it runs very sweetly. John
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Same answer as for the engine :-)
In fact, new Universal Replacement Crankcase(s) sold by Volkswagen came without any serial number at all. Good mechanics would rebuilt the engine around the new crankcase then stamp the old serial number & prefix into the new crankcase and add an asterisk to show it had been rebuilt. But in rebuilding the engine they would be very careful to ensure they produced an EXACT copy of the original.
But when you add forty years and heaven knows how many less than good mechanics to the mix, the serial number becomes meaningless.
If there is any trick to keeping these antiques running it is to have a good knowledge of their fundamentals, such as WHY the engine even needs to advance the spark... and why that advance curve is different for vehicles of different weight & gearing. By going back to the basics you are able to do whatever is necessary to allow you assemble ANY combination of engine, distributor & carburetor into a reliable, responsive, smooth-running power-plant.
Don't give up on it. Use that tool-box between your ears :-)
-Bob Hoover
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