1. Home
  2. Volkswagen, hot (Aircooled)
  3. Distributor question

Distributor question

Last year I got sick of my bug running hot every summer and checked everything I could from flaps to timing. The only thing I could come up with was the fact that the rubber around the motor was cracked and had broken areas so I took the engine out last winter and re-sealed the entire engine areas with new rubber seals. Last week I took the bug out for a longer than usual run and it heated up bad. Got vapor lock and the engine quit running at 230 degrees oil temp. The fuel pump would start pumping gas after the engine cooled (about I hour) and run again for about 8 miles before it quit again with the same problem. Anyway, the only area I had not checked that deep was the ignition system. I knew I was right on timing (static), firing order, valve adjustment and general tune up so I put number 1 cylinder on TDC, made sure the pulley mark agreed, removed the distributor and checked the distributor drive to see if it lined up at 90 degrees to the case halves as shown in all my books. It didn't so I removed it and tried to fix it. It will not go in at 90 degrees, about 20 degrees before or after only. What do I do and could this be my heating problem? It only happens at speeds over

55 miles per hour in the summer. Thanks guys, Dennis

href="

formatting link
">Den's 1978Puma

Reply to
Dennis Wik
Loading thread data ...

Forget about the position of the drive gear. Doesn't matter. As long as the timing is set correctly, you're good.

If you're certain the pump is not pumping in the heat, install an electric pump up front.

I'm suspicious that the engine quits after a long run (highway speed?). Could be fuel starvation due to lack of tank venting or clogging tank screen.

230F oil temp is high for a Bug. Go over the cooling system to make sure nothing is in the fan and that the flaps are definitely opening.

Could be failing ignition components too. Coil or condensor shorting when hot.

Don't make assumptions about anything. Check each system thoroughly and methodically.

Speedy Jim

formatting link

Reply to
Speedy Jim

Ok Jim, I will check the fuel system. I installed an electric fuel pump a few years ago because of the same problem but I put it in the back. Where should it be up front and why would the pump push better than it would suck if the lines and vents are ok? Dennis

href="

formatting link
">Den's 1978Puma

Reply to
Dennis Wik

Pump up front will avoid "vapor lock" due to hot fuel in the pump inlet lines. Frankly, I don't buy the vapor lock theory, but moving the pump up front (even temporarily) will prove or disprove that as a cause.

Speedy Jim

formatting link

Reply to
Speedy Jim

Thank you Jim, I will report back

href="

formatting link
">Den's 1978Puma

Reply to
Dennis Wik

I agree that vapor lock is unlikely. I've only ever heard of this causing problems with an engine that is hot and then turned off. The "heat soak" after shutdown can cause the gas to boil resulting in vapor lock and an engine that won't restart.

Driving along at highway speeds is really not a likely time to have vapor lock.

The pump up front (under the gas tank) puts the pump where things will always be relatively cool.

-

----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney snipped-for-privacy@vwtype3.org Madison, WI 53711 USA

-----------------------------------------------

Reply to
Jim Adney

check your ignition timing at full advance. Retarded timing will run HOT.

John Aircooled.Net Inc.

Reply to
John Connolly

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.