[T3] Distributor Questions

[oofacts@earthlink.net]

OK lets remember, 72 Squareback, dualcarbs...

So I pulled the distributor today. Took me about 1.5 hours figure out how
to get to the distributor clamp. It was way over on the left, way under the
distributor and ran back and under a rod that ran left-to-right just in
front of the fan housing. Nightmare. Finally, after a couple turns, the
bolt BROKE. See the thing I though was the nut at the frontmost part of the
clamp was the head of the bolt. Tore the head right off. Then I found the
nut tucked under that rod. Got it loose after about ten minutes moving the
10mm wrench in 1/64 increments. Took out the distrib and the clamp. Now
here's one thing:
I need a new clamp. That bolt is welded through it, and I think it's
backwards. I can't imagine VW wanting a clamp to be stuck in a place so
impossible to tighten.

Pulled out distrib. loked at shaft. Engine was at TDC 0¡. Drive shaft was
at an angle, but not quite as extreme as that shown in Bentley. Bentley
says pull out shaft with a magnet or expansion tool. My magnet wasn't
strong enough and where do I get an expansion tool? I've never seen one. So
I didn't mess with it. Besides, eyeballing it proved that if I were to
correct the angle of the drive shaft, there would have been no room for the
condenser on the distributor. My cond. is to the LEFT of the vaccuum plate,
and there's not too much room over there. Now I can at least understand my
mechanic. But heres something further:
The way my distributor is (Bosch 040) the rotor CANNOT point at the notch
on the rim if the drive shaft is positioned correctly (with the smaller
half pointing front and slightly left) and the distributor is inserted
correspondingly. In this position, the rotor is 180¡ from the notch.But
there IS a little nub on the back of the rotor. Could this have been some
sort of indicator/pointer Bosch put on this distributor? Its very
confusing. Either that or my distributor is completely built backward.
Anyone have any ideas?

Presuming that all was well ANYHOW, I changed the points (used Bosch
because I had them - sorry Keith) and did the static timing. Now: I have 4
notches on my pulley, seeing it from above. I looked at bentley and they
said to time it at 5¡ BTDC, which on the diagram looked like the third
notch. BUT my guess was that this was presuming I was using a strobe, and
that I had FI. So I looked at Muir. Muir said to use 0¡ TDC, and his chart
makes it out to be the first notch on the left. Not where the bridge
actually begins, but the first notch in the bridge. Static timed it.
Checked the Dwell on the points: 26, not bad for a beginner. But while the
engine was idling, it began to shake hard (what does this indicate, yes
lugging, but why when warm and idling?) - not something it usually does
unless its cold, at which point I give a little steady gas until it goes
away..
Thought maybe I timed it wrong, so I Futzed with the timing. Keith had told
me to try 7.5 BTDC which on Muir looks like the 3rd notch in the bridge.
HEY WAIT A MINUTE. Looked at muir, looked at Bentley. Why does one say
notch 3 is 5¡ and the other say 7.5¡ Somebody clarify whats what here. And
when you do, bear in Mind that my chassis is 72, but my crankcase says 73.
Anyway, futzing didn't help. Went back to 0¡ as I understand it.
Hey, how does one advance and/or retard timing? Is before TDC advancing it?
Is ATDC retarding it? Its a stupid question but answer it anyway.

Didn't have a friend to help me do compression. Actually made me a little
depressed.

But when I pulled out my sparks, damn they were black. I had a tune-up this
past March, and I've done a couple 400 mile trips since then, but BROTHER!
So here's another question. I know that ovetr this time, since I have an
oil leak I can't trace, which gives my car a bit of a habit, therehave been
a couple instances early on where I checked the oil after I'd driven it
some and the oil looked low, on the low mark, so I added a quart. Next
morning I'd check the oil and it would be well above the high mark. I know
this isn't good, but will someone tell me why this isn't good?

SO I put in new plugs, cleaned up knowing more but with all of my previous
questions completely unanswered by experience.

I think I want new distributor. Should I? Muir says he doesn't like vacuum
advance, but that's what I have now, actually Vacum-mechanical combined. Do
I need to have vacuum?
I just want a distributor that makes SENSE, that looks like the ones I see
in the manuals. WITH THE CONDENSER ON THE RIGHT of the vacuum plate. Are
these expensive? What kind should I get? Remember, I have dual carbs.

Anyway my work is done today. It was fun, actually. But I would appreciate
some questions, answers and/or comments. Exactly what to the four notches
stand for, left-to-right? Where is the standard STATIC timing mark? 0¡? Why
is my distributor built backwards? Where can I get a new clamp? (I clamped
the distrib back on as tight as I could get it those cramped, almost
impossible quarters under that rod.) Why do my spark plugs get so black?
Could it be because I put in too much oil a couple times?
What distributor should I have in my car? A 009, like all those stupid
magazines with the bikini chicks say? Once I get this figured out I can
attend to my emissions woes and then my rust anguish.

I love my car; help me make it proud to still be around.

Mike





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