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Car Forum / Volkswagen / Air Cooled Volkswagen Cars / May 2008

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6V distributor

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bug '59 - 29 Apr 2008 20:23 GMT
Hi guys,

Last sunday i had the idea to take the '59 for a trip.
I't started very hard and even had to push start it...
Anyway, finally it started, did drive for about 30 min.when suddenly it
died. (For a full terras, no fun!)
After pushstarting it again the engine reved strangely sluggish and the
distributor was really hot (as was everything else, so i think timing is
off)
When i tried to see if the distributor wasn't loose i got a faint but
noticeble shock.
Could this be a bad insulation of something? Condensor?

Also, can i time a 6V distributor with a timinglight?

Thanks in advance
Roger
Jan Andersson - 29 Apr 2008 20:48 GMT
> Hi guys,
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> Thanks in advance
> Roger

First tighten the distributor clamp nut, behind the distributor, near
the intake manifold. It should be a 13mm nut. (wrench size that is).
That's the main Ground for the distributor.

If the distributor clamp is loose around the distributor itself, you
need to tighten that too to provide good ground. To adjust timing, you
need to loosen it temporarily. Sometimes they get bent and worn, and no
longer clamp tightly, even when you feel the nut is tight. You can
modify the clamp to gain more 'tightening', I'm sure you can figure out
which part to file material off of.

You can use a 12V strobe timing light if you power it from an extra 12V
car battery.
bug '59 - 29 Apr 2008 21:42 GMT
>> Hi guys,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> You can use a 12V strobe timing light if you power it from an extra 12V
> car battery.

Hi Jan,

thanks for the reply.
I will check the clamp for bad ground first thing tomorrow.
The distributor itself is not loose.. (the clamb nut behind the distributor)
I remembered trying to eyeball the timing a while back, the shock was not so
faint...  dang!
bug '59 - 30 Apr 2008 10:39 GMT
>>> Hi guys,
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
> I remembered trying to eyeball the timing a while back, the shock was not
> so faint...  dang!

Today i went to check on the distributor. All tight.
The engine is sweating a lot, so that might enhance the ground?
I also noticed that the wire from the condenser goes straight to the
negative side of the Coil. On my  1300 engine from the '73 the wire goes
from the condensor to the back of the distributor to the (positive side?)
coil. Does it mean that the condensor of the '59 is faultly connected? Or
did they change during the years?

TIA
Roger
Jan Andersson - 30 Apr 2008 11:38 GMT
>>>> Hi guys,
>>>>
[quoted text clipped - 46 lines]
> TIA
> Roger

No change. The wire from the distributor always goes to the negative
side of the coil, no exception.

You can connect the coil the wrong way, positive to negative and
distributor to positive, and the engine should still run.. but not as
good as it should. I haven't tried this, I'm relying on something I read
years ago.
bug '59 - 30 Apr 2008 11:53 GMT
>>>>> Hi guys,
>>>>>
[quoted text clipped - 54 lines]
> as it should. I haven't tried this, I'm relying on something I read years
> ago.

Ok, so it is connected propely to the coil then. But what is the difference
between the other condensor on my '73 with the wire going first into the
back of the distributor before going to the coil and the one on my '59 which
goes directly to the coil?

I don't have a timing light yet (guess i have to buy new next week since
used aren't around lately) But when i have one, how can i cure the
distributor from shocking me silly? I'm told that the distributor is not
suposed to get hot, merely hand warm. Mine is almost burning hot after a
half an hour drive and when flooring the gas  there is a severe
shiver/hessitation. This  could mean bad timing, right?

Thanks again,
Roger
P.J.Berg - 13 May 2008 23:05 GMT
>>>>>> Hi guys,
>>>>>>
[quoted text clipped - 82 lines]
> Thanks again,
> Roger

If your distributor gets excessively hot it could be the oil opening down  
on the shaft does not line up with the oil slot inside the block.
Is it the original distributor? If not does it come from a T1 engine?

First I would check that the plugwire for cylinder #1 is in the right  
location, remove the cap and look for a line/notch on the rim where the  
distributor cap rests.
This line indicates where the plugwire for cylinder #1 goes.
If it is not in this position, rearrange the wires and turn the  
distributor so that the rotor points to the line on the rim of the  
ditributor body with cylinder #1 at t.d.c. with both valves closed.

This should give you a timing result close enough to start the engine and  
use a strobe.
If you want to come even closer initially, you line up the 7,5 degree  
advance mark on the pulley with the parting line of the engine block/case,  
instead of the t.d.c. mark.

Regarding getting an electrical shock touching the distributor with the  
engine running, I am more uncertain.

The wiring of the condenser goes:
Moving part of the points to condenser to negative terminal of the coil.
Some distributors have the condenser mounted inside, some outside, I  
cannot remember which is applicable to the -59 6V distributor.

Make sure the insulation of the condenser wire is not worn and touching  
the distributor body intermittently.

J.

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bug '59 - 18 May 2008 21:23 GMT
> If your distributor gets excessively hot it could be the oil opening down
> on the shaft does not line up with the oil slot inside the block.
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>
> J.

Thanks Jorn,

I know the distributor is mounted correctly, only this year the engine
starts to do so..
I do remember changing the timing, not sure if it was on my '59 or the '73..
Bought myself a timing light so the job can begin, AFTER i check the valves
amd after the rain stops...:o(

Thanks for the heads up,
Roger
john - 19 May 2008 15:12 GMT
>> If your distributor gets excessively hot it could be the oil opening down
>> on the shaft does not line up with the oil slot inside the block.

Is that even possible? Mine has an eccentric locator. It cannot be put in
wrong. The holes alway lines up. But  if it's made in some unscheduled
country, I guess anything is possible.

Aside: Yesterday I got some tractor parts from the farm supply place. Hub
and gear. Supposed to be a press fit. It is not, which makes the drive and
tracted parts idler gears. Made in China.  Seems they "intuit" the parts
rather than engineer them. That's the second major, major fuckup of Chinese
sh.t I've had in three purchases this month. Can't even find USA made parts
around here. Is this what they call a world economy? The least common
denominator: crap?
P.J.Berg - 19 May 2008 18:07 GMT
>>> If your distributor gets excessively hot it could be the oil opening  
>>> down
>>> on the shaft does not line up with the oil slot inside the block.

I am not refering to the drive tang, but an oil hole on the dizzy lining  
up with a slot in the blockhalf.
Thi is how the shaft is lubricated.

J.

> Is that even possible? Mine has an eccentric locator. It cannot be put in
> wrong. The holes alway lines up. But  if it's made in some unscheduled
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> around here. Is this what they call a world economy? The least common
> denominator: crap?

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Jan - 20 May 2008 00:01 GMT
>>> If your distributor gets excessively hot it could be the oil opening down
>>> on the shaft does not line up with the oil slot inside the block.
>
> Is that even possible? Mine has an eccentric locator. It cannot be put in
> wrong. The holes alway lines up. But  if it's made in some unscheduled
> country, I guess anything is possible.

I think the earlier type shaft had the eccentric cutout in  it, and the
later type could be installed in any position you wanted. I know there
are two designs, both factory items. I have a hunch they changed it
sometime close to the end of the 60's or early 70's

Jan

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