Hello everyone,
When I introduced myself I warned all to watch out for annoying/silly questions, so I may as well get the ball rolling. Sorry, I didn't forewarn you all, they'd also be long ones!
Here goes:
We've owned our lovely little bug for all of about 6 weeks, and got to enjoy it for around two weeks before an annoying misfire developed after we'd be driving it for 5-10miles.
The car's fitted with a mid-seventies replacement D series 1200, which appears to have been in there around 14 years now, had a 12V conversion last year, and from what I can tell has been relatively well maintained (mechanically) over the past 20 odd years.
Back to the misfire, it was only ever at higher speeds/gears and intermittent. You could lift off the throttle, reapply, and kind of momentarily 'judder' through it. After a couple of minutes of this repertoire it would clear, but then return a number of minutes later. The further you drove the more frequently it would return.
In an effort to chase this down, and lacking definitive knowledge of the specifics of the dizzy etc. (it looks like a cheaper 009 - modern, minimal markings/stampings, but relatively new) I proceeded to change the following:
Points (gapped to 0.4mm)
Condensor
Rotor Arm
Cap
Leads
Plugs (gapped to 0.6mm
(Oil, strainer, etc., additionally, but don't I think those bits aren't overly relevant to the topic)
On the assumption it is a generic 009.
Timing wise, I read and appreciate that total advance is more important than static timing. But, only having a basic timing light (doesn't have the function to set target advance and time to TDC) I just checked/set it statically to 7˚BTDC.
Feeling hesitantly hopeful we went out for a spin, no benefit, it would start on the button from cold etc. but same misfire, same characteristics, and FYI we only fill it with either VPower or the Esso equivalent. Ol plugs looked great btw when they came out. Yep, all leads fully homed, and as good a quality parts as I could buy.
So, back to the drawing board and more reading around. Ah the coil, I didn't do that - twot! And obviously there's also the good insights around the web that "just because something's new doesn't necessarily mean it's in good order" - condensers etc. So, f-it, I took the plunge and ordered a Pertronix Ignitor & Flamethrower coil, bit of an overkill for a 1200 maybe?
I was also starting to question the fuel side of the equation, on the assumption, there's not much else on the ignition...
The ol thing's got/had a rather tired looking 28PICT1, the throttle return was shite, and the choke element feeling like it had way too much 'rotational slope', and (the worse bit) one of the choke securing bolt holes was stripped of thread. So, probably too hastily, I ordered an aftermarket PICT30/31 type carburettor.
And, this is where I'm finally (starting to) getting to my point, and the bit I'm now needing some help with. I did a 'pull the trigger' order on this. I had been communicating with a local (great reviews) 'VW workshop', about possibly getting it in to the guy if the pertronix bits and carb didn't resolve the issue. I had it penciled in with him, had ordered the pertronix parts, but not the carb. I was on the last day of a holiday with my wife, checked out the hotel, sitting in the foyer, and the good lady was waiting for us to embark on our last day out before heading home. So, after a good search around all the normal interweb providers, and seeing, 'Not Available', or 'On Back Order',... I pulled the trigger on one from CSP:
www.csp-shop.com
Anyway, the Pertronix bits arrived first and were fitted. Test drive, hey presto misfire solved! BUT, timing wise it was a nightmare, I could either get it to 'start on the button', run relatively smoothly, but not tick over at all, and Idle adjustments on the carb had no beneficial impact on this. Or be an absolutely so and so to start, but tick over ok and still run quite smooth. Timing-choke combination setting minor tweaks to get this.
Either way, we could drive and drive and drive again, and no misfires. But it kind of always felt like you were driving through treacle. FYI, I settled for pain to start, but tick over at stops etc. Work around, choke being over advanced was to (when starting it) notch the choke back a couple of steps on the carb throttle cam, and no throttle. Turn the key, let it splutter to life, then feather the throttle for the first 30 or so.
Anyway the carb eventually turned up. On it went.
Out for a test drive, and holy smoke, everything was as above, same start up characteristics etc., but 'perky...' Horaay. No feeling of driving through treacle.
So, as it still had the starting issues (again, with the new carb managed by over advancing the choke). Was hopeful I could take it to the guy (VW workshop I mentioned), he could set the choke correctly, do a better job of dialling the timing in than me, and the chase out any problem that may then become evident.
I now have it back. Yep, starts great, ticks over great, kind of runs ok, but now again feels like you're driving through treacle, and now has an annoying intermittent carb like misfire. Generally under load, look revs, in 2nd/3rd gear, when you put your foot down a bit.
Tons of reading last night (here & Samba etc., and yes I know I pulled the trigger on the carb way too hastily) and one of the obvious first places I should have looked at is jetting the carb correctly. Trouble now is, this carb from CSP has literally zero markings on it. Nothing. So, thinking "well CSP must be a good product, not a cheap foreign thing I want to steer clear of...", and it obviously indicates I might have well got what I didn't want, some kind of less desirable replica
.
I read great posts on here, talking /advising of making sure to install the correct main, idle, air correction, aux jet sizes for various PICT30's (1, 2, 3s), but it seems these vary depending on engine number and carb revision number combinations. I definitely don't have the latter on this carb. So, how best to proceed? I'm up for getting a few different size main jets, say 110 to 125, in steps of 2.5, start at 112.5 and 'walk around' that start point. My concern is, these jets obviously work in combination. So, e.g. I could start with the air correction at 170 and do similar,. But, the thought of mixing through the possible permutations and combinations, and threading a path through that seems a little challenging. I'm concerned I could lead myself up all arrays of 'garden paths', and I'm really not warning to ruin the engine by running it too rich/lean, over heating, screwing valve seats etc. I'm getting to the point of f-it, just go get a really good quality, turn-key, larger capacity engine, but don't really want to go down that route yet. 1. the cost, 2. Seems prematurely defeatist.
Phew, flip-me, I got there. If you're still reading, thank you. One final word I promise, Help!?
Cheers.
When I introduced myself I warned all to watch out for annoying/silly questions, so I may as well get the ball rolling. Sorry, I didn't forewarn you all, they'd also be long ones!
Here goes:
We've owned our lovely little bug for all of about 6 weeks, and got to enjoy it for around two weeks before an annoying misfire developed after we'd be driving it for 5-10miles.
The car's fitted with a mid-seventies replacement D series 1200, which appears to have been in there around 14 years now, had a 12V conversion last year, and from what I can tell has been relatively well maintained (mechanically) over the past 20 odd years.
Back to the misfire, it was only ever at higher speeds/gears and intermittent. You could lift off the throttle, reapply, and kind of momentarily 'judder' through it. After a couple of minutes of this repertoire it would clear, but then return a number of minutes later. The further you drove the more frequently it would return.
In an effort to chase this down, and lacking definitive knowledge of the specifics of the dizzy etc. (it looks like a cheaper 009 - modern, minimal markings/stampings, but relatively new) I proceeded to change the following:
Points (gapped to 0.4mm)
Condensor
Rotor Arm
Cap
Leads
Plugs (gapped to 0.6mm
(Oil, strainer, etc., additionally, but don't I think those bits aren't overly relevant to the topic)
On the assumption it is a generic 009.
Timing wise, I read and appreciate that total advance is more important than static timing. But, only having a basic timing light (doesn't have the function to set target advance and time to TDC) I just checked/set it statically to 7˚BTDC.
Feeling hesitantly hopeful we went out for a spin, no benefit, it would start on the button from cold etc. but same misfire, same characteristics, and FYI we only fill it with either VPower or the Esso equivalent. Ol plugs looked great btw when they came out. Yep, all leads fully homed, and as good a quality parts as I could buy.
So, back to the drawing board and more reading around. Ah the coil, I didn't do that - twot! And obviously there's also the good insights around the web that "just because something's new doesn't necessarily mean it's in good order" - condensers etc. So, f-it, I took the plunge and ordered a Pertronix Ignitor & Flamethrower coil, bit of an overkill for a 1200 maybe?
I was also starting to question the fuel side of the equation, on the assumption, there's not much else on the ignition...
The ol thing's got/had a rather tired looking 28PICT1, the throttle return was shite, and the choke element feeling like it had way too much 'rotational slope', and (the worse bit) one of the choke securing bolt holes was stripped of thread. So, probably too hastily, I ordered an aftermarket PICT30/31 type carburettor.
And, this is where I'm finally (starting to) getting to my point, and the bit I'm now needing some help with. I did a 'pull the trigger' order on this. I had been communicating with a local (great reviews) 'VW workshop', about possibly getting it in to the guy if the pertronix bits and carb didn't resolve the issue. I had it penciled in with him, had ordered the pertronix parts, but not the carb. I was on the last day of a holiday with my wife, checked out the hotel, sitting in the foyer, and the good lady was waiting for us to embark on our last day out before heading home. So, after a good search around all the normal interweb providers, and seeing, 'Not Available', or 'On Back Order',... I pulled the trigger on one from CSP:
Standard Carburetors :: Custom & Speed Parts (CSP)
This carburettor can be used to replace Solex 30 PICT-3 and 31 PICT-3 carburettors.
Anyway, the Pertronix bits arrived first and were fitted. Test drive, hey presto misfire solved! BUT, timing wise it was a nightmare, I could either get it to 'start on the button', run relatively smoothly, but not tick over at all, and Idle adjustments on the carb had no beneficial impact on this. Or be an absolutely so and so to start, but tick over ok and still run quite smooth. Timing-choke combination setting minor tweaks to get this.
Either way, we could drive and drive and drive again, and no misfires. But it kind of always felt like you were driving through treacle. FYI, I settled for pain to start, but tick over at stops etc. Work around, choke being over advanced was to (when starting it) notch the choke back a couple of steps on the carb throttle cam, and no throttle. Turn the key, let it splutter to life, then feather the throttle for the first 30 or so.
Anyway the carb eventually turned up. On it went.
Out for a test drive, and holy smoke, everything was as above, same start up characteristics etc., but 'perky...' Horaay. No feeling of driving through treacle.
So, as it still had the starting issues (again, with the new carb managed by over advancing the choke). Was hopeful I could take it to the guy (VW workshop I mentioned), he could set the choke correctly, do a better job of dialling the timing in than me, and the chase out any problem that may then become evident.
I now have it back. Yep, starts great, ticks over great, kind of runs ok, but now again feels like you're driving through treacle, and now has an annoying intermittent carb like misfire. Generally under load, look revs, in 2nd/3rd gear, when you put your foot down a bit.
Tons of reading last night (here & Samba etc., and yes I know I pulled the trigger on the carb way too hastily) and one of the obvious first places I should have looked at is jetting the carb correctly. Trouble now is, this carb from CSP has literally zero markings on it. Nothing. So, thinking "well CSP must be a good product, not a cheap foreign thing I want to steer clear of...", and it obviously indicates I might have well got what I didn't want, some kind of less desirable replica
.I read great posts on here, talking /advising of making sure to install the correct main, idle, air correction, aux jet sizes for various PICT30's (1, 2, 3s), but it seems these vary depending on engine number and carb revision number combinations. I definitely don't have the latter on this carb. So, how best to proceed? I'm up for getting a few different size main jets, say 110 to 125, in steps of 2.5, start at 112.5 and 'walk around' that start point. My concern is, these jets obviously work in combination. So, e.g. I could start with the air correction at 170 and do similar,. But, the thought of mixing through the possible permutations and combinations, and threading a path through that seems a little challenging. I'm concerned I could lead myself up all arrays of 'garden paths', and I'm really not warning to ruin the engine by running it too rich/lean, over heating, screwing valve seats etc. I'm getting to the point of f-it, just go get a really good quality, turn-key, larger capacity engine, but don't really want to go down that route yet. 1. the cost, 2. Seems prematurely defeatist.
Phew, flip-me, I got there. If you're still reading, thank you. One final word I promise, Help!?
Cheers.
