I need an accurate distributor

I had a Pertonix billet “plug and play” distributor on mine and despite all the negative stuff I’ve heard about their quality mine performed well for years.  The rust issues I experienced on last year’s Tour de Smo were the first problem I ever had, and were due to the fact that I live in a steam bath. 

The are different quality 009's on the market...I recently tried one of those $39.95 ones and I couldn't not even find the timing mark off of idle.

Might be a good place to post this.

I was seeing all kinds of spark scatter between idle and about 2500 with a Bosch-style Pertronix, so I replaced it with a Magnaspark II a few months ago, with good results. I can now see the timing mark through the whole range and the engine runs a lot smoother through the transition.

But if you've done some research, you notice that the 'billet' style Pertronix looks almost identical to the Magnaspark, and both look like the MSD unit, too. The Magnaspark is made in China, and I'd guess the others are, also. So, are all three really the same unit with different badges? Does anyone know for sure?

When I was hunting down a spare cap and rotor, CBP told me Pertronix or MSD parts would fit. I guess it's possible the units are mechanically the same (the mechanism that controls the advance) and that each company uses it's own electronic trigger. Or maybe those parts are the same, too.

Anyone know?

Best of luck to you Carlos. Putting the words "distributor" and "accurate" in the same sentence is a nice wish.....

Crankfire is the ONLY accurate solution. Unless you can get one from Glenn Ring, who somehow works some voodoo on them.

@Carlos G

Put a real German 009 in there:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/cl...etail.php?id=2183090

@DannyP 

 So what is involved in a crank fire installation? and what will that setup cost?

That "real" 009 might be a good backup. It's gotta be better than the scatter I'm dealing with now.

Magnaspark-Fixed for good unless you have to have the OEM look. 

Carlos G posted:

@DannyP 

 So what is involved in a crank fire installation? and what will that setup cost?

That "real" 009 might be a good backup. It's gotta be better than the scatter I'm dealing with now.

Pretty basic stuff Carlos.

https://vwspeedshop.com/home.p...;is_https_redirect=Y

I used Megajolt, by Autosport Labs. Brent Picasso is the vendor/inventor. Soldered up my own kit. Easier today to buy it done, they are on version 4, I have version 3. Version 4 is a lot of surface mount components.

Mine cost $160 in 2008 money complete. Sourced my Ford EDIS parts from a junkyard for $60 (VR sensor, throttle position sensor, EDIS brain, coil, toothed wheel, and of course all the pigtails with connectors). Get the rpm limiter to hard cut the spark at whatever rpm you desire.

I did the machining of the pulley and toothed wheel myself, and made my own VR sensor mount. Flawless spark for ten years. NO maintenance. Period.

Over 24,000 views of my install!   https://forum.autosportlabs.com/viewtopic.php?t=1753

DannyP posted:

I used Megajolt, by Autosport Labs. Brent Picasso is the vendor/inventor. Soldered up my own kit. Easier today to buy it done, they are on version 4, I have version 3. Version 4 is a lot of surface mount components.

Mine cost $160 in 2008 money complete. Sourced my Ford EDIS parts from a junkyard for $60 (VR sensor, throttle position sensor, EDIS brain, coil, toothed wheel, and of course all the pigtails with connectors). Get the rpm limiter to hard cut the spark at whatever rpm you desire.

I did the machining of the pulley and toothed wheel myself, and made my own VR sensor mount. Flawless spark for ten years. NO maintenance. Period.

Over 24,000 views of my install!   https://forum.autosportlabs.com/viewtopic.php?t=1753

I second Danny's opinion on the Megajolt system. I've been using one on my Soob conversion for a good number of miles. 

Another method would be to put an electronic module ( I've used Mitsubishi stuff ) in your existing distributor on a new mount plate and fix a four banger reluctor to trigger it where your dizzy cam lobes push on your points right now. Pretty easy to do. Your advance is still controlled by your existing mechanism in the stock distributor. 

Here's a pic of two Mits modules in a larger, Corvair dizzy. We've put two modules 180 degrees apart in a smallish Subaru distributor too, so there's plenty of room for at least one in a VW distributor. 

This guy taught me all I know.............:-)

David, That thing behind him looks like it probably uses a couple of Megajolts, or at least a space modulator.

As much as I like the accuracy of the crank trigger setup, I think it's beyond me electronically speaking. I think I could manage the installation, but getting all that to work is where I'd get lost.

I'm going to do some more reading.  

Carlos G posted:

David, That thing behind him looks like it probably uses a couple of Megajolts, or at least a space modulator.

As much as I like the accuracy of the crank trigger setup, I think it's beyond me electronically speaking. I think I could manage the installation, but getting all that to work is where I'd get lost.

I'm going to do some more reading.  

It's not really all that bad, Carlos. If you get on the Megajolt website and find the correct diagrams you'll see there are a few parts that need wires soldered to them and then you have to get the trigger wheel onto your crank pulley and set a pickup in close proximity to that in the correct orientation to tdc on one cylinder. 

I'm pretty clueless with a computer so I had a buddy set that up for me. It's really a one shot deal. I did mine about 40,000 miles ago and it's pretty much a set it and forget it process. Not much $$$ outlay either. All electronic parts are available new from Ford. Like Danny, I keep spares on board. 

I'm running a John Wilhoit modified 022. It's re-curved and costs about $600 (no core) and cured every problem Whitecloud had when I was running a cast-iron 010.

Jetting problems are often (as Mitch has learned and elaborated on) electrical problems, Wilhoits distributor solved mine. 

That said, I've recently had some problems with lack of power and stumbling over 3K which was traced to a bad condenser and yes, it was a genuine, made in Turkey Bosch. I replaced it with another genuine, made in Turkey Bosch this afternoon and Whitecloud's back to her kick-ass self.

I also ordered another condenser which will be included in the spare-parts box along with points, I think the Turkish warranty is 3 1/2 months.

Will Hesch posted:

 I think the Turkish warranty is 3 1/2 months.

Or when you can't see the delivery camel's butt anymore?

I don't doubt that crankfire ignition is the be-all, end-all, and bee's knees of ignitions, but jeez guys, we're talking a VW engine here.

In 1968, VW sold 420,000 cars in the US. How many of those were converted to crankfire ignition just so they would run right? A stone simple Bosch dizzy got the job done for almost every one.

If you can't hardly get a Bosch clone that works right any more, don't throw out the dizzy with the Bosch water.

A reliably timed spark with a simple dizzy is still possible and I think the best solution for most of us. The Magnaspark is one that has worked for some of us. The Pertronix 'billet' and MSD are probably other good choices. And, if you must have the old-school look, a properly rebuilt Bosch can be reliable, too.

Our engines may be in a slightly hotter state of tune than those 400,000 VW's running around in 1968, but unless you're racing, the advance curves on any of the dizzies mentioned should work just fine for most of us.

You're right, Mitch, a GOOD distributor is totally fine, but they seem to be like hen's teeth these days. 

Then again precise spark is exactly what we need. We are asking 2 to 3 times as much from these motors than VW ever did. It's a little more than "slightly" hotter. So, for me, a distributor is just not good enough.

If you look at either shoptalk or samba, there is even a debate of the merits of sequential versus wasted spark crank-fire ignition. For me, wasted spark is perfect. Hotter spark(50K volts?) due to more dwell time(double the coils, double the dwell). 1/10 of one degree per revolution accuracy. No distributor can approach this.

Danny, I've seen the videos of you tearing it up on the mean streets of Carlisle.

You and Stan and a few others here are into it a lot deeper - or, at least your right foot is - than most of us. If you're fabricating your own go-fast goodies, boring holes for extra plugs, and weird stuff like dry-sumping, you're looking for something out of the car that I ain't. I concede that crankfire may be the only way to reach that Nirvana.

I went for a 2024cc (90.5 x 78.8) instead of a 2110. A 120 Engle cam. 8.5 CR. 40 x 35.5 valves. 1:1 rockers with single springs. Weber 40's. A VS exhaust instead of an A-1. I'm never over 5000 rpm and most of the time stay under 4500. I don't think I need much in the way of spark - just spark that fires when it should.

Me, I just want what Urban Ed might call 'smoove'.

I want a smoove idle. I want smoove when I roll on the power. I want smoove no matter what number the tach is pointing to. Most of the time, my biggest struggle with this car is getting my right seater to relax her death grip on the grab handle on the dash. And smoove helps a lot with that.

Yeah, I spent some bucks on a five-speed gearbox. But, for me, it wasn't a go-fast investment. It makes the car more drivable, more quiet when you want - more smoove.

I do totally get the thrill of pulling everything you can out of these lawnmower engines, though. And I love reading about just how you do that.

Party on, Garth.

MItch, you should coin the word "smoove".  I like it.   Non VW related, my Alfa Giuila GT came from Sambuca(Sicily) with what my Alfa engine guy called a 044 Bosch.  He was really exited about this and he insisted we use it over an electronic one.  He said that it already has a good curve and it's relatively easy to get it recurved if necessary.  He even said he would buy it from me if I insisted on going electronic.  I'll take his advice for now because I wanted to go and be "smoove" 

Marty, you've got to get out of suburbia more. Way out.

Only, don't wear the driving gloves when you do.

Not smoove.

Lol, I'm in Florida, it's too hot for underwear let alone driving gloves.

So what your saying is, your going Rambo? That's cool for a chick in a skirt, but a dude...  My boys need a house.

WHO THE HELL GOES TO FLORIDA IN FRIGGIN AUGUST??????????

Didn't anyone tell ya that it's too friggin HOT there in August?

Like, 'you can't even friggin breathe', hot?  

Like, plot your course to the restaurant by where the shade is, hot?  

Like 'stay the hell inside with the A/C on', hot?

People in "The South", like in Florida and where Lane lives (and I'm seriously beginning to question Lane's reasons for still being there) will always 'Bug Out' to the cooler mountains from June to the end of September, if they can still afford it.  Why?  Why the hell do you think?  It's friggin HOT in the South in the Summer.  It was Hot before the Civil War.  It was hotter when Faulkner wrote about it in the 40's and 50's.  It was hotter, still, when Conroy wrote about it in the 90's and it's even hotter NOW and Lane ain't even writing about it!

People PAY to get the hell out of the South in the Summer.  Why would ANYONE pay to GO THERE in August, with, or without, their driving gloves (or underwear)??????????

Next time, GO TO VANCOUVER in August.  See Henry.  Share some great Italian food (it's similar to GRZYNKOWICZ style food, only it's Italian and undoubtedly tastes great).  You guys can share Pizza recipes (I know you have that Pizza oven back near Chi-town.....I bet it's gas-fired, too).

Florida in August?  Why?  To escape the crowds of Geriatrics?  

They're there ALL YEAR LONG! 

Carlos G posted:

So what your saying is, your going Rambo? That's cool for a chick in a skirt, but a dude...  My boys need a house.

I shoot in competitions monthly while wearing a kilt. There's a certain freedom to it that's hard to explain, you need to experience it to know. LOL

I guess looking for ticks would be easier.

Gordon, had to check on a few things.   It was only 100 with the heat index.  Everyone back in Chicago said today was brutuly hot and humid.  At least we got an ocean breeze and we're able to use the pool and a little beach time too.  We are out of here in a few days because Chicago's prime season is just around the corner.  

Robert M posted:

Carlos G posted:

So what your saying is, your going Rambo? That's cool for a chick in a skirt, but a dude...  My boys need a house.

I shoot in competitions monthly while wearing a kilt. There's a certain freedom to it that's hard to explain, you need to experience it to know. LOL

Kilt

"...and I'm seriously beginning to question Lane's reasons for still being there"

It's simple, Gordon: employment.  Changing jobs is not something I want to do again, and I want my next move to be where we retire, probably in the mountains.  But yeah, the heat is getting to us.  My yard, particularly the flower beds, looks like utter crap because I'm not working on them in this heat.  I'm too cheap to hire someone, but that may change soon.

I’d like to thank everyone for the turn this thread took. Ticks and kilts, and Marty getting confused regarding when to visit FL. 

Perfect. 

Retired and live in FL all year round.  I did buy some of that new Jockey "cool" nylon underwear --- but it makes me look like a bicyclist!  (Hard to keep those ABs with all the fried food in FL.)

Last July we went to Alaska - 79 F when we landed in Fairbanks.  Ironically it got a little cooler as we went South.  This year Norway - north to 71 degrees Longitude (NW FL is 30) ending up in London where it was 97 F for 4 days .  They quote it in centigrade so 36 C sounds like it is cooler but it is not.  AC is not in England's vocab.  Hotel window opened 2" at top.  After 4 days went to Ireland - where the roads are melting due to heat (was mid 70's).  Their answer: apply top coating of gravel - they have beaucoup gravel.

Was good to get home - Turn AC down, site under an old Live oak tree, feel breeze off Gulf, and sip Bombay gin and tonic.

RANT - For some reason, UK shows distances as miles but sells gas by the liter and beer by the pint.  Money confusingly is the pound but called Quid or Bob (yet Queen is on coin).  They like to phase out old money every few years so it becomes worthless - US ought to try that!  I got a gold pound coin in change - no one would take it. (I threw it in tip jar on tour).  They said it was "phased out" in Oct due to counterfeiting and replace by a gold and silver pound coin.  

WOLFGANG posted:

Retired and live in FL all year round.  I did buy some of that new Jockey "cool" nylon underwear --- but it makes me look like a bicyclist!  (Hard to keep those ABs with all the fried food in FL.)

Last July we went to Alaska - 79 F when we landed in Fairbanks.  Ironically it got a little cooler as we went South.  This year Norway - north to 71 degrees Longitude (NW FL is 30) ending up in London where it was 97 F for 4 days .  They quote it in centigrade so 36 C sounds like it is cooler but it is not.  AC is not in England's vocab.  Hotel window opened 2" at top.  After 4 days went to Ireland - where the roads are melting due to heat (was mid 70's).  Their answer: apply top coating of gravel - they have beaucoup gravel.

Was good to get home - Turn AC down, site under an old Live oak tree, feel breeze off Gulf, and sip Bombay gin and tonic.

RANT - For some reason, UK shows distances as miles but sells gas by the liter and beer by the pint.  Money confusingly is the pound but called Quid or Bob (yet Queen is on coin).  They like to phase out old money every few years so it becomes worthless - US ought to try that!  I got a gold pound coin in change - no one would take it. (I threw it in tip jar on tour).  They said it was "phased out" in Oct due to counterfeiting and replace by a gold and silver pound coin.  

My wife and kids are in the UK right now, England/Scotland and then Ireland. They've been having an extremely hot Summer and little A/C over there. I hear they better get used to it

Sounds like a business opportunity for HVAC guys? Stan, want to open an air conditioning business in England?

https://www.theonion.com/love-on-a-budget-1827542914

Don't like Florida in August? You may be going to the wrong part.

Yeah, it's hot in the Panhandle, but nothing like Miami and the Keys.

Most of the tourists are gone now and we get this great place mostly to ourselves, and for the next couple of months before the Snow Birds show up. But, there are less of them and they tend to be better drivers and more congenial then the summer tourists.

They also eat dinner earlier and are off the roads shortly after dark.

Good time to be a geriatric specialist.

Another month and it will be prime Speedy driving season, all y'all!

("all y'all" is the more inclusive form of "y'all" and is often heard being used by servers of groups of six or more at local eateries, as in: "All y'all want ice waters?".)

Panhandle Bob posted:

Sounds like a business opportunity for HVAC guys? Stan, want to open an air conditioning business in England?

UK Hotel claimed that it was last this hot in 1976 so not sure they'd invest heavily.  Dyson is making a killing on fans.  I think a business selling and installing ceiling fans would make a fortune.  I did not see one ceiling fan in UK.

And I was going to ask about plugs too...………..

Sounds kinda risky, Carlos.

Carlos:  Bosch W8AP version. 

You’ll thank me later.

Gordon Nichols posted:

Carlos:  Bosch W8AP version. 

You’ll thank me later.

The W8AP has 14mm, 1/2” reach threads Not very many ported heads use these any more.

Almost everything is 12mm, 3/4” reach now. 

I'm running the D7EA. They're 12mm, 3/4".

These are what was in it when it was born at Competition Engineering, so I kept on using the same.