Need help w/timing a 1835 VW.

[luke]

I don't know alot about VW's and I'm stuck. I have a low hour 1835 in a sandrail. I installed it new a few years ago....

Heres where I'm at, carb. is a new (out of the box, never ran.) Webber Progressive, adjusted at at 1 1/2 turns out. Choke adjusted to "just open"

Got fuel.

Got spark.

#1 hole TDC (Open/close valve, bring degree wheel up to TDC, rotor pointing to #1 plug wire)

Crank it over it tries to fire, but timing seems a little off..

Turn Dist. clock wise, seems worse.

Turn dist. back to starting point, then a little further counter-clockwise, starts (kind of) backfires out exhaust and dies.

I've tried fine tuning the timing, small adjustments at a time and can't dial it in!

Could it be possible that the timming gears have slipped somehow? Never been inside one of these so I don't know the liklyhood of this happening. Is there a way to check this without tearing it apart? Any other suggestions?

[ShooterJM]

Is the engine pre 71? What degree is the timing at? 7.5?

[luke]

Not sure what year.

After starting at TDC, I've tried changing the timing a degree or two at a time and can't get it dialed in.
(Not sure what degree)

[ShooterJM]

hmmm well I don't know a ton about vw's but I'm talking to my roommate here and we're trying to figure this out. Is the oil cooler external or in the blower housing?

Do you have a static timing light?

EDIT: How does your distributer cap look? Dirty points can retard your timing. Plugs ok? Float in the carb ok?

[luke]

Oil cooler is external. (odd question) Trying to figure out the year?

Do you have a static timing light?
Yes

Cap is new/clean (new distributor), new points, plugs new/clean.

Didn't check float, really didn't think about it because it's new....

Valves are adjusted also....

Everthing is adjusted to specs, been checked so many times I'm about to give up!

[ShooterJM]

yeah trying to figure out the year. If it was internal then you had a pre 71 engine. Since it's external you have a post 71. the 3rd firing point had a 4 degree timing retard on it, if it was in backwards you'd be having timing problems when everything looked fine. But that's not an issue.

hmmm. I can't think of anything man. Oooh. do you have a Double vacuum or single vacuum advance and are the hoses hooked up right?

(sorry trying to think of ANYTHING at this point)

[luke]

Now that I think about it the oil cooler is aftermarket, so it could be a pre 71.

I have a single vaccume advance hose.

I'm signing off till tomorrow morning, Thanks

[hitech]

Re: Need help w/timing a 1835 VW.

Originally posted by luke

#1 hole TDC (Open/close valve, bring degree wheel up to TDC, rotor pointing to #1 plug wire)

I'm not sure if this is the problem, but...

If the valves are in the rock position (both intake and exhaust opening/closing) then you are 180 degrees out. The companion cylinder is at TDC on the fire stroke. You should have BOTH valves CLOSED when the spark plug fires. If you are too far retarded it will backfire in the exhaust, to far advanced it will backfire through the intake. When it is 180 degree out of time it may do either or both.

[luke]

My bad!
Should have said, open/close #1 intake valve , then brought it up to TDC.

After work I timed it to 7 to 8 degrees, locked down the distrubutor and started messing with the carb. Now, I beleve the problem is the carb adjustiment and not the timing. I got rid of most of the back fire but it's still not dialed in.

[hitech]

Well, the standard way to adjust OLD AMERICAN carbs is to back out the idle screw 2 1/2 turns. Start the engine and turn the idle screw in until the engine drops 50 rpm. Then back it out 1/2 turn. I have NO idea if that will work for a webber. Maybe try looking up webber adjustments on the internet?

Good luck.

Added: maybe this will help:

http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~lloyd/tildeLand-Rover/LRO/carby.webber.html

[ShooterJM]

Hmmm at 7.5 it should run like a champ. Good luck man!