Itinerant Air-Cooled

http://youtu.be/JMFSs72UqMI?hd=1

I picked this up a little while back, and managed to get it working recently. I have found a few limited pictures of them here and there online, but very very little information on how they actually work. During lunch today I took a quick video showing it running, just for giggles and squirts.

Pardon my ignorance about setting timing with those fancy advance timing light guns. I have a cheapo timing light that I use to just set the timing to 28* of max advance at WOT with the vacuum line disconnected and plugged. When you set those advance timing lights to 28*, what are you then hoping to see exactly? TDC? The vacuum line wasn't pulled/plugged in the video so it jumps to probably 30* ATDC when I checked it with the VAG's timing light setup the way I display in the video.

Anyway im looking forward to learning more about how it works and playing with it.

Essential tool? certainly not. Cool? yes.

The inside was a disaster, but it cleaned up really really well. To give you an idea, there was an automotive headlight switch (with dimmer) zip tied to something else on the inside of the body. Some terrible attempt at restoring the TDC sensor functionality I believe. Mostly it just needed its screwed tightened, a little canned air to blow out the spiders and crap, and a lot of elbow grease.

airkooledchris wrote:When you set those advance timing lights to 28*, what are you then hoping to see exactly? TDC?

Yes. Works very well with Beetles that do not have a scale. The only reference you have is TDC notch and crankcase, so you dial in the the degrees you want and it fires the light than many degrees late.

The VAG is supposed to be pretty useful with starting voltage readings, alternator output and does it have a cylinder kill switch that allows you to select which one (for the rpm drop test)?
Colin

I don't believe this unit is capable of displaying starting voltage readings, alternator output or doing an RPM drop test.

you can view the tach and dwell, check timing the 'regular' way and also set the degree's you want it to fire late for advance, and record a dwell value at a specified RPM setting.

there are no manuals posted anywhere (that I can find thus far) so im sure it could do more, and certainly could do even more than this when the TDC sensor was still connected and working. I suppose the BOBD actually has that little connector still in the engine compartment?



mine is long gone, but ive read this unit can check the total advance without using the timing light when you still have the TDC marker/sensor setup.

I know a guy in Canada that can repair the VAG to use the TDC marker again, but without that cable in the bus it wouldn't do me any good.

Yes.



Geeze, forget about doing a Google search. It gets gynecological pretty quick.
Colin

Scott at GermanSupply.com supposedly has some NOS ones, so I might still be able to hook it up.



Does the installation of this cable require engine removal? I still can't quite work out what the other end of this cable looks like.
I know there is a bit that goes into the case over by cyl #1, but is that just the end of that cable and that's it, or is there something on the other side of that hole in the case as well, that helps with the signal?

That picture doesn't look *exactly* the same as the one I have seen before, but maybe there is another piece to it that isn't currently displayed.

The TDC sensor installs from the front of the engine. You'll need to pull the flywheel to get access to the port in the case where the sensor mounts.

But before you go that far, take a peek at the front of the case just below your throttle body. It's possible that you may still have the original sensor in there, but somebody just hacked off the cable. If that's the case, then you might be able to excavate into the sensor body and solder on your own wires.

I did just that, and I recently cut the connector off of a junkyard find, with the intention of marrying the connector to my home-brew wiring. I'll gladly send you the connector, though, since you're a lot closer to being able to use it than I am.

Ratwell has a writeup on his VAG 1367 here. He can probably help you with sourcing manuals and such.

Nice score.

So a minor thread revival:

My TDC sensor is intact, no cord cut, etc. Of course a VAG 1367 isn't exactly a popular item at the swap meet. So assuming I have the ability to solder and not injure myself, is there any way that I can make use of the data that the sensor can provide without mugging someone for their VAG1367?

M

webwalker wrote:So a minor thread revival:

My TDC sensor is intact, no cord cut, etc. Of course a VAG 1367 isn't exactly a popular item at the swap meet. So assuming I have the ability to solder and not injure myself, is there any way that I can make use of the data that the sensor can provide without mugging someone for their VAG1367?

M

I personally find it to be not useful enough. I play with the timing in ham-handed ways, and my engines seem to enjoy life famously regardless.
Colin