Itinerant Air-Cooled

So, aircooledchris has leant me a 205P distributor to try in my CA-spec 1979 Bus, which as standard has the Hall sensor distributor, which is also dual vacuum, whereas the 205P appears to be a single vacuum.

I've got this 'How To' from aircooled.net for fitting the distributor.

So, this means the removal of the ignition module and it's wiring, along with the Hall sensor distributor, and then presumably re-routing of the vacuum lines to match the appropriate single vacuum setup?

Looking at the 1977-78 wiring diagram, the green wire from the distributor goes to 1 on the coil (Bosch blue to replace the CA-specific one), and, naturally, the ignition wire from center of coil to center of distributor cap. Is that it, or am I missing something? The CA-spec ignition module has six wires, including one (black) to the double relay, green to coil, brown to ground and three to the distributor.



Where N is the coil and O is the distributor

Is this the appropriate vacuum line diagram (taken from Ratwell)?

Why are you changing out the stock 79 distributor?

The 205P would want a Bosch blue coil also, not the CA one.

Randy in Maine wrote:Why are you changing out the stock 79 distributor?

The 205P would want a Bosch blue coil also, not the CA one.

Because the engine isn't starting, and I've had trouble for a number of months to get it started. Yes, I have a Bosch blue coil to fit. This is to see if the engine will then start and run without the CA-specific stuff, just to troubleshoot beyond what I can do with the stock stuff in place. If the 205P doesn't work, then there's another issue.

Colin got it to run for around 10 miles or so, then we stopped the engine and it wouldn't re-start. The Bentley troubleshooting test offered an ignition module issue as a possible cause, but then goes on to say replace stuff. I changed the module to a new one from Bus Depot and still no start.

rallybug wrote: Is this the appropriate vacuum line diagram (taken from Ratwell)?

Just block off the retard hose and plug in your current advance hose to your new distributor's advance unit.

When you time the engine (yeah, actually running!), pull the hose off and set to 28* @ 3,200 rpm.
Then plug hose back in.
If IDLE IS TOO HIGH, see if the speed screw can bring it down to 950-1,000 rpm. IF NOT, you want a dual advance/retard vacuum unit.
I have one that I can install in the distributor I have, $hould you decide you would like to buy it from me.
Colin

You don't have to remove all of the wiring for the electronic ignition since your just troubleshooting if that's even the cause of the problems currently. As Colin mentioned plug the retard line going from the throttle body to the retard port on the CA distributor, and swap the distributors around.

The one wire from the Fed distributor will go to the blue coil as you mentioned, after which connect the plug wire from the top of the cap to the coil and your ready to set your timing. It'll be 7.5* BTDC now like everyone else when setting it at idle, though as Colin mentioned - set it to 28* at 3,200 RPM (which you should have been doing anyway with your previous distributor.)

Let us know the results of your efforts.

Boy, that 205P distributor was a tight fit in the shaft!

It's in, and we have ignition!

More news tomorrow as I lost the light after dinner.

rallybug wrote: It's in, and we have ignition!
More news tomorrow as I lost the light after dinner.

No fair, making us wait. I have been patiently WAITING since July 7th for that engine to run again after that fateful test drive . . .

Video coming when I get around to climbing out of bed and taking it ....

It was probably the seal around the distributor that made it difficult to install.

It was, Chris - the o-ring was a biatch!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBwZp1vs-80[/youtube]

So, remind me what causes the timing mark to jump around like that, towards the end?

For the vacuum hoses, I've temporarily plugged the green one that comes from the rearward side of the throttle body to, originally, the lower left hand port on the vacuum pot. I think that's the retard....

Well, a quick spin around the block of around a mile or so, and it was bounding - what, in the UK, we call "kangarooing".

Had a thought since, and remembered that we'd detached the cold start valve form the front of the manifold, and yes, it was still unattached.

I suppose that the bounding could be a combination of that and stale gas in the tank?

rallybug wrote:Well, it was "kangarooing".
remembered that we'd detached the cold start valve from the front of the manifold,
I suppose that the bounding could be a combination of that and stale gas in the tank?

A detached *plug* will not affect running (it is only triggered during starter operation).

Stale gas, yes. Check dwell on the points. 28* @ 3,200 rpm timing no hoses. Check all vacuum connections.
Adjust fuel mixture with warm engine. Set to slight uptick when you move wiper counter-clockwise.

Timing light scatter can be plug wire crossfire or excessive crankshaft end play.
ColinCongratulations

Right, as the basic concept proves that it works, I'm putting the original distributor back in so that I can send the borrowed one back to Chris.

I must admit that I loathe distributor cap clamp things, just can't get the little bar stewards back on, so I've taken a break before I throw something at it...

rallybug wrote: I must admit that I loathe distributor cap clamp things, just can't get the little bar stewards back on, so I've taken a break before I throw something at it...

It is a leaf spring. If you press in the middle, it expands so the catch can go over the edge of the cap.
Colin

rallybug wrote:It was, Chris - the o-ring was a biatch!

Glad to see that it runs OK after swapping out the distributor.

You should replace that cracked and beat up fan screen, and put a proper timing gauge in the shopping cart while your at it.

I don't know about the jumping timing light mark, it could be a plug wire thing or just some interference with the light maybe?

When you say the bus was kangaroo'ing - like surging on/off over and over? might be a loose ground wire somewhere, perhaps a bad connection to the TS2 sensor even.