Ideal dwell angle

[hambone]

Science VS my insane ravings? You must be crazy.

[ruckman101]

I put pertronix into Bertha at one point. Shortly after my coil failed. Not long after that I cooked the pertronix hooking it up backwards. Went back to points. The rider blocks kept snapping off until I started using a touch of lube.


neal

[Amskeptic]

I put pertronix into Bertha at one point. Shortly after my coil failed. Not long after that I cooked the pertronix hooking it up backwards. Went back to points. The rider blocks kept snapping off until I started using a touch of lube.
neal

I have been howling for years about using Valvoline Durablend molybdenum-fortified semi-synthetic grease on the rubbing block. Then you get thousands upon thousands of happy trouble-free joyful driving. If you don't, your life unravels into recriminations, breakdowns, firings, marital strife, it is really rough.
Colin

[sgkent]

I put pertronix into Bertha at one point. Shortly after my coil failed. Not long after that I cooked the pertronix hooking it up backwards. Went back to points. The rider blocks kept snapping off until I started using a touch of lube.
neal

I have been howling for years about using Valvoline Durablend molybdenum-fortified semi-synthetic grease on the rubbing block. Then you get thousands upon thousands of happy trouble-free joyful driving. If you don't, your life unravels into recriminations, breakdowns, firings, marital strife, it is really rough.
Colin

Don't forget to add that the family dog, always faithful, will shake his head, and walk away from you. You may find him frequenting other households that have VW buses simply because he no longer trusts your judgement.

[ruckman101]

I survived the strife lessons taught brought upon me. But since it's been a spell, and often I can be remiss, gonna buffer my insurance and relube that rider path anon.

Woof.

Hey, even see if my dwell has changed since our run to Maupin.


neal

[ktk833]

neal - the amount of energy the coil can pickup and release is finite. It diminishes with RPM. As the RPM gets higher the actual time the points are closed is less and less. The same is true of the time that the energy comes back out of the coil. That is why modern engines use coil packs, one for each cylinder. It helps with the time issue because 1 coil is being split 1 time instead of 4, 6 or 8 which reduces the chance of saturation. FWIW the electricity and magnetism work at the same speed flowing in as flowing out (generally considered to be the speed of light - electro magnetism other than resistance in the circuit). If they didn't flow the same in both ways it would change the law of physics re conservation of energy. Some physicist will probably prove me wrong with some quantum theory but that is the general idea. In fact someone will probably explain that in quantum physics the points are both closed and open at the same time in parallel universes.

Is there any one whose ever considered and successfully installed coil packs on the VW aircooled engine?
I would consider such... but if given more understanding on what triggers the pulse for the coilpack to fire...

[Amskeptic]

neal - the amount of energy the coil can pickup and release is finite. It diminishes with RPM. As the RPM gets higher the actual time the points are closed is less and less. The same is true of the time that the energy comes back out of the coil. That is why modern engines use coil packs, one for each cylinder. It helps with the time issue because 1 coil is being split 1 time instead of 4, 6 or 8 which reduces the chance of saturation. FWIW the electricity and magnetism work at the same speed flowing in as flowing out (generally considered to be the speed of light - electro magnetism other than resistance in the circuit). If they didn't flow the same in both ways it would change the law of physics re conservation of energy. Some physicist will probably prove me wrong with some quantum theory but that is the general idea. In fact someone will probably explain that in quantum physics the points are both closed and open at the same time in parallel universes.

Is there any one whose ever considered and successfully installed coil packs on the VW aircooled engine?
I would consider such... but if given more understanding on what triggers the pulse for the coilpack to fire...

I am in love with my trusty breaker points and condensor. Only recently, did I discover that I haven't even pulled the points since March of 2017, and I have been around the country twice since then. And I forgot AGAIN to even look at them when I decarbonized the heads last week.
Points will never strand you dead. Coil packs can. They are triggered by a cam position sensor. That can strand you dead.
Colin
Colin

[ktk833]

neal - the amount of energy the coil can pickup and release is finite. It diminishes with RPM. As the RPM gets higher the actual time the points are closed is less and less. The same is true of the time that the energy comes back out of the coil. That is why modern engines use coil packs, one for each cylinder. It helps with the time issue because 1 coil is being split 1 time instead of 4, 6 or 8 which reduces the chance of saturation. FWIW the electricity and magnetism work at the same speed flowing in as flowing out (generally considered to be the speed of light - electro magnetism other than resistance in the circuit). If they didn't flow the same in both ways it would change the law of physics re conservation of energy. Some physicist will probably prove me wrong with some quantum theory but that is the general idea. In fact someone will probably explain that in quantum physics the points are both closed and open at the same time in parallel universes.

Is there any one whose ever considered and successfully installed coil packs on the VW aircooled engine?
I would consider such... but if given more understanding on what triggers the pulse for the coilpack to fire...

I am in love with my trusty breaker points and condensor. Only recently, did I discover that I haven't even pulled the points since March of 2017, and I have been around the country twice since then. And I forgot AGAIN to even look at them when I decarbonized the heads last week.
Points will never strand you dead. Coil packs can. They are triggered by a cam position sensor. That can strand you dead.
Colin
Colin

I hear you. I agree. The simplicity in the points system gives plenty of confidence...& doesn't take that much to maintain.
Cheers.

[ktk833]

The larger the gap, the smaller the dwell angle number, in degrees. So I like setting my new points to the low end of dwell angle, around 43°. Then, as the points block wears, the gap shrinks and the dwell angle increases; this way I get the most miles per adjustment. I usually reset the points once it gets to 50°, which for my Napa Echlin brand points, is about every 10k miles.

Note that ignition timing will retard itself over the life of the points, so if you set at 43° and wind up at 50° some months later, your timing will be slightly retarded. I think over the last 10k miles, I "lost" about 3° of ignition timing as the points block worse down.

See you at The Lab in July!
Robbie

I need help getting this matter right (distributor timing on my type 4 2lt engine. I feel like a total newbie at it. There's something I'm not getting right...not to add on the carbs as well... which can tell you I am having a hell of a drive on my car.
Kindly guide me on how to time my distributor (original one with dual vacuum) using ignition points.

[Amskeptic]

I need help getting this matter right (distributor timing on my type 4 2lt engine. I feel like a total newbie at it. There's something I'm not getting right...not to add on the carbs as well... which can tell you I am having a hell of a drive on my car.
Kindly guide me on how to time my distributor (original one with dual vacuum) using ignition points.

Sent you an email. I spelled out static timing with a simple test light to get you running. Then you can do the official timing 28* @ 3,400 rpm all hoses off.
Colin

[ktk833]

I need help getting this matter right (distributor timing on my type 4 2lt engine. I feel like a total newbie at it. There's something I'm not getting right...not to add on the carbs as well... which can tell you I am having a hell of a drive on my car.
Kindly guide me on how to time my distributor (original one with dual vacuum) using ignition points.

Sent you an email. I spelled out static timing with a simple test light to get you running. Then you can do the official timing 28* @ 3,400 rpm all hoses off.
Colin

Thanks Colin. Much appreciation.

[Amskeptic]

I need help getting this matter right (distributor timing on my type 4 2lt engine. I feel like a total newbie at it. There's something I'm not getting right...not to add on the carbs as well... which can tell you I am having a hell of a drive on my car.
Kindly guide me on how to time my distributor (original one with dual vacuum) using ignition points.

Sent you an email. I spelled out static timing with a simple test light to get you running. Then you can do the official timing 28* @ 3,400 rpm all hoses off.
Colin

Thanks Colin. Much appreciation.

I look forward to an update.
Colin