Date:         Tue, 2 May 2000 02:21:41 +0200
Reply-To:     Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
Subject:      Re: WAS Re: Bottom end reassembly?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

You are totally correct, the position of the shaft was for the vacuum that
needed it's place to live too. I admit, I havent been worknig much on the
Vanagon, but on my 73 Squareback the position of the distributor is very
crucial. If the shaft is dislocated by even one tooth, the distributor has no
room to live. BTDT, and it IS a pita to pull the shaft when the engine is
assembled.

PerL
87 SYcro 112i



Max/Joyce Wellhouse wrote:

> I'm opening myself up for a bunch of "wow is this guy stupid or what" but
> let me give you the chance!!  I have always been under the impression that
> the position of the distributor drive gear wasn't all that critical as far
> as the engine's performance was concerned, but rather on the older
> air-cooled engines(and Vanagon 80-83) the placement of the offset on the
> drive gear only mattered as to getting clearance for the vacuum advance unit
> to turn without restriction against other engine components.  As long as the
> #1 firing notch on the rim of the distributor was aligned at the proper
> angle to the offset of the drive gear(assuming there's space/clearance for
> the vacuum advance unit to turn to set timing) when the engine is at TDC on
> the #1 cylinder,  does it really make any difference?   Yes the wire harness
> for the Hall sender may not reach if it were somewhere other than the
> factory location, but fretting over exact placement seems like needless
> stress to me.
>
> I  await your comments.
>
> Dimwitted Moose and Flying Squirrel
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Date: Thursday, April 27, 2000 3:49 PM
> Subject: Re: WAS Re: Bottom end reassembly?
>
> >How was this done again? Oh yes, here it is. It is quite obvious where the
> TDC
> >for cyl #1 is, when you are holding the crank in your hands! just hold the
> crank
> >with your left hand, and pull the #1 con rod in the cylinders direction,
> right?
> >Then lift the rear end of the crank carefully to disengage the teeth on the
> >gears, so you can turn the dizzy shaft to it's proper position. The reason
> to do
> >this before the crank case is bolted together, is that when the shaft is
> >dislocated, it takes several ties to relocate it in it's hole, and if you
> don't
> >have the tool to lift it up, it is not much fun to do either. BTDT.
> >
> >Hope this helps,
> >PerL
> >
> >
> >
> >Sean Garrett wrote:
> >
> >> Hmmm... can you elaborate? For instance I am confused about how to tell
> top
> >> dead center if you dont have your pistons in? Don't you have to put
> cylinder
> >> #1 at TDC and then line up the distributor drive shaft (with it connected
> to
> >> the distributor) in the slot looking down from the fan side of the
> engine?
> >>
> >> Do you use the cam shaft or crankshaft to eyeball TDC?
> >>
> >> Thanks in advance