Date:         Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:39:10 -0600
Reply-To:     OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Timing
Comments: To: Gene P <olgreywoof@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <5f5ac5b8.1c69fb81.9535c.0fad@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252

        It has been My understanding for Many Years that the General Rule Of Thumb

for Eng' Ing' Timing Advance is that what ever is specified should be Increased by 

1 - 1.5º Per Thousand Ft of Altitude @ which the Eng' Resides ~ So @ 7K ft AMSL

You should be setting Your 2.1L H2OBoxrs Timing @ Somewhere in the range of

12 - 15º ~ That Tab that You mention is Roughly 5º so You can use it as a guide 

to estimate 7 - 10º beyond it or using the Prescribed 2In = 35º You could make a

mark on the Pulley @ 2.5In from the 5º V Groove & that should be good to use @

Full Advance RPMs ~

        All that being said,, Setting Your Timing @ 5º when it should maybe be set

@ 15º shouldn't make it Idle Badly, it should only make it respond to throttle +s

sluggishly ~ 

        There is Another Factor that is important to Note ~ Your Physical Altitude may

be 7000 AMSL but depending on Atmospheric Conditions Your Density Altitude this

time of Year may very well be a Great Deal Higher Than That ~

   
 
On 10 Sep , 2020, at 6:32 PM, Gene P wrote:

> Hey folks, thought the serious work was done, but can’t get ‘er tuned.
> 87 Wolfsburg 2.1 with 160K.  No issues before elective Covid summer projects.  Yesterday was first fire-up after replacing cooling system (everything) and pulling dash and disturbing everything there. It started easily, clattered horribly as expected but lifters pumped up and it ran fine.  Lights and all instrumentation good.  The distributor had been out and o-ring replaced while doing water pump.
> 
> At first timing check while idling well, found it was way advanced, maybe 15 degrees.  Tried to time the easy way - at idle without disconnecting anything - will not accept timing mark at case split.  It will barely idle and dies with any attempt at throttle.
> 
> Tried at idle, disconnect temp sensor, raise speed, if set at case split, acts the same on return to idle - weak idle, won't accept throttle.  To keep it running happily, it wants to be set maybe another 5 degrees advanced - with the timing mark left of the split, almost to the left edge of the tab that sticks up.
> 
> I am just over 7,000 foot elevation, but thought I'd always had it set normally anyway.  I have considered that it’s just peeved at me for not running it all summer.
> 
> Thoughts?