Date:         Fri, 15 Sep 1995 17:35:43 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Gentry <dennis@cpac.washington.edu>
Subject:      Correct timing for a '72 bus

Hi,

I have a '72 bus with 220K miles that had been running OK (not
great) and is due for a rebuild, but I'm trying to limp on
through windsurfing season before I take it out of commission
for the rebuild (which will probably take me quite a while).

I stuck a new 009 distributor in it, and it works OK around
town, except that it backfires fairly often, and misses at
speeds over 60 or so.  With the previous distributor, I could
happily cruise at 65-75+.  My editions of Muir say just that the
vacuum advance distributor is bogus (thus my switch to the 009),
but don't give a timing setting for the mechanical advance distrib.

Do any of you know the correct (or even a better) timing setting
for my configuration?  The one for the vacuum advance
distributor doesn't seem so good.  Do you know how to determine
a good setting?  My guess was that the backfiring indicates too
little advance or too much dwell, so I advanced it a couple of
degrees, which isn't causing knocking or overheating, but isn't
helping much either.

The other possibly relevant info is that it's engine code CB,
has a single Weber carb (installed by PO), and a fine Mexican
not-too-muffling muffler.

Thanks,
Dennis