Date:         Thu, 4 Jul 1996 03:20:18 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         vdubluv@age.net (Ron & Nat Carscadden)
Subject:      '74 carburation expertise required

I have recently installed a rebuilt 1700 angine in our '74 Westy.  I have
replaced the vacuum distributor with a 009 unit and have also installed an
extractor exhaust system, with straight pipes replacing the heater boxes.
That's the background.

I decide to rebuild the carbs prior to running any distance, to be nice to
the rebuilt engine and all.  So I tore down the carbs and replaced gaskets,
cleaned everything etc.  Then I proceeded to adjust the carbs per the
Bentley manual, with further input from the Idiot book.  I ran into trouble
right away with the Uni-syn I bought in that I can't get the little red
ball to move at all regardless of how I adjust the centre piece in the
guage.  I don't understand this and require help.

I decided to give up on this after trying a few different ideas to get the
guage to work, and moved on to adjusting the idle and mixture.

I followed the steps to adjust the carb in the Bentley book, but the step
including the cut off jets on each carb didn't work out as I thought it
would.

The story goes on and ultimately the engine would idle at a fairly steady
850 rpm but it sounds rough at idle and on acceleration and somtimes pops
at both idle and when the rpms are decreasing.  What I need is some
person(s) who have some experience that they would be willing to share with
me in guiding me through the adjustment procedure and the fine tuning with
jets etc.  I am currently running the stock 137.5 main jet with 175 air
correction jet in each carb.  The Bently book calls for the air correction
jet to be 155 in the 1700 engine.

Some questions:

1) What should be required in terms of jetting with the current set up I
have?  Should I be using a larger main jet? larger air correction jet? or
one smaller and the other larger? to accommodate the increased flow from
the exhaust system?

2) Is there something I'm doing wrong when I use the Uni-Syn?

3) Is there anyone out there who has specific knowledge with these carbs
and setting them up for better performance?

Thanks a lot for whatever help you can provide

Regards,

Ron & Natalie Carscadden
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
'74 VW Westfalia