'73 Super Beetle

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Dual Port
Posts: 1305
Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2010 10:06 am

'73 Super Beetle

Post by Dual Port »

Mick from Euclid Foreign Car brought his 73 SB in saying it hesitates badly just off idle. This SOB was just about undriveable at light throttle, I don't know how he put up with it so long. I thought for sure the accelerator pump was gone but it was fine! (new aftermarket 34PICT)Image

Without scrolling down, can you identify what's wrong with this picture?

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1. Hot air tube missing.
2. Hot air control vacuum hoses missing.
3. Bosch 009 with no vacuum advance. (Yech!)

Image

Basic tune-up, verify TDC using the piston stop tool. There was a TDC mark on this pulley but who would have known which one it was without using the tool. I marked TDC and 30 very clearly for setting the timing.

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009 is gone, replaced by a vacuum/centrifugal dist. Vacuum advance hoses and proper steel "loop" tube. This prevents fuel vapors from settling in the can and rotting the diaphragm out. All new ignition except plug wires. Hot air tube, vacuum hoses to control the flapper, and amazingly the little thermostat and flapper worked properly. Adjusted the brakes (out by a mile), installed a speedo cable so he knows how slow he's going, lubed his shifter bushing which was starting to seize up, and set his tire pressures correctly. I cleaned and checked the choke, checked tranny fluid, capped cold (dirty) air inlet on air cleaner and other stuff.

The difference in how this car ran was like night and day- hesitation gone, more power, probably a lot better MPG, mostly from getting rid of the Bosch 009 and going to a dual advance dist. He was happy.

:D
Bruce Amacker
'66 Deluxe Bus
'65 Standard Bus
John
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Joined: Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:02 pm

Re: '73 Super Beetle

Post by John »

Never asked for a motorcycle...
Mopar's Rock...
TRL
Posts: 612
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:59 pm

Re: '73 Super Beetle

Post by TRL »

Totally that distrubtor. Learned that one the hard way a few years back.
The Rick Lang
User avatar
Dual Port
Posts: 1305
Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2010 10:06 am

Re: '73 Super Beetle

Post by Dual Port »

Mostly the distributor as the timing didn't advance until over 1200rpm with the 009. With vac advance, as soon as you crack the throttle it advances the timing several degrees to cover the flat spot.

But- don't discount the cold air in the carb. Carbureted cars don't like that, especially ACVW's because they don't have engine heat under the carb like most V6/V8s do. Big Detroit vehicles in the '70's and '80's had a heat stove on the exhaust manifold that heated intake air, this commonly rotted off causing a big hesitation. I applied this to VWs right away and made a lot of people happy. ACVWs need it even more because they don't have ambient engine heat under the carb like a V8 does.
Bruce Amacker
'66 Deluxe Bus
'65 Standard Bus
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