distributor questions

[buckeye1049]

Hi All, I've become concerned that I may have the wrong cap and rotor on my 1969 912.
The casting # on the distributor is 0 231 115 061
JFU4 there is a stamp (050) in the
upper corner above the long number.
I'm using the cap and rotor that came with the car after 20 years of storage and want to make sure I get the correct replacement. Is the cap and rotor the same as for a 009 distributor?

I would appreciate any guidance


Toby Maxwell
1969 Porsche 912
89 Tire shredding Toyota Sienna
07 Mini Cooper R56

[Jaems]

You have a 061 distributor. It will need a 061 or 031 rotor and cap. The 061 is the same as the 031. With the exception that the 061 has the retard vac and the 031 does not. The 031 was the Euro distributor for 69 and the one used in the US for racing.

[buckeye1049]

Thanks Jaems...I always thought mine was a 050 because of the 050 stamp on the housing. Are the cap and rotors different?

[buckeye1049]

Jaems, what do you mean by retard vacuum? Vacuum advance?
I have the vacuum hose connected to a vacuum source on my Dellorto dlra36 carbs. It runs strong on accel but does this weird pop thought the carbs at times nearn and just off idle...I was concerned that it might be a spark issue with the wrong cap and rotor (thats why I posted the first question)....Or that the carbs need rebuild..

[Jaems]

The 061's has cap #1235 522 050 Rotor #1234 332 107 They are both a burnt sienna in color.

The 050 has a black cap.

[WFBowen]

Originally Posted by buckeye1049

Jaems, what do you mean by retard vacuum? Vacuum advance?
I have the vacuum hose connected to a vacuum source on my Dellorto dlra36 carbs. It runs strong on accel but does this weird pop thought the carbs at times nearn and just off idle...I was concerned that it might be a spark issue with the wrong cap and rotor (thats why I posted the first question)....Or that the carbs need rebuild..

Buckeye:
I can't remember if the 061 is, infact a vacuum retard distributor, but here's how they work. The vacuum advance takes its signal from a vacuum source (port) above the throttle plate. The vacuum retard would take its source from below the throttle. As the throttle is closed, vacuum becomes higher below the throttle and the distributor is forced into retarded timing. These setups were mostly used to assure accurate timing at idle to conform to smog regs.
So, if you actually have a vacuum retard cannister hooked to what should be an advance vacuum source, you're getting a momentary surge in timing retard under initial acceleration - really the opposite of the timing advance you'd want in that situation. You can try blocking it off to see if that improves anything. If it does, make sure your mechanical advance in the dist. is free to return to your initial advance setting without hanging-up.
Bosch made all sorts of setups, i.e. vacuum and mechanical advance; mechanical-only advance, vacuum advance and retard with mechanical advance, etc.
Bill

[buckeye1049]

Thanks Bill, Great explanation.

Thank you

Toby

[weilly]

Is the correct distributor for a 1966 912 the 0 21 115 061? Thanks!!!

[Jaems]

That was for the 68 and 69 US delivery models. Unless it has been modified for the earlier cars. The original 66 was the 022. You take the numbers from the last three in the Part numbers. A 031 would be 0231 129 031

[PAT4]

I have a nice complete 061 for sale, if interested