Replacing an 009 with an 050
 

OK Guys, don't laugh...

I've never changed a distributor before. I currently have an 009 in my 912 and have a shiny new 050 sitting on the bench in front of me. Everyone says that it just "drops in" but will be somehow rotated? Also, I need to have #1 at TDC. Also, I need to move all the plug wires over one place on the cap?

I reviewed ALL the posts on the board relating to this topic, searched the technical articles, and looked at Dave Hillman's site for help. I have the old orange shop manual with removal instructions but you know how that thing is......

Can someone take the time to outline the steps in this upgrade? I think it would be used over and over by idiots like me. I'm itching to get the thing in so please help!

Morrie

050
 

Hey Morrie, If I remember the small slot in the outer rim that the rotor points to is at about the 7 o'clock position instead of the 4 o'clock position of the 031 at TDC. If you pulled the old dist. at TDC with the rotor on the mark the new 050 should "drop right in" with the rotor pointing at the rim mark, ie; 7 o'clock. This is also where the number 1 spark plug wire goes which is 1 position clockwise of the other setting. rotate the rest of the plugs and you're done. Later DG

Hey Morrie

Iwould think you wouldnt change a thing(plug wires or clock position). Your going from 009(vw) to a 050(vw).

GoodLuck
Brett

VW Dist
 

I am not familiar with the 009. Hope I didn't confuse. I was just comparing with what I had, a 031. As long as you've got rotor pointing to dist. case gap and also to #1 plug wire and follow firing order with #1 at TDC everything should work. DG

so... it that the final word? Just make sure #1 is TDC, yank the 009, poke in the 050 and line up the mark on the case with the rotor for #1. How will I know when its seated? Will it kinda lock in?

Morrie

050
 

There's a slot in the bottom of the housing that accepts the tab on the bottom of the Dist. Look down the shaft with a flashlight and you'll see the slot. Good luck DG

yup :D

pretty much anyways - I did the same thing Morrie a few months back, didn't ask first, and STILL managed to get it to work OK.

As far as I can tell, there is only 1 way it can go in and 'lock'. The 2 teeth at the end which fit into the gear are not centered, so you can't accidentally put it in 180 degrees around (I was worried about that). Put a little oil on the dizzy (the shaft) and don't forget the O-ring. You may have to grab both the body and the rotor and rotate them both until it pops in... The groove in the shaft should point towards the right (at 90 degrees - 3 o'clock position)

Once in, just align it with the notch, start 'er up, hook up the timing light and adjust - shouldn't take more than 10 minutes total!

Hi I am in the same boat I had a 031 org disy in and I got a 050 The way in which the end of the disy locks in place is ( called ) a Dog Clutch. (slot) which is what you/ i have. easy as others have said look down the tube . It will slot in no probs if you want to check it take off the o ring and have a trial run. This way you get to slot it in with out any force and you will see it in place note how far down it is and put the ring back on and go for it. You can move the Rotar arm alittle (very little) as it goes this will help slot it in place.

I am not sure about this move the leads round one ? I will have to look in to this myself.

But I took No. 1 plug out and put a plastic kiddies paint brush in the plug hole to check I got the TDC.(don't drop it) looked at the rotor arm and went from there.

It ran fine...

let me know about this move round one plug biz..

M

UKSmileWavy

still looking for a copy of the harry pellow book or vids!!

just make sure the old #1 plug wire goes to the hole which lines up with the rotor, and then switch the others in order...

you'll know if you have them mixed up - it won't start, or it will and you'll have a VERY LOUD BANG when one fires at the wrong time (found that out the hard way after monkeying around too much)

Yep your right. I ,when you know you have TDC with the brush test ( very Hight tec here inthe UK) noted the posistion of the Rotor arm . It should be about 4 o clock on the disy mine was.

Then check the wire to no. 1 is in the right place on the cap. eg where the rotor is pionting. Like you say if it is pionting at 11 oclock then you are 180 out. But then check all the other leads firing order...

I love this site .

I have just done mine and it was all fine. But the next time I ran it it sounded s*&t I think I still have the valves out of place.

I will have to check them again. It ran at about 2000 rpm so I will have to look at other stuff. The throtel sticks badly??

I have a rebuild kit for the pedals and new springs on the carbs any thing else to look for ??

I will post if I have any more probs.

My other half has a speedster running a 912 engine with a 009 it runs great...

M
UK

Its running BUT....
 

Well... Its in, timed, and the car runs but I think I have something wrong still. bear with me while I explain.

I removed the 009 with #1 at TDC. I even pulled the right valve cover to be sure there was a gap on both valves.

I inserted the 050, rotor can only go in one way due to offset of the notches on the shaft. I then aligned the mark in the 050 body with the rotor, static timed it, and then ran it and reset to 5 deg BTDC at idle. Seemed to start easier than in the past but didn't get a chance to take it out.

Here's the funny part. According to everything I have read and seen, it looks to me like its 90 degrees out. The pics below show the rotor position with #1 at TDC and the disty case mark aligned with the rotor.

So.. what did I do wrong THIS time :confused: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/100_0183.jpg

Morrie

Something is not right. 90 out ? Also, I dont see your TDC mark on pulley. The cap. should be on the other side too. You dont have to pull the dist. just spin it around. #1 is at about 7pm.

ITs always something

Brett

sounds strange Morrie...

some pics of mine are to follow

my 009

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/tb009.jpg

and here's the 050

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/t050.jpg

Torque's pics are what I see from everyone else too. As Adot said, i can rotate the distributor body to get the capacitor/wire where it "should" be. But, trust me, where the rotor is pointing in my picture is TDC on #1.

When I got the car, the PO had attempted to get it running by installing the 009. Is it possible that the 009 was installed incorrectly then the PO somehow reset the valves accordingly??? I seriously doubt this is possible... the engine runs less than great though..... Always has. But not disasterously. Any thoughts>>>> is it possible my 050 is put together wrong?

Morrie

Morrie, you mentioned 5 degrees BTDC - are you sure it's not supposed to be ATDC? I just changed mine (for the millionth time), and it's all ATDC. I know mine is a '68 and the 68 and 69 are a few degrees different than the 66's and 67's, but...

ATDC or BTDC isn't going to rotate it that much... I just went on advice from folks like Dave Hillman..... I can reset it to ATDC if needed.

THX,
Morrie

I was thinking more of how well it runs (or doesn't...)

009 and 050
 

Morrie, I haven't gone this far into my engine but I know from experience with VW's (believe me I know!!) that the camshaft can be placed incorrectly- not likely with your engine because it runs!!! My guess at your situation is the distributor drive can be installed many different ways (I assume as many ways as there are teeth on the drive shaft). I don't think this causes any running problems but only moves the distributor position. Like everyone else has said the distributor can only go in one way and as long as No. 1 cylinder matches No. 1 on the distributor and the other leads are in the correct order you're fine.

Did the previous owner have the engine apart?

I'm not sure but I think you may be able to extract the distributor drive shaft with the engine in place to move it???? Sounds risky!

Cheers

Yikes Kelvin... I don't know. I bought the car with no records.... I don't think its ever even been out, much less apart though....

Morrie