GOING BACK TO STOCK DIST WITH CARBS?

[guards73/2.0]

I have a stock 73 2.0 that I got with 40 IDF's and it came with this distributor:
0 231 174 001/022 905 205F. I've guessed that this is the stock one. It worked fairly well, actually.It has a vacuum pod on it, and it came hooked up to vacuum tubes at the base of the 40 IDF's. After a real bad valve adjustment by an incompetent
mechanic, I burned a head ( detonation) and dropped a valve seat. After the top end rebuild and cleanup, I was advised to get a
009 distributor and a Compufire ( this buisness is RIFE with
scoundrels, isn't it?) and I'm just getting the car back from a factory trained 914 mechanic who has properly reassembled my valve train and adjusted the valves correctly. I've just done a search on the 050, and apparently THAT's the mechanical advance alternative for my car. Here's my question (s): will my old dist. hooked up to those vacuum tubes work better than
that 009 OR an 050. Can I still use that
compufire?

[guards73/2.0]

Originally posted by guards73/2.0:
I have a stock 73 2.0 that I got with 40 IDF's and it came with this distributor:
0 231 174 001/022 905 205F. I've guessed that this is the stock one. It worked fairly well, actually.It has a vacuum pod on it, and it came hooked up to vacuum tubes at the base of the 40 IDF's. After a real bad valve adjustment by an incompetent
mechanic, I burned a head ( detonation) and dropped a valve seat. After the top end rebuild and cleanup, I was advised to get a
009 distributor and a Compufire ( this buisness is RIFE with
scoundrels, isn't it?) and I'm just getting the car back from a factory trained 914 mechanic who has properly reassembled my valve train and adjusted the valves correctly. I've just done a search on the 050, and apparently THAT's the mechanical advance alternative for my car. Here's my question (s): will my old dist. hooked up to those vacuum tubes work better than
that 009 OR an 050. Can I still use that
compufire?

Responding to my own post: I just just a flash of brilliance and
checked that # in the pelican catalog: it's
the stock early 1.7 distributor, which might mean the PO who did the Weber conversion actually knew something about this! I seem to recall that being recommended for the best stock FI distributor to use with carbs.
Maybe I got lucky here....BTW, Pelican's site lists a rebuilt one like this for over 1000.00...I don't know what that's about. I almost threw it out!

[Joe Bob]

The 050 is better than the 009, (anything is) but if you have a vacuum port the stock one will do the job.

ANY dizzy can be recurved, even the 009. It all depends on your needs. BTW, there are excellent articles on valve adjustment. You might want to read up on it and save money, time and headaches....

[pbanders]

The "009" is really a 0 231 178 009, and is not listed in the Bosch ignition products catalog for any automotive application. I have heard it was designed for industrial uses where a motor is held at near WOT conditions at full load. The advance curve is a poor match for typical driving needs.

The "050" (anybody know the complete Bosch number?) is supposed to have a better advance curve and is the best solution for a mechanical advance-only dizzy for carbs.

The dizzy you have has the added advantage of vacuum advance and retard. The way your PO had it hooked up will give you better off-idle and throttle response.

Rebuilt 914 dizzy's can be purchased at your local FLAPS (Checker has them, for example). They're rebuilt by A1 Cardone, and are less than $100 including the core charge - and they have a lifetime warranty. Much better deal than the $1000 price for a new unit.

Brad Anders

[guards73/2.0]

Originally posted by pbanders:
The "009" is really a 0 231 178 009, and is not listed in the Bosch ignition products catalog for any automotive application. I have heard it was designed for industrial uses where a motor is held at near WOT conditions at full load. The advance curve is a poor match for typical driving needs.

The "050" (anybody know the complete Bosch number?) is supposed to have a better advance curve and is the best solution for a mechanical advance-only dizzy for carbs.

The dizzy you have has the added advantage of vacuum advance and retard. The way your PO had it hooked up will give you better off-idle and throttle response.

Rebuilt 914 dizzy's can be purchased at your local FLAPS (Checker has them, for example). They're rebuilt by A1 Cardone, and are less than $100 including the core charge - and they have a lifetime warranty. Much better deal than the $1000 price for a new unit.

Brad Anders

Thanks! I just went over to Checker and ordered a rebuilt for a 1975 1.8L. According to this BB, that seems to be the best vacuum advance unit for my carbed car. It was 58.00
plus a 4.00 core charge. Can't wait to try it out. I'm putting that chrome 009 on Ebay
for some VW guy to buy.