THE right distributor setup for Webers

[guards73/2.0]

I have a 1973 2.0L with Weber 40 idf's and stock distributor hooked up to vacuum line on one idf and the aforementioned noisy rotary fuel pump. Last summer I did a topend
rebuild and wound up not getting the engine to work right. I've since taken it to a guy who has a 30 yr buisness of formula Vee
and other hipo VW motors, and works on 914 motors and 914's
regularly and it seems I should be getting my car back in a couple of weeks, worst case scenario. In previous posts about distributors, someone mentioned that if you went to a shop that had a distributor machine and paid them, they could curve the distributor for your engine's specific advance curve. This shop is so equipped. I've tried getting a rebuilt 205AA from Cardone, but they always send the wrong part #, so I'm thinking about just handing these guys this nice -looking chrome 009 I bought back when I thought a 009 would work in a 914 for street ( they don't, no lowend power) and ask them to re-curve that for my engine.
That way I'd have a NEW distributor ( with electronic points),
WITH the correct (mechanical)advance, no vacuum line ( cleaner, less trouble) which sounds like the way to go with a carbed engine ( short of just going with an MSD setup. What do you think?

[maf 914]

You might try a search for 009 distributors in this forum and over at http://shoptalkforums.com/bbs/cgi-bin/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&forum=The+Type+4rum&number=1&DaysPrune=&LastLogin=

A lot has been written about it and preferred alternatives.

Also, you may want to check out the Mallory, which seems to be good: http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/viewproductdetail.php?keyword2=IGD0003&cartid=0711200242468604

Mike

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Sounds like a great idea--as long as the 009 is in good condition. Make sure that there is no shaft wobble and so forth. The shop with the distributor machine should be able to check that.

I don't know what curve you want to shoot for. You can follow the chart in http://www.dgi.net/914/tech/distrib.html for the 1.8 distributors, which a number of people like for carbs. (The table is set up in crank degrees and RPMs, not distributor degrees and RPMs.)

If you do, the advance should start at about 1000 RPM, get to 16 degrees at about 1500 RPM, 25 degrees at 2500 RPM, and stop at 3400 RPM at 30 degrees. I don't know what the specs on the 050 are, but the guys at your shop might.

Finally, if they have experience with setting up distributors, give very very serious consideration to what they recommend. You're paying them for their expertise, after all, so you might as well take advantage of it.

--DD

[Joe Bob]

The best dizzy is the one the car came with, unless you change the cam profile. Then the better idea is to run an 050.....unless you have access to a dyno. Then take the 050 or a spare 009 and recurve it to the specs of the dyno......at least that's what I have done in the past....

[sammyg2]

A new 050 dizzy is not very expensive, it might even be as much as the recurve job on a 009. Hot VW magazine has many advertisements that list the 050 for sale, I think I remember a mail order place in Phoenix that had one for around $60.
Or better yet, check with pelican and see if they offer one.

[Joe Bob]

I agree....I only advocate a recurve if you have a spare dizzy just laying around.

[JohnConnolly]

The use of a 009 or 050 on a street engine will raise the oil temps 20 degrees on the highway, compared to a combination cent/Vac distributor, not to mention MUCH higher head temps. The use of a 009 or 050 on a VW/Porsche street engine is the biggest myth of an "improvement" you can do to your car.

In your situation, simply tie both vac ports (1 and 4) together with a T, and run it to your vac port on the stock distributor, or get a Mallory with the grey/grey spring combo, I $ back guarantee you'll gain 10hp over any other distributor. Jake Raby has never seen under 10hp on his dyno, by changing from a 009 or 050 to a mallory, so if you don't believe me, ask him.

John
Aircooled.Net Inc.

[airkwld]

I have Mallory Unilite that I got from John (aircooled.net) last year.
Very nice setup, worked as promised. I would take the $ back offer and install the Mallory. The only setup I like better is my Electomotive distributor-less ignition, but it is really $$$ and may be over kill for most applications. For the $$ the Mallory is hard to beat and John is great to deal with.