[VB] Good News

[david raistrick]

>  On the driver side the smaller of the tubes (Heat Riser?) tube is a bit rusty. The rest of the manifold is a clean grey like I painted it. I touch the rusty part of the manifold with the engine idling for a couple minutes. It was HOT. The rest of the manifold was cool/cold to the touch.
>
> I wonder why one would get hot while the other are cool.

That's normal - one end is an inlet for exhaust (so gets full exhaust
het), the other end is an outlet.   the exhaust warms the manifold,
which cools the exhaust that exists the other end.


> I'm also wondering if the distributor could have gone bad? What would the symptoms of a bad distributor be? That is holding me from getting the pertronix points replacement - if I need a new distributor, it may change what I buy.

The primary distributor failure modes:

advance (/retard, but not on a split) mechanism can seize, stick, or
break.   if it's vacuum, that's the can.  if it's mechanical, that's
the weight-plate and springs.   if it's a combo, that's both.   both
of those then move a plate that can stick.    that little felt below
the rotor holds oil that feeds into these.

shaft wobble - causes wandering dwell because the points open/close
differing amounts.   has to get pretty bad before you see a real
problem on street.

shaft lobe wear - same problem as above.  usually only happens if you
dont lube the rubbing block and eventually start running the points
metal-to-metal.   which causes other failures... :)

ground problems between the points plate and the body.  (that little
ground strap+nut on some generations...)

shaft end play (up/down) - there are fiber washers and metal washers
in here, and the fiber washers die over time.   allows the distributor
drive to "walk" up the cam gear a little bit more than it should,
changing your timing.



Of these problems - the advance/retard/points plate and shaft end play
are easily addressed by tear down clean and reassembly (a rebuild kit
of shims/washers/felt is cheap - 10$?).  you might need a new vac can
if it's bad.  also available.

Everything else is solved by going pointless, since the lobes are not
directly used to control dwell.... :)






>
> Was writ  by chris-
>
> Sounds like a fuel problem. Gunk in the tank? I think that is where you started.
>
> Maybe the fuel line between the pump and the carb is cruddy and shedding particles?? Stretching here.
>
> Make sure that the dizzy clamp was tightened.
>
> Check the point gap again. Need to be sure nothing slipped out of calibration.
>
>
>
> Was writ by John Morris
>
> PS. I love the fact that emails are flying around like 1999 again on the VB list, before long we will be passing a hubcap...
>
> Another good reason to bring my bus out of storage...;) I miss the crazy activity of the list in the old days, but I understand how thes*amb* has taken over.
>
>
> -Kevin Guarnotta
> Jamaica Plain, MA
>
> '78 Westy
> '69 Singlecab
> '65 Ez-camper
>
>
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