@kentt
Active 6 years, 10 months agoForum Replies Created
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I bought a pair of these, though I don’t have them installed yet….
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...To answer your original question, Allen. Yes, one filament (the tall one, I think — from memory) is brighter than the other. So it does matter a bit — they’ll still work either way. But, you get more contrast/difference wired one way compared to the other. Just be prepared to swap terminals there before you tighten everything up…
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Just looked to see where Townsend is. Man, you have some wonderful roads in that area. Youāre positioned just north of the Dragon. Almost jealous. Finish the car!!!
Ditto that — I’m in Sevierville, but my project TDr is VW-based and progress is stalled due to other time demands lately. There’s at least a couple front engine TDrs in the Sevier county area, one Ford-based and one Chevette-based.
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Also sounds like your parking brake is not adjusted or working correctly. They should definitely hold the vehicle on as steep an incline as you’d want to drive it.
You should be able to hold your thumb on the button and execute a “moonshiner’s turn” – lock up the rear brakes and with a quick turn of the steering wheel have the rear of the car swing around. You can purchase dual brake levers to steer the vehicle – used commonly on sand rails and buggies…
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Nice work! Ā Your attention to detail really shows up in the overall impression!
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Before buying a shifter, I would investigate:
(a) the mounting of the shift rod tube bracket inside the tunnel to make sure the bracket is secure
(b) the plastic/nylon bushing that the shift rod slides in, inserted in that brscket, and
(c) the condition of the coupler where the shift rod connects to the transmission – it has rubber inserts that deteriorates
A new shifter will reduce the distance you need to move the lever, Ā and make the shifting action feel firmer, but they really do little to eliminate sloppiness – that’s typically caused by something loose or worn elsewhere.
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Sounds like you have Emma sorted out really well! Props to you and your pit crew for diligently working through all the issues! Congrats! šš
Couple of side notes,:
1. Your oil temps sound really good! You are correct in that sensor location is very important. I tend to like reading temps at the sump drain plug – they don’t fluctuate as much, and give you an indication of the temp of the oil being picked up and fed to the engine. You want those temps to ideally be at least 180 degrees – most good thermostatically controlled remote coolers have a 180-185 thermostat, and will bypass the cooler until they come up to that temp. Similarly, you can run safely for long periods as long as you keep oil temps at/below 235F. Above that point, you start risking some oil breakdown, which will vary some based on the quality and properties of the specific oil.
2. Your #3 head temps sound really good also. 325-350 on long, high speed runs is considered quite cool. Ā Note that with your doghouse oil cooler, #3 is no longer the key cylinder to monitor since the oil cooler is no longer blocking the airflow there (or anywhere else). Ā Head temps will fluctuate much, much more than oil temps – you can actually often see them drop when you’re off throttle, going down a long hill. Out of curiosity (and just for grins) you could move your thermocouple to other cylinders and see how your slightly different jetting is impacting temps there (leaner mixtures burn hotter) similar to yanking the plugs and checking them.
Sounds like she’s jetted well, timed well, and ready to enjoy some extensive seat time on the Twisties! Again, a big “well done” to you and Roy! Grin and enjoy!
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Congrats! Most excellent results and detailed write-up! Third gear should be fun now, pushing through corners…
Can you report back on the temps you’re now seeing, with the jetting set and the venture ring installed? Thanks!
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...You can adjust the length of the studs to gain as n addition 2-3 threads. Try to find a couple of regular nuts that fit the studs where the oil plate mounts. (Factory nuts are “acorn style” with the bottom of the nut covered with a dome to protect the threads on the stud.)
Screw two regular nuts onto a stud, up snug against each other, without touching the bottom of the engine block. Hold the top nut with one wrench, while using another wrench to tighten the bottom nut up tight against the top nut, jamming them together, and locking them.
You should now be able to carefully put a wrench on the top nut, and carefully unscrew the stud from the engine block to gain two or three more threads sticking out so that you can bolt on the thicker adapter plate. Those studs just screw into the engine block like a bolt does. Make sure that you leave several threads still screwed into the engine block, or you risk stripping the threads in the engine block – the block is aluminum alloy and easily stripped. Do NOT overtightened the nuts on the plate or you will strip those threads and pull the stud out of the block.
Ideally you would replace the original studs with new ones that are longer by the difference in thickness between the original plate and the new one (at least that much longer). Though they look better, and don’t leak as much (with the stud being covered and sealed by the acorn head) I don’t really like acorn nuts. Far too often I’ve tightened them to the point that the stud is jammed against the inside of the acorn, and the next time I try to remove the nut, it screws the stud out instead. The threads in the block are easily worn and stripped if you are frequently unscrewing the stud instead of removing a nut. Regular nuts don’t cause those issues. Personally, I like longer studs, screwed far enough into the block that you can feel them sticking out on the inside – then secured with Locktite. If the studs are sticking out on the inside 1/4″ or so, it doesn’t hurt anything. I’d rather have too many threads than too few…
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Yay! That sounds great. I’m a big Weber fan!
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Sounds great. Another issue that I’m having with my tablet is it injecting DIV formatting tags in my post if I edit it before posting. I fat-finger things often…
Then if I edit after posting to remove the DIV tags, it shows up in the Activity stream twice.
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Nice toy, though I think climbing in and out would be a challenge for me some days!
When do we get an update from Happy Jack and Roy, the barn-storming duo? š</span>
Beautiful! Coincidentally, early this afternoon before we knew of Steveās purchase, Happy Jack mentioned to me that he might be interested in buying a Bugatti. His BCW TDr Weber installation is complete (with the exception of a few minor tweaks), but that is Jackās story so he should tell it.
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...That’s the common complaint with non-German Bosch 009s! Out of curiosity, did you time the new, used distributor for total advance (3000-3500 RPM) or at idle? I think I’d try for about 28-30 degrees total advance, and let idle timing fall where it may.
The jet adventure sounds like my luck…
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...As you can see, there’s no “one best answer” Ā on oil, whether for these old VWs or any other car. Ā My thoughts:
1. Roy is correct that the oil pressure relief valves are set to bypass at 42-45 psi. Running too thick of a blend can be counterproductive, bypassing the cooler and cause the engine to run hotter. Since you are running a remote filter, you also increase the risks of oil leaks from those hoses and fittings. I blew an engine once by blowing the oil line to a remote filter and cooler in cold weather (Christmas morning, no less – the Grinch stole Christmas!) and for that reason alone will no longer use a remote filter or cooler unless I use the high-dollar braided metal lines and screw on fittings – no more rubber lines and hose clamps for me. I do use and recommend the CB Performance Maxi-pump oil pumps with screw on filters – the only brand that I’ll recommend because it’s a high quality 26mm pump. Cheap pumps have loose tolerances and erratic oil pressure while anything larger than 26mm will produce too high of pressure and bypass also. If you see consistent oil pressures above 40- 45 psi, you’re actually “working against yourself.”
2. I typically recommend people start with a high quality 10w40 synthetic blend (Castrol is also my peferred brand, like Allen). I recommend synthetic only because it clings better to the surfaces after you shut the engine off, and provides better lubrication on engine start, before the oil pressure builds up. Most experts agree that at least 50% (perhaps as much as 75%) of engine wear occurs in the first few seconds after engine start – in that very brief interval before the idiot light goes off. Again, this wear cain Ā be exacerbated with a remote filter or cooler – because depending on where and how it is mounted some oil can drain out of those lines back into the crankcase. On startup those lines must be pumped full of oil before pressure builds up and starts lubricating the cam, crank and rod bearings. Cam bearings and the cam itself are typically the first internal things to start wearing out in a VW engine, in addition to piston rings. Piston rings are easily replaced during a rebuild/refresh, along with a valve job – but you must split the engine case to replace the cam and cam bearings – a major rebuild. Rod and crank bearings seldom fail due simply to wear… they typically fail only due to low oil levels, contamination, severe overheating or some type of catastrophic failure elsewhere, such as a dropped valve. But, synthetic oil provides better lubrication on startup to all these internal wear points.
3. In a hot climate like where you live, I personally don’t think 10w30 is thick enough for summer driving. It is a good wintertime oil – but these TDrs likely won’t get driven a whole lot in the winter. Summer time protection is the primary concern. Ā Like Allen, I have successfully run 20w50, but only when I lived in South Texas or South Florida – and as I recall, I used and adjustable oil bypass spring (are they even available any more?) and I have always run a thermostat and vanes to make sure the engine warms up quickly, and maintains an oil operating temp of about 180-230 or so.
My LONG 2 cents, with my rationale. Ā Your mileage may vary…
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Let the GAMES begin!! The quest is to determine how āgoodāā better than goodā can beā¦ā¦ā¦car is quite drivable and a lot better than stockā¦but how ābetterā can it get and where is ābest?ā and how much work is it to get there and when will I know Iām there? Happy Jack
Again, I’d start with the emulsion tubes, before changing jets. You might just be encountering the infamous 009 flat spot, but a bit richer transition circuit should help.
Why do I now sense high lift rockers in your future? š
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Well the reply that I posted earlier never showed up on the forum, though it showed for a while on the Activity stream – now that’s gone too…
Jack, I think you’re on the right track. Leave the jets alone for now, and focus on the accelerator pump and emulsion tubes. Putting a vacuum advance distributor in temporarily might make it easier to tune – but it may not give quite the acceleration a mechanical advance 009 might. A Pertronix SVDA (essentially a 009 with vacuum assist) is the best overall.
<span style=”line-height: 1.5;”>Ā Final thought is that it’s better to run a tad rich than a tad lean when it comes to both performance (hesitation) and engine temps. Too, too rich and it will bog, too lean and it will stumble and hesitate… If the accelerator pump adjustment alone doesn’t resolve it, go to bigger emulsion tubes, then perhaps back off the accelerator pump a bit… It’s a complementary effect. Once you get the acceleration OK, you can monitor the spark plugs (and MPG) and see if you want to tweak the main jets a bit.</span>
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...It may be my tablet, or a caching issue, but I replied to Jack’s topic about Emma’s new carb – my reply, after 45 minutes still shows up in the Activity stream but does not show up in the forum topic. Similar thing yesterday led me to post a second (duplicate) reply yesterday. Not sure if that’s on my end, or on the server…
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Looking really good Jack! I’m jealous of how accessible those adjustment screws are! Looks like you’ve succeeded in putting heat risers on it (though they’re locked down yet). I can’t tell if you’ve added a brace for the center section with the carb or it or not. I think you’ll likely need one. I don’t see much room for velocity stacks though. Keep us posted as you get it running…
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Roy, you can get rubber boots in the hardware store’s plumbing department that are about 3-4″ long. Might work, but I don’t know how they’d hold up to heat and gasoline. A bit of RTV silicone would help seal against leaks. Make sure you use some kind of metal brace to hold the center section solidly in place.
Should you weld on pieces to extend the runners, make sure you sooth out any burrs or bumps inside, similar to porting a head…
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...The tube is 2″ inside diameter, unless I’m mistaken. A 2.25″ hole would be a fairly snug fit, while a 2.5″ makes for easy installation.
Paul, I was going solely from my experience on my early FF and my 69 pan which had the original battery mounting tabs removed. The rear shelf height could also vary from one kit manufacturer to another, which determines how much vertical “firewall” there is and where you could place a 2.5″ hole.
No worries…
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...That center mount would give individual, equal length runners for a 48 IDA – but would not allow you to use a factory alternator/generator stand nor shroud. I’m not sure what it’s application would be, other than drag racing…
I modified my Scat shroud to add the vanes, thermostat and Hoover bit.
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...I need to adjust both my doors – they are sagging and rubbing the bottom door jamb. Unfortunately, the stainless steel screws have fused over the years and I’ve been unable to loosen them. I kicking this can down the road, since I’m facing the very real possibility of having to drill them out to fix it…
I hope people are using Never Seize when they have theirs out!
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...FYI – You can buy a venturi ring and install it on earlier shrouds. I’m running a Scat doghouse shroud (with heater tubes), the larger VW fan, and installed one of those venturi rings on it. It provides a similar function as a carb velocity stack – it smoothes out the airflow at higher RPMs since the air no longer has to travel around a 90 degree corner to enter the fan.
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...
