Chasing vacuum leaks on my 75 1.8 L-jet and have a question for the experts here. My vacuum system is bastardized and I've replaced all the ones I can see. Testing today with the AFM unplugged and using carb cleaner/starter fluid it seems that the idle significantly changes when sprayed at the bottom of the oil filler. I've replaced (actually added....) the gaskets in the filler neck and no leaks there or any other area. I do have the rectangular gasket that goes to the bleeder or breather as sold by AA but cannot get the metal part off. Can anyone help with how to put the cork gasket in?

Thanks, Rick

I have difficulties understanding what you refer to. I don't know what metal part you want to get off.
Pictures will help.

Post a picture.

It's the rectangular box to the right of the dip stick in the picture. Thanks for your reply and help,
Rick
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I think the square black metal bottom of the oil filler. I believe there is a metal clip holding it down that you have to remove/unclip like the valve cover.

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Yep, I can flip the clip easily, but it won't budge after that. From diagrams on AA and Pelican sites it looks like the cork gasket goes under that. Suggestions? Thanks, Rick

Maybe previous guy who installed it applied a gasket maker or something like that?

Thanks, so it should come off easily? Can I use a knife or something to cut around the bottom to get it off? I wouldn't to get any material into the engine!

Thanks for the help!

You can get cork gasket material in sheets and possibly cut your own.

A po must have used some sealant on it. Flip the bale forward. The funnel portion is plastic and the base is metal. 2 nuts to secure the funnel. Remove it. Something thin and sharp to 'saw' around the bottom of the base. Proper cork gaskets are readily available.

Thanks, will try that today.

Rick

Also...you might try just smacking the base to see if it will pop off. They are in abundant supply and you should be able to get one on the cheap used if it gets ruined.

Thanks rhodyguy, that worked without any damage, there was some sealant. Cleaned/scrapped all surfaces and put on the new gasket, closed like it should.

That's the good news. Bad is it still won't start with the AFM plugged in so there is another leak somewhere. It will start with it unplugged, so I'll run it that way and keep checking with carb cleaner or starter fluid to see if there is some other leak I haven't found.

Does it matter which vacuum hose from the distributor goes to the throttle body? Bases on a diagram I saw, the one from the left of the distributor (based on looking from the passengers side), is to be connected the the TB when the TB only has one vacuum connection, like mine, and the one on the right vented to atmosphere. Mine are reversed from this.

Thanks, look forward to your replies, and happy new year!

Got them, made 1/16" thicker than OEM to account for the bale stretching over time. You can still buy the OEM new from the dealer too, but mine are even less expensive.
http://shop.914rubber.com/914-Oil-tower-ga...m?categoryId=-1

And by the way we now can ship reg mail with the tracking. It makes little ods and ends lile this more cost effective. One of the new things we've done to help decrease you cost for shipping.

Thanks, I do have the vacuum hose, but my TB only takes one, so I need to know which to connect to the dizzy.

I did already buy and install your 1.8 TB gasket, perfect fit, thanks will be a return customer.

Can anyone help with the TB vacuum connections?

It is connected to the port away from the dizzy.
But it should start with the hose plugged.

This is a controversial topic. There is a lot of discussions on which port the vacuum line should go to on the 1.8 L-Jet. One is advance and one is retard on the distributor. To many it should be advance, but to some it should go to retard. AA states if there is only one port on the TB it should go to retard side. The other vents into a short tube just venting to the atmosphere.

I have never found any factory documentation on this but I run mine to the retard side.

Thanks, do you have a diagram or picture so I get it right?

Happy New Year,
Rick

Disclaimer: This is the way DR 914 from AA recommends it came from the factory. Dave D. also agreed this is the way it should be. Many will argue this is not correct having only vacuum retard and no vacuum advance, I think Porsche VW was beginning to deal with emissions just around 1974 and this might have been an early attempt to control emissions.

The car has centrifugal advance built in and the car will run with out vacuum advance or retard. When you set your timing you need to remove the vacuum line and pinch it off.

My car runs like a top in this configuration.

If anyone has factory documentation on this I would love to see it.

VW had so many different configurations between all the Type 4 L-Jet products its very confusing. Vacume advance, No Vacuum advance, vacuum advance and retard, and just vacuum retard,

Thanks Pete000, this is how mine is set except I have no decel valve or charcoal canister. On Bowlsby's references this is the set-up for early 74 1.8 cars. The later ones and 75's have two connections to the TB from the distributor, and my 75 is bastardized with only one connection on the TB. My question now is which vacuum line on the distributor should it be connected to? The one on the bottom (shown as an open vent line) or top on your diagram?

74 and later tb's only had one port. It goes to the retard side of the diz. The vac can on the diz has both. The retard on the diz is on the passenger side. It's the same size nipple as on the tb. Btw, there are no early 1.8s. 74 was the first year.