still watching. Not sure how this has got to 3 pages.





All the discussion about notches and correct #1 position are just diversions especially with a non OEM distributor and a carb setup. You can even start without pulling the distributor if you want. What you need more than anything else is to know where #1 TDC is at with absolute certainty.

Start from known #1 TDC position and then put wires in proper firing order. Then set static timing. Then use timing light to fine tune.

I don't mean this as a chastisement, but I think most members of your tenure here are inattentive to exactly how long ignition systems have been electronic. Even my '85 944 was more electronic than it was a mechanical ignition system. I think I'm a damn good wrench. With enough shop space and tools, I know I can accomplish just about any task.

But, when I bought the 914, it was back to the books to re-learn how to speak latin!
I'd say that every system on these cars are simple, but that doesn't mean they're always easy.

Van

Late to this thread, but....

Superhawk is correct that the orientation of the dizzy doesn't matter so much as long as firing order is correct and the rotor is pointing when that cylinder is at TDC.

Reorienting the distributor is a slightly more involved than removing it and dropping it back in the correct position. The dizzy only goes in one way because of the drive gear. You would need to reorient the drive gear (assuming it's off, which is common in rebuilt engines). It is not hard to do, but does carry the slight risk of losing the washer down into the dizzy recess. It can be retrieved, but it's one of those things you need to know before attempting.

I agree with getting it running first, however it's oriented, by finding TDC and getting firing order set to that.

@Van B

I think that's fair. I'm being a bit of an . I'm well aware of how long electronic ignitions have been in market. Trust me I'm grateful for them.

But . . . . if you're going to work on 50 year old cars you've got to back the basics as you state. If I were to go back 100 years and be working on a Model T - we'd have to go all the way back to a buzz box or trembler coil.

Sorry I was being a bit of a jerk.

I didn't take it as being an ass, I took it as jaded.
As great as the folks are on this forum, it's no different than any other; in that, those with the most experience are noticeably jaded. It's understandable, but definitely not the best use of tact on a website dedicated to the preservation of our favorite NARP.

Even though I've only been here for months, I can easily list a page of folks who carry a mountain of knowledge, but can't be bothered to engage. Or worse, when they do, it's a curt and unhelpful response:

"meh, do a search! This topic has already been covered numerous times"
"That won't work... (no further explanation given)"

I don't count you among those, which is why I spoke up!
People can forget that the engagement with fellow enthusiasts is actually more important than the solution to the problem in a hobby such as this. Sure, the monotony of seeing the same category of thread posted week after week gets boring. This thread is a prime example of yet another "how does a distributor work?" thread. But shit man, it's fun helping each other solve problems!

Look at my cold start issue thread. It's gone on for months, and I still haven't figured it out. I know without a doubt that there are member's here who could help, but don't. And it doesn't matter! Because I've made three friends on this journey who cheer me on at each impasse; and old man in Australia, and old man in NJ, and a guy in NY who doesn't even have a 1.8L!

Anyway, as I step down off my soapbox, I should say that the above rant isn't about you, or even about your post. It's about the idea. Who cares if a distributor thread goes on for three pages? That just means people are talking and enjoying their hobby together! It's a good thing that our site veterans would do well to remember.

Bye for now!
Van

and a good reminder of why I enjoy this site.

too.

cept for the bit about me being an old man.

Helping each other solve problems is great, and my car wouldn’t be running today without all of the help I’ve received from so many amazing people in this community.

However, I will say that I personally start to lose interest in helping someone when they ask for help and then repeatedly ignore the advice of those who try to assist, often because the op already has their mind made up on what the problem isn’t.
Have you checked for TDC yet?

Get a screw driver, pull number 1, put the car in fifth.

It does no harm to have the notch off its normal home, but it is important to know if it is. Since it doesn't run I suspect it is more than just that.

Check that rotor movement and whether the dizzy is seated. Takes 2 seconds.

Hopefully this image from Jeff Bowlsby's tech notebook helps.



https://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/TechNotebook.htm

To add, I agree that distributor orientation does not entirely matter as long as firing order is correct and the correct cylinder is at TDC when the rotor is pointing to it... but having the rotor pointing at the notch for number 1 will make your life much easier in the future when performing other maintenance like adjusting the valves.

You can check TDC number 1 by looking for a mark on the bottom of the flywheel through the notch in the bellhousing below the engine.

It has been awhile, but I think I remember the vacuum advance canister being directly above the dizzy hold down stud/nut as a ballpark to get your timing "close".

Not true. On the 914 and all VW type IV engines, the #3 distributor cam lobe is retarded about 2 or 3 degrees. It was done to make the cylinder farthest from the fan (#3) run cooler. If you don't have the distributor in right, then the wrong cylinder will have the slight timing retard on it and #3 will run hot.

Is this on all fuel injected distributors? Was this also on aftermarket non-vacuum distributors? Like an 009

thats fascinating.
never knew that.

you are a font of worthwhile information mr. p.

i wonder if vw came up with that in light of type 3 pancake motors?
which always used to burn #3.

More great information and thanks to all the contributors.

Just wondering, many of on this site are old guys and how can anybody keep all this crap between their ears??

Also, the engineers in Wolfsburg sure knew their stuff

VW engineering specified this, but I am not sure when. I learned this from Wes Hildreth (RIP), and he learned it in the factory classes when he worked for Forest Lane Porsche-Audi in Dallas when the 914 was new. He even showed me with an advance timing light. He setup the timing light to flash at the TDC mark when the engine fired. He then moved the pickup one tower on the distributor and added 90 degrees to it. He kept adding 90 degrees and moving the pickup. On #3, you could see that it was about 87 degrees, not 90.

An 009 is a lousy distributor for a Type IV, but yes it has the slight retard on #3. If you want a distributor for carbs, find one from a 1.8 with L-jet. They work much better than an 009. You can buy an 050, which has the same advance curve of the L-Jet distributor, but they are getting hard to find.

I don't know if the 1-2-3 distributor has this incorporated in it. Maybe somebody should check?

Clay

It's fun to read the comments, especially those that have nothing to do with the question! As a follow up, I'm 99% sure the distributor is set correctly and there's something else going on. I hope to dig in to some basic diagnostics this weekend - fuel, spark, go. Thanks for all the help!

Aaron

Thanks. 009 was just what popped into my head, though mine isn't much better. An 010, it is more of an on off switch. I still have a fairly short stroke so it works ok.

Clay, the 009 Bosch is the 205 AA distributor, which is the original 1.8L distributor. It is now superseded to VW PN 205 S. But mine is original and it is a 009:

BOSCH DISTRIBUTOR NUMBER
0 231 181 009

Porsche PART NUMBER
022905205AA

APPLICATION
1974 914

VACUUM CANISTER SHORT NUMBER
07116

VACUUM CANISTER LONG NUMBER
1 237 121 955

VACUUM CANISTER Porsche NUMBER
021905271H

You are right. But that is not the same as the 009 distributor that is sold by VW performance shops. They are two completely different distributors.

I thought the same thing years ago too.

Clay

That's good to know. I was worried when I read the 009 on mine last week, hence my searches to confirm someone didn't drop in a PoS distributor in my car.

Easy way to identify it. If it has 009 and does not have a vacuum advance, do not use it. If it says 009 and has a vacuum advance, run it.

Clay