New (again) as a Bug Owner!

Mom just sent her '67 to me as a gift (sorta) but I suspect Dad bought it to give to me. Anyway, Dad hauled it from Montreal (yeah, in Canada) to Sacramento behind his travel van.

Looks clean and has been 'shown' before.

Only running on 3 cylinders right now (might be a plug wire - more on that later)

Questions (if I might be so bold).

1) It's a '67 so probably came original with a 1600, right? Has dual-port heads (and dual carbs) - any way of telling the displacement w/out a tear-down?

2) #1 cylinder not firing (based on pulling each plug wire from the distributor and listening for changes in engine sound) - tried to pull plug wire from #1 plug but ripped the wire from the plug connector - tested w/ an ohm meter (wire only) and get 0 ohms while other plug wires (other plug wires intact with plug connectors) show 1.5 (or so) ohms resistance. is this significant? do I just need new plug wires?

3) How the H! do I get the plugs out? doesn't seem to be enough room between the intake manifold and the plug to fit a socket! (of course, I don't have the right socket yet).

4) slightly related - my first car was a '65 baja (1365 and the 1st love of my life) and my 2nd was a '64 baja (1835 and could climb past vertical!!!) - I know a little about bugs but this is my first street beetle - I love it already - smells SO good inside!!!!

Thanks in advance!

BTW - met a few of you at the K-Mart parking lot in Rancho a couple weeks ago. SO looking forward to getting back into bugs!

Pat

Congratulations on your acquisition Pat.

I would first do all necessary tune up procedures. Change the plugs, wires, points, and condenser. If you wish you can spend the money to get a pertronix electronic ignition and eliminate the points altogether.

I would also adjust the valves and replace the fuel filter and generator/alternator belt. If the fuel filter is located above the distributor you'll need to move it. This is where most engine fires start on a VW. Move it into the area under the body near the left rear torsion tube, or under the fuel tank.

From there you should be good to go. Welcome to the board!!

Thank you, 60herbie53.

So far, new plugs and new wires. Did a cleanup on the distributor cap and rotor. When I find a VW parts store (hint, hint) I'll spring for new electronic ignition (if it makes sense price-wise, and it isn't too tough to replace the current system. Fuel filters (yeah, there two - one into the fuel pump and one out - go figure!) are low (great tip, btw) and out of the way and are clean (<100 miles, I'm told).

Valves is next - well, after the garage door gets fixed. I'm getting drive-bys and nasty looks from the Home Owners Association folks for working on my car in the driveway. Once the door is fixed, bug goes in the garage, up on ramps and look out knuckles (I've scrapped them once or twice adjust valves before.)

So, VW parts store? Anyone? Anyone? Oh, I'm in Rancho Cordova.

Thanks again, herbie.

Just want to welcome you to the forum and say congrats on getting a bug!! Also, would love to see some pics of your bug!!

What kind of dual carbs? Just curious.

I love carbs almost as much as I love Ghias.

I said almost...

Welcome to the group! Up here in Grass valley, we have Parts for Imports for our VW needs.
The Pertronix electronic ignition is is about $75, and is money well spent. Installation is as easy as changing points. Sounds like you have some other issues to work through first....
Your '67 would have originally had a single port 1500 with a single Solex carb.
Just my 2 cents...

Thanks for the welcome - I'm browsing and learning and enjoying and just liking what I see!

So, to answer the carb question - dellorto but don't know the size. I drove the car several years ago when it was newly rebuilt/refurbed and it was a fun ride. Nothing like my bajas from years past (SO close to the ground, relatively speaking!) but it sure sounded good.

Thanks for the tip on the ignition - I think I'll wait until I get it running as-is, then start thinking about upgrades (you know, establish a baseline).

Now to figure out how to upload a pic . . .

Welcome! New parts? Bugformance is relatively close to Rancho Cordova. They are on the South side of El Camino, West of the off ramp with Business 80. The electronic ignition is a good upgrade for an aircooled street VW. No more keeping the points gapped.

I like points. Points are cool. Just sayin'.

Unless of coarse you wanna talk MSD, then you're rippin'.

I am pissed at my 009 with a CompuFire. It's sitting in the corner as an anchor for spider webs.

I love Dell's. I run Webbers, but I love Dells.

It's an internal conflict I deal with constantly...

Sounds like a cool ride, I mean for a bug (kidding).

Figure out that picture thing...

Click on that little computer with a square, sixth button form the left.

Upload a picture, pick 640 for the size so it is not too big.

When the pic uploads it will give you like 3 links. Paste the middle link into your post and it's all good.

Good luck!!!

Pics?

I have the hubcaps in the garage - two are in need of rechroming





Thanks for the support!

drugsnrockets wrote:

Pics?

I have the hubcaps in the garage - two are in need of rechroming





Thanks for the support!

Great color!!!

Here's my 66,



Steven on this forum also has a 67 that is the same color!!

Your car looks great!!

Always my favorite bug color, even though my first two were both red!

Kim, yours look stock height. Stock engine, too? And my favorite wheels, too (non-custom, that is). Just looks so classic.

Mateo, reading "009" sent me back to high school when my buddy was working his ghia. Can't say I remember the details but some quick research just now makes me think the original distributor is better (having vacuum advance rather than the 009 which does not)? The article I read used the term "cheap build" when referring to 009 distributors. What's that about?

Actually someone lowered the front of mind down, the wrong way! I need to raise it back up one day. It rides kind of rough. The motor is probably close to stock now. LOL I have had 3 or 4 in it. LOL Just can't seem to find one I like. LOL I am kind of liking the one in it now. Hubby say's it is probably a 1300? It seems to be doing ok. Although I think I need to give it a tune up. We just kind of stuck it in there because it ran before we got it so figured don't mess with it. LOL I have new plugs and all, just need to R&R them. Ok, enough about me! LOL

Tech day is this Sat. You should come by!! Here is the info on it. http://www.norcalvdubs.com/t1421-july-7th-tech-day

I look forward to following your progress!!

UM.. first.. My five cents, and everyone I am sure has told you this.

If you like your bug, and it is a sweet ride, loose the fuel filter in the engine compartment.

Move it down under the car where the fuel line comes out of the tunnel.

Myself, I prefer it under the tank in the front away from all heat.

In regards to the 009, with a stock center mount carb, it does have a flat spot without vacuum advance, but with dual 2BBL carbs (Webers, Dells) tuned correctly, it is not an issue. At least not for me.

Although my points did close up on me tonight, which sucked, but we were able to correct it with a screw driver. Try doing that with an electronic ignition.

Not sure why they closed up, but maybe it was because I spun her up around 8000 RPM a few times at the track on Saturday.

When I drop the MSD system in, I will still carry this 009 with points in the glove box with a Bosch blue coil just in case the modern technology fails.

Can't wait to see your ride...

For other part sources you can try wolfsburgwest.com jbugs.com or cip1.com. All of them have pretty much anything you would need.

As far as re chroming your hubcaps I think you will save money buying good ones from a swap meet or buying aftermarket ones from one of the above vendors.

By the way avoid JC whitney and Mid America Motorworks. High markup and low quality.

OK - so the garage door is fixed, car is in the garage and the rear end is up on ramps. Just noticed that the valve covers are vented. That's a first for me.

Looks like I'll be tackling the valve adjustment this weekend. I'd do it tomorrow but wife and I are going on a day-long date - woo-hoo!

Here's a silly question. I don't suppose all the valve covers are the same (seal surface dimensions, that is), are they? I can't go ask for '67 gaskets since it isn't a 1500. Best to bring in a valve cover?

Oh, and do I drain the oil before I open the cover (I'm guessing no since I'll have to rotate the engine during the adjustment process)?

Valve Gaskets are the same and no you don't drain the oil. If you have a leak after you change the gaskets I used high heat silicone to bound them to the cover it worked out fine.

Just make sure to get the new gaskets straight when you reinstall the valve covers. They shouldn't leak if the gaskets are new. Generally gaskets will leak after they have been used.

Headed out to meet you all at the Tech day but couldn't quite find the address. Now that I look at Google Maps again, I see I copied the directions down wrong - DUH!

Did make it to Bugformance, though - could it be more convenient for you out there on Crosby? Sheesh!

Looks like the valves will have to wait until the shed gets built. Oh yeah, there's the whole 'get it insured and registered' thing.

So, I adjusted the valves (they were all <0.006) but that didn't fix anything.

Interesting, though - when I fired it back up after adjusting the valves, #3 cylinder wasn't firing, either. Revved it a few times and all of a sudden I'm back firing on 3 (#1 still not firing).

Does that give anyone any ideas?

Thanks

Did you adjust the valves cold? Have you replaced and properly gapped the spark plugs and set the points. Are your plug wires in the proper firing order?

Herbie,

Car about 1 week 'cold' - I know they say overnight minimum but life got in the way)

New plugs (gapped), new wires (all 5), firing order is good. 'set the points' doesn't sound familiar. I'll look into it.

Thanks.

10 minutes later . . .

Oh hey - take the rotor off of the distributor. Hadn't thought of that. Man, what I've forgotten about working on a bug could fill a book (I hope that book's been written!)

Thanks again.

Looks like the only thing we have in common is the original style fuel pump. If you want to hook up some time maybe I can help you check a few things.

Sactown Steven,

I appreciate the offer - I'm going to look at the distributor one more time then throw in the towel and get it to my mechanic. When I mentioned I'd gotten an air-cooled bug, he got a little happy (but not because he thought I'd be bringing him a lot of business).

One more thing I got that you don't - a dirty engine compartment. Looks OK in my pic but far from the spin-n-polish you got. Kudos!