40 HP Refresh

[Don from Canton]

Sean, have you tried checking for continuity from the condensor wire to ground through the points? Set your test meter to ohms and touch the test leads together. The meter should go full scale (or if it's digital, indicate 0 ohms or "continuity".) Then, disconnect the condensor wire from the coil, put one test lead on the wire and the other on a convenient ground. Then rotate the engine by hand with a wrench. You should see you meter go from 0 ohms to infinite ohms and back again as the points open (infinite) and close (zero). (Do all of this with the key OFF.)

[Six Volt]

Well, its running. Not great, but it is running. After messing with it for half a day Josh stopped over after Melvin's and brought a backup 009 and we dropped it in and it fired right up. Horrible flat spot in low rpm's but the thing just flew and had some real power at higher rpm's. Running a bit hot on a short run so we have some timing issues. I "went through" my 009 with some new "innards" that Josh brought over, (points and condenser) so we put that one in and it ran about the same. Went through the timing. Runs a little better, but not ideal. I've got to check the valves when its cold.

I think I'm going back to the stock vacuum unit when I can get all the parts.

Josh pulled the carb off to rule out that. Accelerator pump seemed weak initially, but we went through it and cleaned everything up and that's not it. Jets were all ok. I was thinking the float, but it seems the problem is after that if its even fuel related. The automatic choke was an issue. Seemed to be binding up the throttle so Josh just disconnected it and eliminated it as a problem. I didn't have one before, so no biggie to me.

Need to check the valves and see what's going on there. Josh adjusted the clutch while I was messing with the 009. Since I put a new disc in with the engine, the free play was to the floor!

Yes Don, we went through a lot of that last night. Our problem was we either had a distributor with a good condenser and a bad cap or one with a bad condenser and a good cap. We lacked interconnectivity!

Well we got that today I'll start working through all the problems this week. The worse thing that can happen is I'll have to pull the motor again!

Many thanks to Josh who continues his world tour!

Oh yea, I forgot our one other problem, red light on. Not a mild glow at low rpm's, were talking a bright beacon! We swapped out the VR. No change. Fuses look good. Checked for voltage at the battery at idle. 6.2 volts. Can't tell if it's charging. Don't know how to do that. I cleaned the generator with carb spray to get all the dirt off it when the engine was out and I probably effected it. It was fine before I messed with it!

[Howie]

Many thanks to Josh who continues his world tour!

All Josh talked about at Melvin's was, "I need to get over to Sean's place and get that bug running! Mrs. 6-Volt is going to have a fit until that garage is cleaned out from all those random Bug parts!". Or something similar to that.

[vwrick69]

Is Edon, Oh on the list of stops on the world tour?

[Howie]

To clarify, I think Josh's "World Tour" goes as far as the outskirts of Parma, Kamms Corners, and the hinterlands of North Royalton. You may have to meet him half-way.

[Josh]

Yeah, I am like a "hack" Colin, except he knows his shit and things run well when he leaves!
I'm still learning, and messing with stuff is a great way to do so.

Also, Sean's bug's red idiot light is always on. Didn't figure out that one yet either. I did swap out the voltage regulator, check the fuse, check the brushes, and triple check the wires to make sure everything was in tact.. and no luck.
... any ideas? Bad generator?

We checked the voltage at the battery after running it for a while and it was at 6.47, I checked the battery in my bus to reference it and it was about 6.5v so I figured it's probably charging? Sean is thinking maybe a short in the wire somewhere?

[Don from Canton]

Check the voltage with the car off, and then start it, and check it while you rev the engine a bit. If the voltage is higher than just the battery, it's charging.

Or, turn on the headlights at idle and rev the engine a bit. Lights get brighter? Gen is charging.

[Six Volt]

Or, turn on the headlights at idle and rev the engine a bit. Lights get brighter? Gen is charging.

I love a high tech approach to problem solving!

[wwebner]

You may need to "polarize" the generator. I believe you should have 7V at battery if gen is charging.
Bill

[Ken]

You may need to "polarize" the generator. I believe you should have 7V at battery if gen is charging.
Bill

Good idea. Now that Bill mentioned it, I put a new generator on my '66 a few years ago and had the same problem. Polarizing fixed it. It's easy enough to try.