[T3] A new T-34 owner?

[Jim Adney]

On 17 Jun 2011 at 12:34, jaransont3 at comcast.net wrote:

> I got the Ghia all put back together and running.  Never did find a
> definitive cause for the clutch issues.  The pedal cluster was fine.
> The cable was fine.  The only issue I found in all of it was the
> missing clip for the throw-out bearing.  I suppose it could have
> caused a problem if the errant clip bounced around in there or
> something.  I don't know.  Doesn't matter since it is all good now.  I
> did put in a different clutch disk.  Going from a rigid disk to a
> spring disk.  The pressure plate is a Sachs multi-finger unit, not the
> 3 arm version. I lubed everything up good. 

Seems odd that you couldn't find a smoking gun. Was there a brand on 
the disk you took out? Your PP had the central thrust disk, right?

> I am still happy I went through the trouble to pull the engine since I
> found and was able to fix a bunch of little things. 

Absolutely! You found and fixed some things that would have come back 
to haunt you if you hadn't fixed them now.

> I did have some trouble with the new 67 distributor.  I now believe it
> was all operator error on my part.  I installed the rebuilt 67
> distributor, roughly static timed it and with a little encouragement
> she started up.  Wouldn't idle very good eventually died when I tried
> to go from the gas pedal to the back of the car to keep it running. 
> After that I could not get it to refire.  It was like it wasn't
> getting spark....so I hooked up my inductive timing light and sure
> enough...no spark.  I check all the connections and such and still no
> spark.  I swapped out the coil...still no spark.  Pulled the
> distributor and swapped out the condensor with an extra that I had. 
> Tried it and had spark...at least briefly...and then nothing.  As a
> sanity check, I pulled the 67 distributor and popped the 009 back in. 
> I couldn't get the timing close since I had moved the drive gear and
> the condensor was hitting the fuel pump...but it at least tried to
> start and run and I had spark. 

Nothing here so far sounds like "operator error"....   ;-)

> One thing I did different when putting the 009 back in was to wrap the
> electrical connect between the green condensor wire and the short
> extension that had been installed between it and the coil.  The green
> wire from the condensor was too short to start with.  I had used this
> little extension in all the previous attempts and was starting to
> suspect that maybe the exposed connectors were shorting to the engine
> tin and destroying the condensor.  Reasonable?  Possible? Probable? 

Since the points do the same thing (short the condensor to ground) 
all the time, I don't see how a different short could be damaging to 
the condensor. If your extra connector shorted to ground occasionally 
it would have given you an extra spark and an odd time, but that 
should have caused only an occasional misfire.

If the extra connector was shorted to ground ALL the time, then you'd 
have no spark, but it doesn't sound like a dead short was a 
possibility. Did you check the dwell electronically? That would have 
told you if there was a dead short somewhere.

I've never seen a bad Bosch condensor. I think someone here had one a 
year or so ago, but that's the only one I've ever heard of. I never 
routinely replace condensors unless they are non-Bosch. All of mine 
are 40 years old. Getting the right one, without needing the 
extension, should help. It's also possible that the connections in 
your (homemade?) extension are bad.

I've also seen the wire to the points break inside the insulation, on 
points that have been in the car for a very long time. This happened 
to me after 50 kmiles running a CDI that allows for almost no point 
wear.

You may also need to verify that the little ground braid that 
connects the 2 halves of the points plate is there and sound.

Let me know if you have trouble finding the right condensor. I may 
have one. Send me the long Bosch # off your distributor if you want 
me to look.  

-- 
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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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