Easy Blue,

No harm no foul. Just pointing out the obvious. My favorite passtime ;) Again, I started it, I asked you about the timing and everything. It's not a problem. really.

I had picked up this synchronizer http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2008076/c-10101/Nty-1/p-2008076/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-10101/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=synchroniser but couldn't get it to work until someone mentioned to use a glad plastic cup that would fit over it and the 4 cup glad is a perfect fit.

Interesting thing I had tuned it by ear/tub and got it to run at fairly low RPM (900) with the vacuum on retard. By using the synchro it showed that the rear was at 6 kg/h while the fron was at 20. Adjusting to make them sync had both of them at 18 and the RPM's as 1200. I could not get any adustment lower than that. Going back to the tube, I can hear the rear is now lowder than the front.

Now my emmissions are broken, which means I need to run advaced all the time bringing my RPM's to 2200 and the timing at 38 BTDC.

Any advice to bring it back down?

Blue, did you disconnect the vacuum and see what the timing and RPM was? it should be at about 800 RPM and 8 BTDC. I had a similar problem with the bogging. I would be fine if I "florred it" and the tranny downshifted, I had a ton of power at above 35 and definately lots of power over 90. Just starting to move the beast was hard. I ended spraying carb cleaner around the base of the carbs and the RPMS jumped up. Tightend the base any my problem went away.

Hope that helps

On the topic of Emmissions and Timing in 72
 

I feel your pain on the emission problems.

I don't know if any of this helps, but throwing it out there is not going to hurt anything.

When I got the car (for $1) the emissions were still hooked up and intermittently operating. I traced the problem down to the relay that controlled the vacuum solenoid. I started to look for a new relay and quickly found that it was not going to be economical for me to replace it. Then I got the Idea that it would be cool to bypass the relay and hook up a manual switch to control retard/advance. I still have her running like that, but I leave it set to advance all the time. I plan on pulling the switches and tubes and going to straight vacuum advance today, because the switch set up is not buying me anything.

As for a retard emissions option, I don't see any benefit to it. Can anyone explain the benefit of the retard beyond making the car run a little cleaner? I know that in 72 California started limiting import emissions. As a result I am told that the 72 engines run a little lower compression and use the 32/40 Inat vs the 35/40. So the way I figure it (probably wrong) that the retard is good for 8 Deg. The advance is good for 10 - 13 Deg. Why would I need 18-21 deg range on the distributer, combined with the mechanical advance. The unit seems to be a solid design, still giving me a smooth advance over the entire range 30 years after it was built. I see that some people ditch it and go to other options, but I say if it ain't broke don't fix it. :scholar:

The issue is whether, by limiting emissions, the State of California put a set of "cuffs" on our 72's? and if so... is there any way to unleash the beast?

Hey Blue,

I lived and bought my 72 in Ca. One of the main reasons is that I bought a 72, and a 72 beatle was emmissoins was required on 73 & above.

When I bought mine, the emmissions where already bypassed. Unknowingly I put them back to factory only to eventualy find out I had really poor performance.

My understanding is first off the wrong timing can cause backfires. Either through the carb or the tailpipe. I have a 81 kawasaki, I bought a salvaged timing module. Nothing is scarirer than seeing a back of 4 carbs shooting out of an engine towoard you.

Now Timing also has an effect on power versus fuel economy. Retarding give you more power, advancing give you more fuel economy. Too much advance will cause detonation and ruin your engine.

& back to my issue. I found an interesting post. First off I was adjusting my linkage to be the same lenght. The only data I had found for the lenght of the linkage was from a BMW site that stated, the start off lenght for 50.8mm or 2". Setting it from there I could not get the carbs to sync. The front one would always be way way too fast.

Now I ran into another site that suggested to fist close the throttle valves completely. The way to do that without disassembling was to adjust linkage until the linkage leaver starts to move down. This indicates the throttle valve is closed and further adjustment is only causing the leaver to move.

Fired her up 700 RPM and the sync was working :dancefool

Thx to everybody for their help. :D

George:

Your 114 series CD ROM has the carb data in it, you just need to look in the engine section 07.3 for the 250 engine, M130.

Looks like you found your problem...methinks someone badly messed up your linkage adjustments. If you seem to be bouncing back and forth between carbs to no avail, then your center link needs to be removed for the idle/balance work and before re-connecting, its length must be re-set to the correct fit for what you have after balancing and speed is set. Then you will need to do a quick re-check of balance to verify the center link did not alter the rear carb flow (too long a link) or the front carb flow (too short). Confusing? Maybe for the first time, but once you have done this a few hundred times it will get easy. Just remember that the intermediate links on each carb (part #12 which connects the bell crank, part 19 with the throttle lever, part 13...on the parts diagram on the job 07-30 PDF) are the only way to set speed and balance on a properly adjusted system.

If you think you have it balanced and the idle set properly you should confirm it with a quick check for vacuum leaks which can be a bugger as engine temperatures change up and down.

Good luck,

230/8

Thx 230/8

Yeah, someone did badly mess up the linkage adjustment. It didn't help that I can't find any documentation in the 114 series CD manual that specifies how to setup the linkage #12.

It runs great right now. My only concern is with the fast idle setup.

I set it up with the idle stop all the way back and I think the throttle leaver is too far back to fully engage the fast idle.

Would removing link #12 and adjusting the idle stop to say 3 turns in, then adjusting the linkage to fit resolve my issue?

As for the center link, I've found that installint it loose with the engine idling and pushing the links toward the front of the vehicle, then locking the center nut works well for my. I have the bar style, vs. the rod style center link.

Thanks for your help and support.

George

George:

Adjust the idle stop as you wish, so long as they are more or less equal F/R for the geometric reasons I cited earlier. Once done, remove each #12 link and adjust to approximately equalize them with the throttle plates fully closed. If you remove the #12 link the throttle plate will snap fully open...spring tension. There is really no specification for this because there is only one fully closed position for the throttle and only one at-rest position for the bell crank #19 on each carburetor when it is against the idle stop. Therefore all your link #12 does is to span this distance and allow for throttle adjustment from the closed position which causes the idle speed to be changed.

Remember, the bell crank, #19 is what changes the fore-and-aft motion of the throttle linkage into the up-and-down motion necessary to operate the Zenith throttle plates. The #12 link will connect from the throttle plate to the bell crank so that your adjustments of it will translate into motion that opens and closes the throttle plate on the carb. While the bell crank, #19 does pivot about its hinge point with movement of the throttle linkage, it is essentially a stationary point with respect to link #12 that connects between #19 and the throttle plate in the carb, whenever you are making adjustments of the balance and/or idle speed.

Regarding fast idle adjustment, this is done inside the choke housing with a small screw on the choke linkage. There is a stepped cam inside there. The screw rests against the cam when the choke is set. You can just see the screw with a mirror through the bottom of the housing when the choke is set. You need to warm the engine, shut it off, remove the choke cover and manually rotate the cam and then run in the screw so it just touches the second from highest step. Then, restart the engine without disturbing any of the cam/screw relationship and adust the screw to give you the specified fast-idle speed. Once done just put the choke cover back on and you should never have to do it again. The fast idle screw is on only one of the chokes, probably the rear carb, but check it because it may be on the front one.

Good luck, again.

230/8