Wifes Citation II Dune Buggy

[STINEY]

Its really hard to NOT get those dots aligned.

Hmm. What sparkplugs are in it? Hard to beat factory plain Jane Bosch's. Checking for spark at the plug or at the wire?

[tardis454]

I'm running Bosch Super Plus WR8AC+'s.



I'm thinking the distributor shaft is 180 out.

That's the only thing 'I think' it could be..
I have plenty of spark at the wire..

[tardis454]

The distributor drive was 90* off. I pulled and re-dropped it and it fired up, but it runs like crap. The coil crapped out after the initial fire up. I put a new Bosch one on and it melted some distributor wires. I pulled a crusty one off the shelf and it works fine. I think the distributor shaft might be a tooth or 2 off, or the distributor itself is junk. The distributor is a no name 009 that I got from CB Performance. The cap moves around a lot, and I'm not real thrilled with the build quality.

Here's a video of what it sounds like. It has no top end like it acts like there's no advance. I have the carb cranked all the way open and it won't rev up.. And it shoots flames out the exhaust pipes..

Direct link if video has playback error: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dwy6iwtEfQ

STINEY what do you think?

[tardis454]

Once again the 3rd time is a charm. I figured out that my new distributor is bad and the distributor drive was still a tooth or 2 off. I read on the VW forums that Bosch 019 distributors work very well with Holley Bug Spray kits. The old motor had an 019 in it that needed rebuilt, and I had all of the parts to rebuild it so I slapped it together this morning, re-dropped the distributor shaft one more time and crammed the refreshed 019 in the hole. I set static timing and she fired right up and runs like a raped ape! I revved it to around 2000-2500 rpms and I think I got the cam broken in. Video will come later today... (y)

[tardis454]

I'm fat and the buggy motor runs..
Don't mind the smoke, it's still breaking in and there are adjustments I need to do.

Link if preview video doesn't work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyrOp4uW2aY

[Beagle]

Vroooooom!

[tardis454]

It's finally coming together after more than a decade.


Motor is off of the stand.


Clutch is installed.


Positioned for installation.


Installed.


Wife's personalized plate.




The next order of business is to deal with the clutch cable that's WAAAAAAAYYYYY out of adjustment.
I don't think the Bowden tube was ever adjusted properly. The free play spec is 3/8"-3/4", this ones over 2".
Then there are all of the other misc time vampire things you have to deal with on projects like this.
You know like that 1 bolt that takes an hour to tighten 1/64 of a turn at a time..
Or that 1 part where you have to remove 5 other parts so you can install it...

[Russell]

Persistence pays off! I'm going to have to use that "time vampire"

[tardis454]

Got it running last weekend...

Need to get an adjustment sleeve made for the clutch cable and I can drive it.

[tardis454]

It took 12yrs, a lot of money, a lot of swearing in English and German.
And a lot of blood, sweat, tears & late nights working on it.
But the Buggy is finally driving down the road.
I still have some bugs to work out on it, but it's the most fun we've had in years.
This thing is a friggin riot to drive!.....and it was worth every penny.

Now I have to teach wife how to drive it...