A Coil Story

1

Forgive the long story but it gets interesting for all of us that bought our bus from a previous owner.

After all my gearbox hassles I finally have a nice tight gearbox that sticks in 4th gear and it all works smoothly. But the old girl was not satisfied with that. She had been running a bit rough, particularly when cold and stopped at a busy roundabout a few weeks ago. Highly embarrassing. Got going with the help of an NRMA guy who said it was the fuel pump. Put in one that Hart had and it still happened. Decided to put in a new pump. Did that and it let me down again. Would not start after a short run to a nearby Repco store. So off to Hart Motors to see one of the best T3 experts around. We decided it was the temperature switch below the thermostat. We were looking in the engine bay and I noticed the coil was very hot. We took it out and discovered it was from the ark. Hart believes it was from a air cooled model. !@^%$%# idiot mechanic or backyarder!!!!

We then we took off the high tension lead. Lots of evidence of heat damage. So ordered a new coil and a lead kit from Tooleys in Sydney. By the way, they are just fabulous to deal with.

Parts arrived overnight and we opened up the engine bay. Just by accident Hart though he would explain the firing order to me so took off the distributor cap to show me the notch for the first cylinder and found the rotor had a hole in it and was only working by sparking across the gap. Would have really mucked up the timing we think.

So it wasn't the temp sender at all. I now have a spare!! I put all the bits in with a spare rotor that Hart had and the engine has been running as smooth as I have ever known it. Phew!!

I have posted some photos of the coil, high tension lead and rotor in an album on the site for those interested.

So some observations:

  • Previous owners and/or mechanics sometime have no idea what they are doing!!!!
  • Hart Motors and the proprietor are a great resource to have on the Mid North Coast :-)
  • Tooleys are a great firm to deal with.

I now look forward to some hassle free driving.

Peter from Port


2
Well done lads. Mine has a cv joint from 1971 on it! Greg

Sent from Greg's iPhone

On 1 May 2015, at 6:26 pm, peter@coeconsult.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia] <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

Forgive the long story but it gets interesting for all of us that bought our bus from a previous owner.

After all my gearbox hassles I finally have a nice tight gearbox that sticks in 4th gear and it all works smoothly. But the old girl was not satisfied with that. She had been running a bit rough, particularly when cold and stopped at a busy roundabout a few weeks ago. Highly embarrassing. Got going with the help of an NRMA guy who said it was the fuel pump. Put in one that Hart had and it still happened. Decided to put in a new pump. Did that and it let me down again. Would not start after a short run to a nearby Repco store. So off to Hart Motors to see one of the best T3 experts around. We decided it was the temperature switch below the thermostat. We were looking in the engine bay and I noticed the coil was very hot. We took it out and discovered it was from the ark. Hart believes it was from a air cooled model. !@^%$%# idiot mechanic or backyarder!!!!

We then we took off the high tension lead. Lots of evidence of heat damage. So ordered a new coil and a lead kit from Tooleys in Sydney. By the way, they are just fabulous to deal with.

Parts arrived overnight and we opened up the engine bay. Just by accident Hart though he would explain the firing order to me so took off the distributor cap to show me the notch for the first cylinder and found the rotor had a hole in it and was only working by sparking across the gap. Would have really mucked up the timing we think.

So it wasn't the temp sender at all. I now have a spare!! I put all the bits in with a spare rotor that Hart had and the engine has been running as smooth as I have ever known it. Phew!!

I have posted some photos of the coil, high tension lead and rotor in an album on the site for those interested.

So some observations:

  • Previous owners and/or mechanics sometime have no idea what they are doing!!!!
  • Hart Motors and the proprietor are a great resource to have on the Mid North Coast :-)
  • Tooleys are a great firm to deal with.

I now look forward to some hassle free driving.

Peter from Port


3
Hi Group,
don’t want you to be under the impression that i’m running a Syncro business of sorts here. It came about because of my first name or part of it and because i received an e/m photo of a garage / workshop of a place in the Snowies. So that’s that…
Yes I have been playing around with VWs since I can remember and my first car been a Kuebelwagen of the Rommel Corps. ( we got married in that one) this first one we left behind in Africa when we left for sandy pastures in Ozz.

Over the years we had about 20+ different types of VeeDubs until we bought our demo DOKA and that one gave me  some more experience in helping myself when needed. 

So if I can try and help anybody  in strive I will just do that. That’s what you do in a vast country like ours or Africa.

Carpe diem, Hart





On 1 May 2015, at 6:41 pm, gregespo73@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia] <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:


Well done lads. Mine has a cv joint from 1971 on it! Greg

Sent from Greg's iPhone

On 1 May 2015, at 6:26 pm, peter@coeconsult.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia] <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

Forgive the long story but it gets interesting for all of us that bought our bus from a previous owner.

After all my gearbox hassles I finally have a nice tight gearbox that sticks in 4th gear and it all works smoothly. But the old girl was not satisfied with that. She had been running a bit rough, particularly when cold and stopped at a busy roundabout a few weeks ago. Highly embarrassing. Got going with the help of an NRMA guy who said it was the fuel pump. Put in one that Hart had and it still happened. Decided to put in a new pump. Did that and it let me down again. Would not start after a short run to a nearby Repco store. So off to Hart Motors to see one of the best T3 experts around. We decided it was the temperature switch below the thermostat. We were looking in the engine bay and I noticed the coil was very hot. We took it out and discovered it was from the ark. Hart believes it was from a air cooled model. !@^%$%# idiot mechanic or backyarder!!!!

We then we took off the high tension lead. Lots of evidence of heat damage. So ordered a new coil and a lead kit from Tooleys in Sydney. By the way, they are just fabulous to deal with.

Parts arrived overnight and we opened up the engine bay. Just by accident Hart though he would explain the firing order to me so took off the distributor cap to show me the notch for the first cylinder and found the rotor had a hole in it and was only working by sparking across the gap. Would have really mucked up the timing we think.

So it wasn't the temp sender at all. I now have a spare!! I put all the bits in with a spare rotor that Hart had and the engine has been running as smooth as I have ever known it. Phew!!

I have posted some photos of the coil, high tension lead and rotor in an album on the site for those interested.

So some observations:


  • Previous owners and/or mechanics sometime have no idea what they are doing!!!!
  • Hart Motors and the proprietor are a great resource to have on the Mid North Coast :-)
  • Tooleys are a great firm to deal with.

I now look forward to some hassle free driving.

Peter from Port





4
Brilliant story both Peter and Hart.

Hart motors had a feature and the last VW Australia magazine too with Harts very manly sized trolley jack.

One would think Hart was trying to compensate for something there?

Cheers,

Skot

On 1/05/2015 8:51 PM, Hartmut Kiehn hartis@live.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia] wrote:
Hi Group,
don’t want you to be under the impression that i’m running a Syncro business of sorts here. It came about because of my first name or part of it and because i received an e/m photo of a garage / workshop of a place in the Snowies. So that’s that…
Yes I have been playing around with VWs since I can remember and my first car been a Kuebelwagen of the Rommel Corps. ( we got married in that one) this first one we left behind in Africa when we left for sandy pastures in Ozz.

Over the years we had about 20+ different types of VeeDubs until we bought our demo DOKA and that one gave me some more experience in helping myself when needed.

So if I can try and help anybody in strive I will just do that. That’s what you do in a vast country like ours or Africa.

Carpe diem, Hart





On 1 May 2015, at 6:41 pm, gregespo73@yahoo.com [Syncro_T3_Australia] <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:


Well done lads. Mine has a cv joint from 1971 on it! Greg

Sent from Greg's iPhone

On 1 May 2015, at 6:26 pm, peter@coeconsult.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia] <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:


Forgive the long story but it gets interesting for all of us that bought our bus from a previous owner.

After all my gearbox hassles I finally have a nice tight gearbox that sticks in 4th gear and it all works smoothly. But the old girl was not satisfied with that. She had been running a bit rough, particularly when cold and stopped at a busy roundabout a few weeks ago. Highly embarrassing. Got going with the help of an NRMA guy who said it was the fuel pump. Put in one that Hart had and it still happened. Decided to put in a new pump. Did that and it let me down again. Would not start after a short run to a nearby Repco store. So off to Hart Motors to see one of the best T3 experts around. We decided it was the temperature switch below the thermostat. We were looking in the engine bay and I noticed the coil was very hot. We took it out and discovered it was from the ark. Hart believes it was from a air cooled model. !@^%$%# idiot mechanic or backyarder!!!!

We then we took off the high tension lead. Lots of evidence of heat damage. So ordered a new coil and a lead kit from Tooleys in Sydney. By the way, they are just fabulous to deal with.

Parts arrived overnight and we opened up the engine bay. Just by accident Hart though he would explain the firing order to me so took off the distributor cap to show me the notch for the first cylinder and found the rotor had a hole in it and was only working by sparking across the gap. Would have really mucked up the timing we think.

So it wasn't the temp sender at all. I now have a spare!! I put all the bits in with a spare rotor that Hart had and the engine has been running as smooth as I have ever known it. Phew!!

I have posted some photos of the coil, high tension lead and rotor in an album on the site for those interested.

So some observations:


  • Previous owners and/or mechanics sometime have no idea what they are doing!!!!
  • Hart Motors and the proprietor are a great resource to have on the Mid North Coast :-)
  • Tooleys are a great firm to deal with.

I now look forward to some hassle free driving.

Peter from Port






5
It's not even a coil that will fit any Volkswagen air or water cooled. You are lucky not to cause more damage. Don't you just love Australian mechanics?
6
The coil we removed weighted in at 600 g , the one we installed  is 900+ g.  Some difference here. Also the coil in question has an ominous 
looking BOSCH sticker on it and zero other info bar ‘made in China’. the new one has all the correct nos stamped on to its end.
Hart



On 2 May 2015, at 7:24 am, plander@optusnet.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia] <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

It's not even a coil that will fit any Volkswagen air or water cooled. You are lucky not to cause more damage. Don't you just love Australian mechanics?


7
It's a points coil to suit an old Holden, Ford, Datsun etc with a ballast resistor.
8
Wow. I am so lucky given that it is not even a VW coil. They must be robust engines to survive such incompetence from an Aussie mechanic or owner. I am lucky nothing caught fire!!! The car was used in Victoria most of its life and it had plastic tubing around the spark plug leads sealed off with electrical tape. Crazy stuff. I suspect the previous owner must have done some driving through water. It even had perspex covers that screwed over the fridge vents in the side of the car.
Peter from Port
9
But I bet that some bogan had taken the splash cover off the distributor cap.

How any here still have it?
10
Got it..on

Sent from my WalkingStick!

On 02/05/2015, at 12:44 PM, "plander@optusnet.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia]" <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

But I bet that some bogan had taken the splash cover off the distributor cap.

How any here still have it?

11

Of course it was gone Phil. Can you still get distributor splash covers?

Peter

12
Yes, from VW Classic parts de.
13

What are they and what do they look like?

Richard

14

Here is a photo from the Brickwerks site Richard.

http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/index.php/waterproof-cover-t3-distributor-syncro.html

 

Peter

t3905293_1.jpg

15
Wow, was not aware of these. What about the rubber ones made for buggies? They would work well also.
16
Yes Pete,  have got the thing in my cupboard but never put it on….
Send you message yesterday but you didn't read it ????
H



On 4 May 2015, at 9:14 pm, 'Peter Coe' peter@coeconsult.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia] <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:


Here is a photo from the Brickwerks site Richard.

http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/index.php/waterproof-cover-t3-distributor-syncro.html

 

Peter

<image003.jpg>



17
I use Glad Wrap.
It's quick, cheap and replaceable.
It's the same stuff my newsagent uses to protect my news paper each day,
and it only fails when the paper is immersed in water.
Peter



--Original Message Text---
From: cathrich1@yahoo.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia]
Date: 04 May 2015 05:55:48 -0700



Wow, was not aware of these. What about the rubber ones made for buggies? They would work well also.




18
Hi Hartmut,
Remember, your DUST/SPLASHPROOF glove in your cupboard (HA! waterproof my eye!) is one of the four gloves I had shipped from Syncro Services DE a number of years ago.

I installed mine back then, I found it a pain to install so once on, is best left in place for the long term. If someone is doing some serious wading, sure, probably worth fitting, if not, probably wouldn't bother. Also the special heat resistant plastic it's made of is a bit on the brittle side so can be holed or split if you're not careful and/or thinking to install/remove regularly and sooner or later it will get damaged. Also makes it harder to access the distributor and if removing/installing the spark plug leads for whatever reason, is a pain in the butt to manipulate.

I think when extreme wading, if the water level in the engine bay is so high that it's up to the height of the distributor, then I'd be very apprehensive where else the water has already penetrated/compromised other equipment/orifices/worn seals etc.etc. Just asking for trouble.

Cheers.
Ken


To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
From: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tue, 5 May 2015 15:20:53 +1000
Subject: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: A Coil Story

 

Yes Pete,  have got the thing in my cupboard but never put it on….
Send you message yesterday but you didn't read it ????
H



On 4 May 2015, at 9:14 pm, 'Peter Coe' peter@coeconsult.com.au [Syncro_T3_Australia] <Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com> wrote:


Here is a photo from the Brickwerks site Richard.

http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/index.php/waterproof-cover-t3-distributor-syncro.html

 

Peter

<image003.jpg>