Tools - timing, compression, point gap, valve clearance

Hey guys

Looking to buy the tools to set the point gap in the dizzy, then to check timing, valve clearances and finally a compression test. Is this the correct order?

I have a 1700 type 4

Don’t want to be paying mega bucks incase I can’t do it myself lol but willing to have a go.

Think I need feeler gauges, timing light and a screw in compression tester but not sure which ones if anyone can point me in the right direction

Thank you x

 

Compression Tester

 

If you don't have a tachometer, or don't want to pay for a strobe with one built in, then this from online retailers is actually pretty good...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/38560881...624&ssuid=&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

In fact I used mine today to set the timing and idle on our Type 4 FI.
Carry a spare battery in its case, they do seem to rinse them

Edit...you should have come to Techenders!

 

I always found a cheap dwell meter to set the points gave a better running engine than a feeler gauge.

 

thank you. I didn’t know if there was a certain one I needed

 

that looks interesting but not sure how I check timing with it? I don’t really understand how the strobes work either to be fair, I’ll have to watch some more YouTube lol

what is techenders?

 

You can dwell and tacho functions on cheapish multimeters, which might be a handy thing to have.

 

Never heard of a dwell meter, I will have a look into that

 

I have a multimeter, not sure if it has dwell and tacho though

 

The tachometer lets you check the speed of the engine before you set the timing because a common mistake is to set the timing with the engine running well above 1000 rpm.
When you do that, the distributor is adding timing advance of a few degrees because it is designed to do so. Result is that the 8 degrees set on the scale or timing marks becomes less at low RPM . Then it hesitates unnecessarily as you put your foot down..

After a while you get used to the sound of an idling engine and it gets easier to estimate if it's slow or fast idling.

I would stick with a basic timing light - the type with an analogue dial on the back are easy to knock and end up with strange settings plus they go wrong sometimes and the knob position then silently ends up with no relation to the timing setting.

 

I and possibly Scrooge had mentioned it to you in one of your previous threads..the intro one?
You said you were going to look it up and I think you were sent a link. You may find some info elsewhere on the forum if you search.

Anyway, don't worry about it. It's been and gone

 

Sounds exactly like what I need, more info the better lol

 

right that makes a bit more sense. I have a problem with one side of the engine not idling, it only fires when I rev it. Trying to sort that out first which I’m hoping is an air leak. One thing after another.

 

ah yeah I think you did, I’ll have a check, losing track of everything, too much going on with this bus lol

 

I have screenshot it this time so I don’t lose the details lol thank you

 

Hi, T6 owner here so not the best person to ask , but I used to set the timing on mine (when we had the Bay) with a strobe gun, obviously that was after doing all the basic stuff first like setting the valve clearances. I had one with the dial on it but as Mike says, you don’t need one. A basic strobe is fairly cheap and a good investment. A decent set of feeler gauges, 10mm spanner, decent flat heat screwdrivers, you’re good to go. Not sure what you mean by the engine is only idling on one side though?

 

You're onto a winner then because it is simple and the tools don't cost mega bucks and you don't need a compression tester at this point anyway.
Feeler gauges for valve gaps and points if you have those.
13mm ring spanner and a flat blade screwdriver for valve gaps.
10mm socket for distributor clamp.

Those are the first things to do in that order.
Then timing with a cheap timing strobe. Fancy ones can be confusing with the way VW marked the pully. Be ready to come back and check this later when the carbs are balanced, point being if the timing and valve gaps aren't right it's pointless and possibly a backward step to try and adjust the carbs.

You don't need a tachometer really but if your multi meter does it, that's handy.

 

thank you. Hopefully everything will be delivered today so can crack on with it.

I’ve bought the compression tester just to make sure the compression is ok. Because the right hand side doesn’t idle lol but it will get back to that at a later date, I’m hoping it’s an air leak which brings me to another job I need to do….

which is installing a balance tube across the twin carbs, so I literally just need a few clamps and an 8mm fuel hose to do that?