vacuum advance

[captain Byrne]

Just had a pierburg fitted on my 1.9 DG. (I did try myself but had problems with choke pipes so threw in the towel & got some help). Anyway, I've noticed the vacuum pipe on the dizzy has been intentionally blocked with a screw. He couldn't get a new vac unit for it but said he checked it & it's advancing correctly. Can this be right? The dizzy is electronic if that helps and the old carb was a solex. The van used to be a DJ but now a DG but with DJ bits, hence the solex. Thanks in advance (no pun intended).

Pete.

[kevtherev]

He couldn't get a new vac unit for it

one here (scroll down) http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/index.php?o ... 2&Itemid=6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

but said he checked it & it's advancing correctly. Can this be right?

No of course not.
VW fitted a vacuum advance to get the best out of the engine.

[Wolfsburg Willy]

Two different things here. The centrifugal advance, (old term, it's now done electronically) which your mechanic must be referring to when he says that "it's advancing properly", is to provide a gradual ignition advance as the revs increase. The vacuum advance, which is the gizmo that is now blanked off, is to provide an instantaneous advance when there is a high manifold depression (in other words when you put your foot down). Both of these are required for your engine to function properly. I suggest that you ask him to sort it out for you.

[captain Byrne]

Thanks,
Is a DG dizzy the same as a DJ, and can I just put a new DG vac unit on?
Pete.

[Wolfsburg Willy]

Don't know if they're the same, but you should be able to get a vacuum unit for the DG. I'd try Syncrospares for a S/H unit or Brickwerks for new. You could always try VW if all else fails... get your wad out if you do!

[Simon Baxter]

I have both DG and DJ items, one is considerably more than the other though...