What's new

BOSCH Coil electronic ignition issue

CalebinColorado

New member
im looking at beefing up my entire system including a gene/alternator swap, nicer more efficient coil, distributer, and so on. i dont currently have my ignition set up so im open minded. in reading, most people have agreed that the Bosch parts (coil and alternator specificly) are on the top of the list. while searching these Coils i see that it says "DOES NOT WORK WITH FACTORY ELECTRONIC IGNITIONS!"
( Vintage VW Parts | COIL | Coil, 12 Volt Bosch Blue w/Bracket | 00012 ) Now, my question is, does this mean it would not work with an aftermarket E.ignition? ( Vintage VW Parts | ELECTRONIC IGNITION KITS | Accu-Fire Electronic Ignition | ZVW905067 ) maybe i just dont know enough about coils to understand hows whats and whys lol
 

letterman7

Honorary Admin
Setting up new stuff is always a good idea if there is any question on it's wear. Yes, the standard coil meant for points type ignition systems will not work with factory electronics - meaning the later fuel injected cars. I don't know why but I imagine it has something to do with the resistance voltage, but don't quote me on that. The aftermarket Accufire will work just fine with a Bosch coil, though many people upgrade the coils to an aftermarket to match the electronics CB Performance - Online Catalog

I've never run electronic ignition, but know several people that do and they love 'em. The only downside is when they fail, they fail without warning and could potentially leave you stranded. Always carry a spare set of points with you just in case.
 

CalebinColorado

New member
Setting up new stuff is always a good idea if there is any question on it's wear. Yes, the standard coil meant for points type ignition systems will not work with factory electronics - meaning the later fuel injected cars. I don't know why but I imagine it has something to do with the resistance voltage, but don't quote me on that. The aftermarket Accufire will work just fine with a Bosch coil, though many people upgrade the coils to an aftermarket to match the electronics CB Performance - Online Catalog

I've never run electronic ignition, but know several people that do and they love 'em. The only downside is when they fail, they fail without warning and could potentially leave you stranded. Always carry a spare set of points with you just in case.


what ignition to you run in your set ups? id love something that wont leave any chance at stranding me lol and just to be clear, the bosch wont work? but the accufire will?
 

letterman7

Honorary Admin
The Bosch coils will be fine with the Accufire electronic ignition. I've always run points... no real reason, just never got around to changing over to an electronic point system - which is all the Accufire is. Don't get the terminology confused - "electronic ignition" spans quite a bit.

As for the stranding stories... they are out there. It's somewhat rare, but when it happens you hear about it on the boards. Carry a spare electronics set or a set of points to put into the distributor if it happens, or be prepared to have the car towed. Like most imported electronics, some can be dodgy, some will last forever.
 

CalebinColorado

New member
The Bosch coils will be fine with the Accufire electronic ignition. I've always run points... no real reason, just never got around to changing over to an electronic point system - which is all the Accufire is. Don't get the terminology confused - "electronic ignition" spans quite a bit.

As for the stranding stories... they are out there. It's somewhat rare, but when it happens you hear about it on the boards. Carry a spare electronics set or a set of points to put into the distributor if it happens, or be prepared to have the car towed. Like most imported electronics, some can be dodgy, some will last forever.


just curious, and sort of out on the limb here(still dont know alot even after all of your help) would any of these wires come in a wire harness for the whole vehicle? im planning on purchasing the deluxe wiring kit from sterling, not really sure what that would wire in the engine? i know it sounds like a stupid question but any help is great as always.
Caleb
 

letterman7

Honorary Admin
You're confusing the terminology with what you're looking at. The Accufire is simply a module that drops into the distributor - nothing else changes. A factory VW electronic ignition has a computer and a harness to control the fuel injection - your car does not have any of that. The harness from Sterling Sports is a generic wire harness that can be used for any vehicle. All the wires are pre-labeled, so it's a matter of almost plug and play. But you have to know how to wire basic systems, like the steering column and starter circuit. Like I mentioned, find a local VW club and someone that runs a dune buggy. It's very likely that they don't have the factory loom, but are using something aftermarket.
 

CalebinColorado

New member
*very frustrated* thank you for straighting me out on that haha. and thank you for the samba link to car clubs, iv actually talked with quit a few people at some car shows lately and found their club on samba *thumbs up* so now i just gotta get someone out to my place to tell me what the hells going on in my engine *hmmm* i had a lot of pictures to post on here from yesterday for my entire car(engine pics, gas tank, suspension, carbs, distributor, so on and so forth) but my phone just went haywire and now i have no telly *thumbs down* but i can tell you, i have (or at least in searching google with the part numbers i found) the Solex H40/44EIS dual port carbs. The full number on my carbs(all numbers and letters i could find excluding jets) was Solex 40-28 H40/44EIS BROSOL IND Bras *thumbs up* if my research is correct, i have a 28mm Venturis but a 40/44 carb essentially? Kadron carbs? people say good things about them i.e. there easy to rebuild, maintain, above average performance, and great for low budget? do you know if any of this proves true or false?
and as ill always say,
Thank you
caleb
 

CalebinColorado

New member
*thumbs up* One of the most popular aftermarket carburetors there is. Very easy to maintain and tune. If they engine is running well, don't mess with them. Here's a link to one of the specialty tuners for those models: The Low Bugget and Mr.Kadron web site. Another specialty tuner are these guys: Kadron Solex H40/44 EIS Carburetor Specialists, Repair, Rebuild, and Rebushing... Parts and Service


sweet! its good to know haha*rock on* as for the engine...the block has been rebuilt but that was over a year ago now and i have NOT *humpf* ran the engine even once...im not sure what ON the block works and doesnt(sort of why im wanting to just replace EVERYTHING) and it has no electrical as of right now. Really need to know what battery to get? guessing that it was a 12v but not sure of any sprecific numbers or anything. i have a type 3 1600 "pancake", currently using a generator but wish to swap for an alt(not sure which one or even if i can) and wanting to upgrade the distributor and ignition coil. carbs SEEM good-confused* (i push the center pull linkage and both floats open) but the spring i have is not attached to anything so it doesnt close on its own. carbs will probably need to be cleaned? While im ranting, perhaps now would be a good time to ask about turbo kits :D ? anyone know if they were made for this engine :worried: and if so is there any way to fit one in our confined space? (i have a sterling)
Thanks always,
Caleb
 

letterman7

Honorary Admin
Don't get ahead of yourself talking turbos when you don't even know about the basics of VW engines yet. Clean everything up - get the crud off the block, clean the air filters and put some gas in the tank, or run a remote gas tank to the fuel pump. It looks like this:
T3 pump.jpg
Top nipple is the outlet to the carbs, bottom to the fuel tank. Get some help with hooking up the distributor and the starter to a battery and crank it over - my bet is it'll crank for a minute or two and fire right up. If you want to play it safe, pull the spark plugs and squirt a shot of WD40 down the cylinder so it isn't dry cranking. Check the oil first, of course, before you venture into doing this.
There is absolutely no need to randomly start replacing parts. You're suffering from the 'new owner syndrome' where you want to fix everything before knowing what's broke. The only thing I replaced when I bought my first Sterling was the starter. And really, the seller replaced it before I got to his house, but I reimbursed him for it. The car literally sat for 15 years in the same spot - dry rotted tires, engine not set up and stored properly - in his garage. The day I came to pick it up he swapped the starter, we put some fuel in the tank and down the carb throats, hand cranked it to get the oil flowing and started it up - five tries and the engine fired right over. Yes, the carbs needed a rebuild, but it ran. And after I rebuilt those carbs that's the way I ran the car ever since - no other engine mods at all.
Get someone over that knows aircooled engines one weekend. Get some sandwiches and some drinks and have them go through the car with you. Remember the old adage: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. And don't think about turbos right now. There are kits out there, but you'll need to change a bunch of stuff to make it work.
 

CalebinColorado

New member
Don't get ahead of yourself talking turbos when you don't even know about the basics of VW engines yet. Clean everything up - get the crud off the block, clean the air filters and put some gas in the tank, or run a remote gas tank to the fuel pump. It looks like this:
View attachment 2641
Top nipple is the outlet to the carbs, bottom to the fuel tank. Get some help with hooking up the distributor and the starter to a battery and crank it over - my bet is it'll crank for a minute or two and fire right up. If you want to play it safe, pull the spark plugs and squirt a shot of WD40 down the cylinder so it isn't dry cranking. Check the oil first, of course, before you venture into doing this.
There is absolutely no need to randomly start replacing parts. You're suffering from the 'new owner syndrome' where you want to fix everything before knowing what's broke. The only thing I replaced when I bought my first Sterling was the starter. And really, the seller replaced it before I got to his house, but I reimbursed him for it. The car literally sat for 15 years in the same spot - dry rotted tires, engine not set up and stored properly - in his garage. The day I came to pick it up he swapped the starter, we put some fuel in the tank and down the carb throats, hand cranked it to get the oil flowing and started it up - five tries and the engine fired right over. Yes, the carbs needed a rebuild, but it ran. And after I rebuilt those carbs that's the way I ran the car ever since - no other engine mods at all.
Get someone over that knows aircooled engines one weekend. Get some sandwiches and some drinks and have them go through the car with you. Remember the old adage: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. And don't think about turbos right now. There are kits out there, but you'll need to change a bunch of stuff to make it work.

thank you for the words of wisdom lol and thank you for your history of the engine :D my story is very much the same(probably why i have N.O.S. so bad) also, thank you for the picture, i had a concern about that when i was looking at my setup a few days ago vs the picture i have from when i got the car, the gentleman that "rebuilt" my engine hooked the carbs up reverse what you have just told me and i noticed it in my picture as well. as for the turbo, im really not looking for one right now just a curiosity for my "things to look into" section on my binder. one more question, do you know what the piece on the top of the block on the drivers side of the center pull linkage is? it has 2 hose ports on it one straight and the other gay..wait i mean bent, at a 90degree towards the passenger side? i had a picture to post but my phone decided to fail completely *whaah*
thanks,
Caleb
 

letterman7

Honorary Admin
Can't tell from your initial photo of the engine. Might just be a breather box, although you already have one on the firewall. Follow the hoses and see where they go.

As for the fuel pump... there are different brands. It may be hosed correctly - easy test, take both hoses off and squirt some WD40 in the lower port. Turn the engine over by hand (with a socket on the crank pulley - big pulley at the bottom of the engine). If the WD oozes out the top, then you know that the bottom is in, top out. If it comes back out the bottom... there you go! The WD won't hurt any gas you put in there and may momentarily lube the pump diaphragm!
 

CalebinColorado

New member
YAY! PHOTOS

Can't tell from your initial photo of the engine. Might just be a breather box, although you already have one on the firewall. Follow the hoses and see where they go.

As for the fuel pump... there are different brands. It may be hosed correctly - easy test, take both hoses off and squirt some WD40 in the lower port. Turn the engine over by hand (with a socket on the crank pulley - big pulley at the bottom of the engine). If the WD oozes out the top, then you know that the bottom is in, top out. If it comes back out the bottom... there you go! The WD won't hurt any gas you put in there and may momentarily lube the pump diaphragm!

My phone is now (out of no where) working again, so here is the object that im clueless about (BTW there are no hoses to or from right now :( kind of my main issue with it)
 

Attachments

  • top of block.jpg
    top of block.jpg
    68.5 KB · Views: 462
  • question mark.jpg
    question mark.jpg
    71 KB · Views: 487

letterman7

Honorary Admin
That confirms my suspicion from your other post about removing the tank. I saw what appeared to be a remote oil cooler over the driver's rear tire - this confirms that. It's a block off plate over the oil feeds from the engine - it's directing hoses to the cooler. That cutout in the cooling tins is where the stock oil cooler would mount. It's ok to have a remote cooler, as long as it's getting the air movement it needs; The problem I see with yours is that big gaping hold where it once was. That needs to be sealed somehow to keep that cylinder from cooking. I might look into putting the stock cooler back in. Check the Samba classifieds to see what's there: the oil cooler TheSamba.com :: VW Classifieds - NOS type 3 oil cooler
TheSamba.com :: VW Classifieds - Type 3 Oil Cooler w/ Fittings

It appears that you have the stock tins, which is good. This is what a stock setup looks like with a regular cooler installed:
T3 oil cooler.jpg
T3 oil cooler 2.jpg

And here's what it looks like with the tins off:
T3 oil cooler 3.jpg

You can use the remote cooler - just make sure there is a fan or something to get air blowing through it (or move it so it's in the air stream when the car is moving). You'll need to fabricate some sort of plate to seal that hole as best you can, though. Any lost cooling air to that cylinder is going to be an issue.
 
Last edited:
Top