What to do with 1.7 Type 4 in 356 Speedster?

[Mave]

Speaking of distributors; would a standard 009 work satisfactory? (Weber 40 IDF, 1911cc, Webcam 86A).

[wreck]

If the IDF's have a fitting at the base near the butterflys for vacuum advance I'd run the standard type 4 distributor . A 009 will work ,it's just not ideal .

[oprn]

Your engine build is nearly identical to mine, I started mine a little over a year ago with the goal to have it running last summer but like you life had other plans. I am back on it again now pushing to get it running this spring.

I started with a '74 1700 Bus engine that already had 96mm cylinders but a cracked head and worn out cam. I went with the Web 86 and a set of rebuilt Bus 1700 heads that have the chambers opened up some. The C/R will be lower than yours, I will be in the 8.4 range. A set of 40 Webers will be on it and I will be re-using the stock distributor to take advantage of the benefits of vacuum advance. The exhaust is a bit of a mystery yet though!

I too am shooting for a good street runner in the 100 hp range. I am very interested to hear how yours turns out.

[sideshow]

Not all IDF's have that port, FWIW having actually done that it works fine enough I never felt the need to make a MAP setup for that.

[Mave]

I've just bought an original 914 distributor, and I'll be adding a Petronix unit to it. My carbs have a vacuum take-off. Is it sufficient to use it just from one carb, or do I hook up both with a T-joint?

The plan is to fire it up this spring still need to sort out some parts.

[oprn]

My understanding is that with them teed together the signal will not necessarily be higher in value but smoother with less pulsation. I will be trying mine both ways to see.

[udidwht]

Use 1 port preferably the one closest to the distributor #4. Add in an anti pulse valve.

[Piledriver]

IIRC, all Webers have vacuum ports with screw plugs, these are manifold vacuum, primary use was for carb synchronization with mercury manometers like a bike, and can actually be used if fed through a valve that cuts it off at idle.

Fords had several valve configurations that did this trick over the decades, can also be done with a simple solenoid/switch setup.
(magnet on throttle cable/arm triggering a hall or reed switch as examples)

The "right" signal is ported manifold vacuum, from drillings that open just above the rising edge of a closed throttle butterfly.
I added a set to my old italian idfs, used a cheap $1 plastic fuel filter as a damper/accumulator.

pulsation may eventually beat the advance setup to death (if connected directly to only one bore etc)

[Mave]

Hmmm, thanks. I'll look into this. I'm still progressing slowly, not a lot of time to spend in the garage, and still working on building the car (Speedster replica). A month ago I took the engine off the engine stand, and tried to shim the crankshaft. I was not able to get consistent readings, which was very frustrating. So I haven't touched the engine ever since, trying to build up confidence, clear my head, and feel like giving it another try.
Any suggestions to do this? Is pulling and pushing on the pulley sufficient to get the total play?

[Mave]

Deleted double post

[Piledriver]

Do you have the distributor/drive in?
If so, remove it and carefully inspect the brass drive gear, that's how folks destroy those brass gears on the crank...
The distributor drive should be the first thing out of the engine, last thing in, and always removed before pulling the flywheel.
front seal out or at least the fan drive hub off so no seal drag.
Its ok to pry on the flywheel a little with a prybar.

I welded a rocker arm to my flywheel lock and use feeler gauges, use adjuster screw/lock to zero, dead consistent.

[Mave]

Ok, so yesterday I played around with new shims, and got consistent readings. Exchanging shims (different thicknesses) provided the expected different measurements, which restored my confidence. So finally I settled on the combination which gave me 0.10 mm. (Using 2 bolts in the flywheel torqued to 40 lb/ft). So today I wanted to install the seal, o-ring, pilot bearing and felt seal permanently. After torqueing the 5 bolts to 40 lb/ft I decided to check the freeplay. It is now at 0.19 mm?! Could it be that I need to tap the seal further in the housing?

[Clatter]

There are two different thicknesses of main seal depending upon the year.
If your case is supposed to have the thin seal and you have the thick, it could well be your issue.

Check to make sure you have the right one..

[Piledriver]

Note the free play measurement is meant to be taken with no seal, doing it fully assembled can provide slightly different readings.
Just not usually that different... so Clatter may be onto something.

[Mave]

Oh wow, Googling on “porsche 914 flywheel seal” opens up a complete can of worms! I just checked my seal, I can't trace back where I bought it from (I think I bought it about 4 years ago). It is marked “Germany”, so I assume it's a Victor Reinz part. Should I just order the SABO one that a lot of people are talking about?
I removed and mounted the flywheel twice tonight, and the freeplay is consistent at 0.18-0.19 mm. The good thing is that I'm getting consistent results. But of course I'm expecting different readings.
I will probably remove the seal (which will destroy it), and recheck the freeplay without the seal. If it is consistent at 0.10 mm I will install the new seal, mount flywheel, and not be tempted to measure the freeplay anymore.
Does that sound like a plan?!

I'd like to move forward to the first start......it's been a project for too long.