FAQ 78

Question: I was reading your info on the 009 and recomendations to keep the stock vacuum advance distributor. My 76 Australian beetle has had a 009 put in it by the previous owner, with stock 34 PICT 3 carby. It seems to be running fine around town or on the freeway, although it's running a but rich, I have adjusted the volume control screw but I still have carbon deposits in the tail pipes.

What problems do you have with the 009 around town?

Answer: John Muir in his fantastic book "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive" reports that the 009 makes the Bug a little harder to drive. He isn't very specific there, and I always assumed that he mean it had some hesitation.

I had hesitation problems when the 009 was in my Bug, but I'm pretty sure that was due (at least in part) to carb and intake manifold problems.

From an automotive engineering point of view, the advantage of vacuum advance is better fuel economy. There are non-VW Bug cars that had mechanical advance distributors, and they all ran fine.

Someday, I'll do a more careful test.

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