Date:         Mon, 16 Mar 1998 23:14:56 -0800
Reply-To:     Old Volks Home <jim@OLDVOLKSHOME.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Old Volks Home <jim@OLDVOLKSHOME.COM>
Subject:      Re: Why 3 Different 2.1 Distributors In Use?
Comments: To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
In-Reply-To:  <Version.32.19980316200147.04170790@pop.interport.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

At 08:07 PM 3/16/98 -0500, Derek Drew wrote:
>A look at Ron's place (http://www.busdepot.com/engine.htm) and the more
>detailed description from Jim
>(http://www.oldvolkshome.com/ignition.html#V8691) reveals that the 2.1
>litre digifant distributor was changed in 1990 and then again toward the
>end of 1991 to different designs.
>
>Yet my parts fiche shows only one part number for all these things, the one
>ending in AG. But Jim's site warns the AG distributors are *not
>interchangeable* with earlier versions.
>
>So now I am wondering whether there isn't any reason I cannot use a
>distributor from an 87 in my 90 if I should have cause to.
-------------------------------------------------------------

This is purely speculation my part, but it could have to do with the ECU
being used for those particular years, because the ECU is what actually
advances the spark.  The latest replacement ECU however does fit from 86-91
including Syncros, so it may self adjust to the distributor being used, so
theoretically I don't see a problem - except that you should ask for the
correct Distributor Cap for the distributor number installed so that you're
correct for what fits (the distributor case mating surface to the cap may
be different in this respect).

I'm sure there may be other nuances or idiocyncrasies of the particular
distributors used on 86-91, but I am not aware of them.

I do need to update the listing though.  After some research, I have found
the Bosch number for the Hall Sender - My number 025-9086B, price is $85.10
(down from $89.06 effective 2-26-98)(Fits 85-91).


Jim Thompson
84 Westy 2.1 * 62 Beetle * 90 Fox Wagon
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