EA82 distributor in EA81

VinoDubber · Post by **VinoDubber** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:29 pm

I have recently put an EA81 into my VW Kombi and took it for its first test drive on the weekend. All went well, but im not sure im getting all I can be out of the engine.

I can only manage to get about 4000 rpm at full throttle, which sits at about 110km/h on the highway. This isnt too bad, but it got me thinking that I should be able to get more.

The engine I put in has an EA82 distributor with electronic ignition on it. I was wondering if anyone knew if the advance curve is different between the two distributors and am I better off going back to the stock EA81 points?

revmax · Post by **revmax** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:37 pm

EA81 electronic dissy is the go.

never heard of the EA82 dissy being udes in an EA81

Post by **TOONGA** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 7:06 pm

with a couple of simple modifications the EA82 dizzy goes straight into the EA81 motor.

the curve will be very similar, what is your timing set at do you know?

TOONGA

VinoDubber · Post by **VinoDubber** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:24 pm

I dont really know what the timing is set to. With the modified flywheel, the timing marks dont seem to line up with anything. Its set by sound and trial and error mostly.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 11:21 pm

I've found that there's a little notch on the crank pulley, lining this up with the joint of the two crank cases is about 8 degree BTDC.

Also, being a conversion, does the throttle open all the way or only partially?

Cheers

Bennie

VinoDubber · Post by **VinoDubber** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:43 pm

I am having issues with getting full throttle, but thats another story. Its more noticeable when I start up cold, it sounds like the battery is flat and compression is really high. Once it fires, it turns over a lot easier and starts no problem. This suggests timing may be too advanced?

littlewhiteute · Post by **littlewhiteute** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:09 pm

The timing would have to be 18 degrees plus to be hard on the starter, especially cold.

Then if it was that far advanced it would be pinging at any sort of load above say 1/4 throttle.

Find TDC, mark your balancer and crankcase, and work from there.

A digital dial back timing light will show you 8-10 BTDC and flash as your TDC marks.

Tweety · Post by **Tweety** » Thu Jul 26, 2012 12:10 am

I had my flywheel removed when the ea81 went onto the transaxle of my VW automatic. Tuned the ea81 by ear ging uphill in high gear till the pinking stopped.

Thats when el freddo came along with his white brumby and he checked his timing at his fly to find it was spot on 8 degrees. Check the crank pully and that notch he refers to was right at the block halves. (this was not expected at all, you'd think it would have been TDC!!!) We then checked Tweety to find it was also at that exact point- I had tuned it to 8 degrees by ear- amazing!.. Since then its been advanced 2 to 4 degrees- 4 degrees with the master blaster 2 coil and back to 2 degrees with the addition of the supercharger. You will find through mathematics that the crank pulley has 360mm circumference meaning one degree equals 1mm. So this will give you a starting point.

So on the ea81 8 degrees BTDC is at the block halves on the timing light.
One degree = one mm
Dont forget to disconnect and block off the vacuum to the dizzy when using the timing light- makes a big difference.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:37 am

and the EA81 pulley does not have a rubber damper to allow any slip to put marks out

VinoDubber · Post by **VinoDubber** » Thu Jul 26, 2012 10:02 am

Thanks Tweety. I have been following your threads closely all over the net. Especially the SC.. I dont think I can fit one under the kombi, but would sure like to try..

I think I have it pretty well timed, I cant see it being more than 1 or 2 degrees out. My concerns were more with using the electronic EA82 dizzy and not having the vacuum advance. So it is timed fine at lower revs but then the curve changes as the rpm gets higher? It doesnt ping at all so Im starting to think that the distribution curves are pretty similar.

Post by **TOONGA** » Thu Jul 26, 2012 11:04 am

VinoDubber wrote: My concerns were more with using the electronic EA82 dizzy and not having the vacuum advance.

you don't have the vacuum advance hooked up?

Why?

What carby do you have and could we see pictures of this set up?

thanks

TOONGA

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Thu Jul 26, 2012 2:22 pm

VinoDubber wrote:My concerns were more with using the electronic EA82 dizzy and not having the vacuum advance.

I'd be hooking up that vacuum advance pronto! Like Toonga, this is essential for optimum operation of the engine. It must be like a brick to drive around town - that's how I described my old torana when the vac advance wasn't connected!

Cheers

Bennie