The Official 356Talk Forum

A while ago I bought a new repro Bosch VJR 4 BR18 distributor, from someone that I believe advertised them in the Registry magazine, and have found it to not function properly. The advance mechanism has only one spring (there is space and the attachment points for 2), and relies on an odd arrangement of 2 weights and "guides" to set/return the rotor position depending on engine speed. During use I found that the advance of the distributor was quite erratic. I checked it first by moving the advance mechanism by hand to see if it would return to "idle" position (it didn't), and then while testing it with an inductive timing light at various engine speeds, the ignition timing bounced around. I was wondering if anyone else has had similar issues with this particular distributor reproduction, and if anyone has the name/address/e-mail of the seller. Thanks for any help.

Pretty sure that the repro distributor and other parts are sold by Jeffery Fellman in Florida. Check the classifieds for his other listings and contact.

Mike

From what i hear he stands behind his products.

I have always had good products and good service from Jeffery. ……………….Jim.

Hi Jerry
Basically it's a ripoff I can buy the generic version of that Chinese distributor for way under $50. It's lipstick on a pig.
j

Isn't it just a recurved Chinese 009?

I have bought and sold several 009 distributors (Bosch Germany, Brazil or no name) and the ones I had only had one spring with tabs on the apposing weights for two. Used to be able to buy different springs now I believe you need to make them. IMHO having only one spring not your problem, its slop and friction. The spring should pull the weights back to there stops at low RPM and hopefully there is a piece of plastic to reduce friction between the weights and attachment plate. If you can't send it back for replacement google 009 and fix it your self depending on your patience. There was an article in our magazine on increasing the total advance and recurving 009's a while back. Not sure how much 'bounce around ' when using light is ok. My 63 has some 'bounce' and when I am behind the wheel it never crosses my mind. Look at the bright side you have a low mileage distributor with good shaft bearings.
Have fun 63 super 90 Sunny SoCal (although is raining right now could be a record amount for mid May .20")

I have John Jenkins restore all my distributors, new or old. He will curve it to your cam and carbs. Jim.

+1 on John Jenkins. Glad you mentioned him Jim.

This morning as every morning I review the classified and the 356talk. Saturday the 18th, I reported to the list monitor a record number of advertisements that were misleading or wrong. Today I only found three. I was asked to elaborate on what situations existed to warrant my report and have spent nearly an hour this morning contemplating my responsibility to perform this for the registry. I just do not want to spend a part of my day doing this since my life on earth is becoming limited. Zim's Autotechnik does not want to be involved with the instillation of Mr. Fellman's products. I have insisted that one of our customers return his '" restored" cars to Mr. Fellman. How lucky you are that rectifying this situation can only cost you a small amount of money. al zim

Before this thread gets locked or deleted for negativity, Jerry, please contact the original seller of your distributor and advise them of the issue. See what they'll do to remedy it and then report back to us. Hopefully, we'll still be watching for the answer......

Jerry
It appears you ordered from:

Classicowheels.com

If you got to that web site contact, info you requested is there.

A year or two ago, I ordered a distributor from Jeffrey but I never received it. Even after a month or two.
Not long after, I saw him at the LA Literature Meet. He had a stand there and was selling his products. I introduced myself, and mentioned the story about my missing distributor. Without hesitating for a second, he reached under his table and gave me another one. Free. No questions asked.
He set a standard, much higher than anyone I have ever encountered, after attending many LA weekends and swap meets.

Regards
David

Dan Epperly wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 8:51 pm Isn't it just a recurved Chinese 009?

+1

After over 5 decades with the 616 engines, it is my opinion, that there is no other distributor of equal quality, in build design, material quality, or service, and performance, than the original distributors. If you have a core, send it to John, or other experienced Bosch distributor servicer, or, find a decent core, to have reconditioned, or get one from the usual distributor servicers, which they have already gone through. If you have one of the 123, etc., that is fine, but I keep a fresh mechanical unit in a spare timing collar, timed to the engine, and bagged as a spare. Think this through, these original factory offered distributor cores, are getting ever harder to find, and are not getting less costly. Several of the main stream overhaulers, will simply not touch, the Chinese made products, as Jacques mentioned, as at that low cost, the quality is just not consistent.

This is my opinion, and it has been formed over 50 years with these cars, engines, and the Bosch distributors. Like the Bosch starters, and generators, these original factory offerings, are very "robust", need occasional maintenance, which they were designed to receive, periodically, as Al and others have said, and are the "best bet", other options, are temporary, at best, but … routine maintenance, will "optimize" all these products. My $.02