# My Carb swap on my 1.8 8v. Need some ignition guru help



## Tylers_mk2 (Mar 21, 2018)

What can I cut out of this mess and still run? Can I rewire the icm and make clean? I will run standalone gauges soon


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## nicknuckles666 (Jul 19, 2012)

Hate to ask this but, are you starting the carb swap with the wiring?


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## Tylers_mk2 (Mar 21, 2018)

Solid question haha mostly because my cis e wiring was wicking oil into the wire harness and now they just snap. Rather then deal with it id much rather just go to a 32/36 and drive it. I know carbs pretty well after 8 aircooled cars and a 62 ford, so I know the downsides already. Ignition is the only part i don't understand with the icm


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## DbilasTDI (Nov 5, 2017)

Find an electronic distributor from an early 8V CIS car and the harness with it. This will connect to your current transistorized ignition module. Keep your sensors for oil pressure, coolant temp, etc. Remove your ECU, ignition box, an everything connected to it. Things will get a lot cleaner and simpler.

Also remove your entire fuel pump "box" and someone will buy it. I used a $23 Mr Gasket pump from Autozone.


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## Tylers_mk2 (Mar 21, 2018)

Like an early rabbit one? I thought they only needed 12v no icm


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## DbilasTDI (Nov 5, 2017)

That would be a points distributor. You need late Rabbit, electronic distributor.


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## nicknuckles666 (Jul 19, 2012)

DbilasTDI said:


> That would be a points distributor. You need late Rabbit, electronic distributor.


I really don’t see a variation of which distributor to use since none of them will give you enough mechanical advance or retard. Might as well stay with the digi1 distributor.


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## garryt (Dec 22, 2016)

I think what you need is the ignition set-up from a carb'd mk2 and an early gti distributor with mechanical advance.


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## Tylers_mk2 (Mar 21, 2018)

garryt said:


> I think what you need is the ignition set-up from a carb'd mk2 and an early gti distributor with mechanical advance.


Hmm i wonder if those were pretty common in Europe.


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## Madhun (Aug 30, 2011)

Tylers_mk2 said:


> Hmm i wonder if those were pretty common in Europe.


as far as i understand the non GTI distributor should work, from 1980s that had vacuum advance


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## garryt (Dec 22, 2016)

it will work, but it might not be ideal


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## 59eurobug (Apr 27, 2009)

Using Vw wiring










With MSD


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## Tylers_mk2 (Mar 21, 2018)

Thanks everyone! Works had me swamped but I have had time to crunch the numbers amd microsquirt works out almost even, minus the cost of a good tune. Starting to look like a much better improvement vs going backwards to a carb. I'd be able to keep the stock distributor as well, and use a bbm fuel rail and later model injectors.


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## Jettaboy1884 (Jan 20, 2004)

Very interested in following this, especially for the details on the ignition. :thumbup:

I'm in the middle of a bike carb swap on my '85 Golf, and I was under the impression that my stock vac advance distributor and ignition system are a good setup to get this running... I do have a Ignition module / distributor setup off a CIS '87 Cabriolet as a backup, but not sure if it's actually any different.

I can't wait to tear out all the CIS specific wiring, but also don't want to be over-zealous before it is actually up and running.


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## Tylers_mk2 (Mar 21, 2018)

Jettaboy1884 said:


> Very interested in following this, especially for the details on the ignition.
> 
> I'm in the middle of a bike carb swap on my '85 Golf, and I was under the impression that my stock vac advance distributor and ignition system are a good setup to get this running... I do have a Ignition module / distributor setup off a CIS '87 Cabriolet as a backup, but not sure if it's actually any different.
> 
> I can't wait to tear out all the CIS specific wiring, but also don't want to be over-zealous before it is actually up and running.


My plan is relay everything so the engine side is totally truly stand alone. No mucking about with the old cis stuff and microsquirt can control the fuel pump


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