TheSamba.com :: View topic - Car won't start, timing light stays on, etc, etc...

Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:23 pm

Took a running engine out of one Bug and put it in another and now it won't start. 1600 DP with Solex 34 pict 3 carb and a Bosch 0231 178 009 distributor with a condenser and a single wire. That wire was hooked up to the positive side of the coil, but after reading it seems it should be on the negative side. I really don't know, but it ran before. I also noticed that the dist was loose and it turned a bit. I decided to check the timing using a test light with an alligator clip on the + side of the coil because that's where the single wire was connected. I watched this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=787INwvir24 before and set the timing on a different Bug no problem, but not this time. For some reason the light stays on no matter where I put the wire on the coil and no matter how much I turn the dist. No clue there. I'm also pulled the plugs and wires and now wonder if I put them on wrong. In the video above he talks about the dist pointing in different directions for different distribs. I have my #1 plug as the the right front most wire on the dist cap the #2 is at right back, #3 left back and then #4 at left front or 5 o'clock, 2 o'clock, 11 and 8 accordingly. Is that correct for this dist? He mentions something about the #1 cylinder being at 2 o'clock on some so I'm wondering if I mixed things up when reconnecting??? Also, this carb has an electronic cutoff valve with 2 wires. The red one is not hooked to anything and the black one is connected to the top of the carb body. I've been messing with it and then reading my manuals and looking at diagrams and now I have no clue what the heck is what anymore and I'm just frustrated at this point. Any help would be much appreciated as usual. Thanks!!!

Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:17 am

Sorry, I couldn't follow everything written above. Let's start one thing at a time:

The engine was running when pulled from a previous car to yours, right? Why was the distributor moved around? Why was the cap removed? Why were the wires moved around on the coil?

OK, the single wire from the distributor goes on the (-) side of the coil. The black wire from the wiring harness goes on the (+) side. Remove the cap and rotor. Now, with a wrench, turn the engine clockwise until the points contact area (the little red plastic thing on the arm of the points) is sitting PERFECTLY on top of one of the cam lobes. This is the widest opening possible for the points. This is where the 0.016" ~ 0.018" gap is set on the points. Set points gap and retighten the screw.

Forget the distributor drive gear position for the time being. Now turn the engine to TDC for # 1 cylinder. If you aren't sure how to do that, search TheSamba for instructions - type in TDC and search. When you are sure you are on TDC, install the rotor and move the distributor until the notch on the perimeter of the cap contact surface lines up exactly with the center of the rotor stem. Tighten the distributor in place. The car will start here. The full advance timing you can set later.

Plug wires are easy enough. The position the rotor is nowpointing to is # 1. Run a wire from this point on the cap to the # 1 cylinder (front right side). The next hole to the left, plug in a wire there and run to # 4 (left rear side). Then to the next hole CCW run a wire from there to # 3 (left side front). End up with # 2 in the only hole left.

Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:56 am

drs1023 wrote: Sorry, I couldn't follow everything written above. Let's start one thing at a time:
Sorry! Was tired and frustrated and did my best trying to explain. Yes, engine fired up and ran. Distributor was moved on accident because it wasn't tightened down. I removed plug wires to clean them as well as dist cap and that's when I noticed it being loose. Put everything back the right way, but after car wouldn't start, reading and watching videos is when I started second guessing the position on the plug wires on the distributor. They're fine though. I know how to find TDC and will be messin with it later. Any idea why the light stays on when trying to static time it?
Thanks

Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:10 am

Usually happens when the points are too open. Adjust them properly and try againp

Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:22 am

Just found the wire on the points is in 2 pieces. Looks like I found the problem. I'll get new points and condenser and hopefully it will fire up. We'll see.

Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:25 pm

Replaced points and condenser, set the timing and it fired right up. Thanks for the help.