Help with timing on a 1600cc type 1!

[sikrogh]

My dad has a vw based fiberglass hot rod. It was running fine last week when he brought it to a car show. It started to loss power and thats when he realized that it was only firing on the back 2 cylinders(2 and 4)
He has replaced the coil, replaced the distributor cap...no help.
We also found in a book that the firing order should be 1 4 3 2 . However, his wont run in that order. Only one of the cylinders is right according to the diagram currently.
We need help! Its driving him nuts.
Ideas?

Thanks

DK

[sturgeongeneral]

Ok. Take a deep breath. Make sure that you are at #1 TDC. Do not only go by the notch on the pulley as you could be on #3 tdc. Take off the passenger side valve cover to be sure both valves on #1 are NOT compressed. Just to be sure #1 is the cylinder on the passenger side and the one towards the front of the car. Once you are certain #1 is at top dead center find the #1 mark on the distributor where the cap mounts. Turn the distrinutor until the rotor points to the mark. That is #1. The next spot in the cap going clockwise will be #4 which is drivers side back of the car cylinder. Next hole in the cap is #3, drivers front cylinder. Last hole is #2. I hope this helps get 'er going. I bet you were trying to set it up when #3 was at tdc.
_________________
Street legal fiberglass rocket ship
2005 Lotus Elise supercharged
1974 Chevy Corvette
My fiberglass car collection!

In honor of bowtie56jw:Another victim of the nasty "C" Praying for ya Jeff!

My exwife said if I towed home one more bug she would leave me. You know, every once in a while I miss her

[sikrogh]

thanks for the help. we will give it a try.