Beetle Just doesn’t run anymore?

[Daniel1120]

Had to take my beetle in for a vehicle inspection a few weeks back and it drove there perfectly fine, when it came time to drive it in for the inspection it just outright wouldn’t start and I had to get it towed home. I did the old spark plug test to see if it was getting any spark and it wasn’t. Since then I’ve replaced the ignition coil and the distributor and rewired the ignition switch to the coil and it still isn’t getting any spark. It’s definitely getting power from the switch back to the coil as well. I’d like to point out as well, the spark plugs and spark plug wires are fairly new as well. They were replaced about 2 years ago when I started this project and it’s not like I’ve drove it too terribly much, maybe a dozen miles or so. I’m really not sure what else it could be at this point, any suggestions or advice?

[67rustavenger]

Points and condenser or Electronic ignition?

The electronic ignitions just stop working sometimes. Especially when they are incorrectly wired.

Points and condensers are dead simple.

How are you verifying that you have power to the #15 post on the coil?
_________________
I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!

[Daniel1120]

Points. I’m just using a simple voltage tester that lights up when it gets power and grounded. Bad way of checking or no?

[67rustavenger]

[Daniel1120]

I’ll test it again but this is the third coil I’ve tried. First one is the one that worked then randomly stopped, second one brand new and no spark, now on the third one and still nothing. They’re the cheap 12v duralast coils….think that has anything to do with it?

[67rustavenger]

It is rather odd that 2 new coils could be faulty. But things happen.

What are your points set at? Usually .016" will get an engine running.

Also, is the little carbon button in the distributor cap inplace?
I've had one disappear once and the engine would not fire.
_________________
I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!

[Daniel1120]

The distributor I got, the description states it comes factory set .016-.020 yet I can’t even get it to sputter. What do you mean by carbon button?

[67rustavenger]

[zerotofifty]

Check the point gap.

check that you got the wire from dizzie to coil on the correct side of coil terminal make sure that wire is not on the terminal that has the electric choke or ignition supply wire attached, the wire to the dizzie should be the only wire on that coil terminal (unless you have an aftermarket tachometer)

confirm the center high tension wire is good, correctly install in cap and to coil.

If so equiped, does the electric choke get hot with key switched on?

The carbon button is spring loaded, it is inside the cap under the center high tension wire. make sure it is spring loaded, not missing

make sure the braided ground wire to the breaker plate inside the distributor is not busted.

[Cusser]

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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[viiking]

[rcooled]

Replace the condenser.
_________________
'63 Ragtop (current)
'65 Ghia coupe (totaled)
'67 Ghia convertible (current)
'69.5 Ghia convertible and
'62, '63, '65, '69 Bugs (all long gone)

[wdfifteen]

Where are you in Ohio? I am in the Dayton area and would be happy to come look at your car if you aren't too far away.

More information about your car would help here.
What year?
What engine?
What modifications?

[RLFD213]

Do you have power going to the cool? Maybe the ignition switch left the chat.