67 Beetle will turn over but not start

[tasb]

As far as grounds on a distributor goes I would tend to agree with the clamp giving the better ground. Otherwise the distributor shaft does kind of float inside the case and the oil ring is an insulator. The tension spring between the distributor drive dog and the distributor drive gear is also a ground point.
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Roads Scholar
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

Member# 2059

[tasb]

I would steer clear of brand new condensers. They do not have a good reputation for reliability or longevity. Look for NOS condensers. The same can be said for the distributor you are currently running.
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Roads Scholar
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

Member# 2059

[Cantfigureitout03]

@ SCTBRD

So you went with the 224PPB102K capacitor? Did your hookup look similar to where the guy mounted it on a piece of square printed circuit board and you attached it to your coil?

I would like something more robust than the soldering of the leads to keep it in place but I guess it was good enough. How do you know which leg gets grounded to the distributer case?

I could also try this: https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-02086-Ignition-Conden...amp;sr=1-1

This is the distributer currently installed on the car.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QXXCCM2?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

[sctbrd]

I always thought the ground point was the clamp (bolted to the case, tightened on the housing when setting timing). I may be wrong.
Clean the clamp hardware and the area where it clamps the body and see if that helps.
Or run a temporary ground wire from the housing to the case somewhere to see if that improves.

I have had a new condenser go bad in a very short time. Weak spark, not starting. I recently put a film capacitor on my car and it works MUCH better. Failure rate should be lower.

https://www.nonlintec.com/sprite/cap_failure/

[mukluk]

The distributor grounds to the engine directly through its body to the engine case.

The coil negative/points path goes down through the green wire, through the connected wire to the points, through the movable points arm & contact to the fixed points contact & bracket, to the points plate, then to the distributor body either via direct connection as in the case of your 009 or through a flexible ground strap in the case of one with some sort of vacuum advance.
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1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga"

[Cantfigureitout03]

And its dead again.

Curious if anyone knows, how is the distributor grounded to the engine? Is it on the shaft it self above or below what appears to be a seal, or the little nub on the bottom of the shaft where it engages with the engine and spins?

[Cantfigureitout03]

Replacing the distributer did the trick! Thanks everyone.

[Jeff Geisen]

To test primary ignition with a simple test light, shift to neutral, set brake. Clip test light clamp to - side of coil (green wire). Ground light probe, power up ignition and roll the engine over at the gen/alt pulley or have a helper crank engine. If the test light blinks, under the cap and coil are good. If the light stays on steady or doesn’t light at all… there’s your trouble.
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I Corinthians 4: 1 thru 5

‘63 ragtop - ‘68 single cab

[VW_Jimbo]

[mukluk]

[bcferrini]

[KTPhil]

Remove the black wire(s) on the hot side of the coil. These lead to the idle solenoid and choke. Then test with a light or VOM and see if the points are opening and closing.

Those two devices are connected to the hot coil lead, and thus are unfused. A short in either wire or device can prevent the coil from charging.

Note with the idle solenoid unplugged you won't get fuel, so it won't run thus way. but it removes one more variable/failure point while you are troubleshooting the ignition.
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Current Fleet:
- '71 Fastback
- '69 Westfalia
Retired:
- '67 Beetle
- '65 Beetle (x2)
- '65 Bus
- '71 Squareback

[KTPhil]

[Cantfigureitout03]

Even if the distributer is bad, shouldn't I be able to get a spark off of the coil? I removed the center wire from the distributer and had that center wire close to ground and I never saw a spark. That should cut the distributer out of the loop right?

[mukluk]

[Cantfigureitout03]

I did not try sticking a screw driver between the points. You are talking about putting a screw driver right where I drew the arrows correct?

The distributer cap does have a metal piece right in the middle. Its brand new and looks to be in good condition.

We tried getting a spark from the wire from the ignition coil and with everything hooked up and taking a wire from one of the spark plugs and turned the engine over and no spark.

Bcferrini, if you are talking about the hold down clips those were all buttoned up during our tests. You talking about something else?

[bcferrini]

Been a long time, but I think there is a specific way to install the points to prevent voltage from escaping through the attachment point....

If not, then I just woke up and haven't had coffee yet.....
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" I measured twice, cut three times, and it's still too short!"

[viiking]

With the ignition on and with a screwdriver can you get sparking at the points when you short out between the two sides of the points?

Is the carbon pin on the distributor cap in place?
_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3

[Cantfigureitout03]

This is where I put the multimeter to check for voltage. Got 12 volts going from the positive side of the coil to the air intake.

Also, rotated the engine around until the contactor? was separated and checked for continuity with the contacts. I was getting continuity with the contactor separated. I checked the resistance of the primary and secondary coil and got about 4 ohms on the primary and maybe 5000 on the secondary. It matched the value of the previous coil.

The top half of the distributer is new.

Have replaced the the coil, condenser on the distributer, the distributer cap and the rotor.

Just can't seem to get a spark to develop. Battery voltage is also good at 12 volts.

[Cantfigureitout03]

Definitely getting voltage to the ignition coil. Can't get a spark to happen, took the wire that goes to one of the spark plugs and connected a new spark plug and held to ground. Never saw a spark happen.