‘73 SB won’t start...

[GratefulPhish]

Hey all. Back for another round of QnA. Bought my SB last July and really enjoyed driving it until Mid-December when I covered it and let it sleep until now that the weather has turned. I put in a new battery in the late fall and drove it until winter hit. Fast forward to yesterday when I tried starting it up...turns over fine but I can’t get it to start. Pulled the air cleaner and hit it with a shot of starter fluid but still nothing. I’m waiting on a spark plug socket so I can check for spark. In the meantime, anything else I should be looking for/at? Thanks as always for any insight.

[Cusser]

[GratefulPhish]

I pulled the coil wire and held it near the distributor clip. I got a spark every second or third time the key was turned.

[GratefulPhish]

I’m thinking of getting a Bosch coil to replace this thing ^^^

[Starbucket]

Remove the distributor cap and look at point gap and check cap inside for moisture. Look down carb. and open throttle and watch for stream of gas. I hope you added some gas stabilizer before parking it.

[GratefulPhish]

Can confirm small stream of fuel in carburetor when the throttle is engaged.

[Starbucket]

OK Now all you need is spark at the right time. Do you have points or electronic module? Do you have a timing light? Chain auto part stores loan them.

[Michael Ambrozik]

The coil looks like it should be replaced IMHO and replaced with the proper coil. The electrical wires from the distributor to coil look like they were cut and reconnected due to the bulge in the tape cover. Remove the tape and make sure there is a proper soldiered connection and covered separately.

[GratefulPhish]

I was going through a box or parts from the previous owner and found the old points, I currently have an electronic ignition.

[VW_Jimbo]

Why is the wire going to the coil all taped up?
_________________
Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[GratefulPhish]

[GratefulPhish]

Not sure if it’s a coil or distributor issue. If I replace the coil with a new Bosch should I return to points or kept the electronic ignition?

[rastomas]

Stick with the points, learn to adjust them. You don't learn anything from electronics except to replace failed parts.
Stick with stock all around.
_________________
"It's not 'You are what you eat', it's 'You are what you don't SHIT". Wavy Gravy.


'74 Westy

[ashman40]

That coil is part of a set (distributor w/ electronic ignition + coil).
Not sure I would mix-match a different coil unless you were certain the distributor would work with a different coil.

I suggest you check the voltage at the ignition coil (+) terminal WHILE the engine is cranking. It sounds like the voltage may be dropping while the engine is cranking. The electronic module may not tolerate low voltage well. Unlike mechanical points which can still fire a spark with as little as 9.0v... solid state electronics designed for 12.0v may not work reliably if the voltage drops below 11.0v.

This might explain why the coil wire only fires sometimes.


Have you tried jump starting your Beetle. Yes, it may not need a jump start to crank the engine, but connecting another battery in parallel (jump) will make more current available so the voltage loss at the coil is less.
If it helps, and the voltage is low at the coil while the engine is cranking... then you need to clean up your wire connections to minimize the current loss between the battery and the ignition coil.
You might also take your battery to the FLAPS and have them load test it. I realize it is new, but you would not be the first person to get a dud battery.
_________________
AshMan40
---------------------------
'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}

[GratefulPhish]

Thanks so much for chiming in. Please excuse my ignorance regarding this stuff. I love to fix and tinker but lack the background to do it without help, hence my questions! How do I test the coil correctly with an ohm meter? Which terminal is the positive?

[GratefulPhish]

Jumping did not work. The engine is turning over fine but won’t fire up.

[ashman40]

[GratefulPhish]

I read on another forum that someone had similar symptoms and it ended up being an issue with compression or lack there of causes by flooding from related attempts at starting. They had success after pulling the plugs and adding a bit of oil inside to recreate the back pressure needed for combustion. Does this make sense to anyone or seem like a possibility in my case?

[Cusser]

[GratefulPhish]

What would you recommend, any links you can provide?