‘73 SB won’t start...

[GratefulPhish]

Failed to start today

I cleaned the rotor contacts and still nothing. I guess I need to do the volt test at the coil to see if I’m losing voltage somewhere. So frustrated.

[Pruneman99]

[GratefulPhish]

I just replaced it, still happening with the new one installed.

[Pruneman99]

But is it working? New doesn't always mean good.

[GratefulPhish]

Yes, it’s working. When I tested it two days ago it worked fine, so I reinserted it and the car fired right up. Today it cranks and cranks and cranks but no ignition.

[Pruneman99]

Is the wire that supplies power to the solenoid good? I've had one that was bad in the crimp. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not. It left me scratching my head for a minute. I made a new wire and soldered all the connections. All fixed.

[GratefulPhish]

If I rememycorrectly I got a 11.7 volt reading when I tested the wire to the solenoid.

[VW_Jimbo]

You need to check for spark. Make sure that is present. Then check for fuel. If it does not start, take a can of starting fluid, and blast the air filter with a small shot of it. Go try and start. If it starts you are chasing fuel starvation. If starving and you think it is the idle fuel shut off. Take an old one and cut the plunger off of it. Install it and see what happens.
_________________
Jimbo

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

[GratefulPhish]

I pulled a plug and grounded it right below the distributor. Took a quick video when turning the key and I didn't see an arc from the plug.

[ashman40]

Use your battery jumper cables to extend the battery to the engine area. Hotwire the ignition coil so it is powered directly from the battery. See if that makes any difference.

Get some spray starting fluid. Spray into the open throttle plates. Run to the driver's seat and crank the engine. If this gets your engine to start or even just cough it suggests your engine needs fuel. If it makes do difference, your problem is likely ignition.

If you have a starter bump switch, hook it to the starter solenoid. This allows you to crank the engine while you stand behind the car. Otherwise, you can get a buddy to crank the engine while you conduct the following tests:

Remove the HT wire from the center post of the ignition coil. Install the stripped end of a jumper wire. Hold the other end of the wire near ground while you crank the engine. You should see a spark jumping from the wire to ground.

Reinstall the HT wire into the ignition coil center post. Hold the other end near ground. Repeat the test and look for a spark jumping from the HT wire to ground.

Install the ignition coil HT wire back into the distributor cap center post. Pull a spark plug wire off the spark plug. Hold the loose end near a ground. If you don't see a spark, try inserting a stripped wire into the part of the plug wire where the tip of the spark plug inserts. Hold the other end of the jumper wire near ground and look for the spark. This confirms the spark is making it to the end of the plug wire.

Lastly, install a spark plug into the end of the plug wire and ground the body of the spark plug. Crank the engine and look for a spark jumping the plug's electrodes.

The above tests each step from the ignition coil to the spark plug. If you have spark at the ignition coil but not at the spark plug identify where you are loosing the spark.
_________________
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!}

[VW_Jimbo]

[GratefulPhish]

Taking a few days break from the car will try the above and report back.

[VW_Jimbo]

I get it! Sometimes that’s what is needed!
_________________
Jimbo

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

[GratefulPhish]

Ok, back at it...

I put in a new Bosch coil and re-connected everything. However, before I go any further I want to address the issue some have raised regarding the wires from the distributor. I'd like to solder these connections and extend the length of the wire a bit. My next question is what gauge to use? Below is a picture of the bulge in the wires where the previous owner used wire connectors to...well, im not really sure why...

This is an old picture, disregard the circle but you can see the wires in question taped together. I've since moved the fuel filter and replaced those old black heater hoses...fwiw

[Starbucket]

If you have a heat gun use these wire connectors from Amazon. Either 14 or 16 gage wire would be fine.

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[GratefulPhish]

Thanks, I’ll get those and fix the wire issue.

Good news is I got it to start. However now it won’t idle. Had to keep pumping the pedal to keep it running. This was never an issue before. I also noticed that when it stalled, the idle cutoff was clicking like crazy. That also has never happened before.

I thought I was screwed when it stalled because of my starting issues but it fired right back up each time.

I’m curious if the inability to keep idle has to do with the recent plug replacements. I ended up keeping the old wires and only replaced the coil and plugs.

[GratefulPhish]

Im worried that the carb may be gunked up from sitting all winter. Maybe its time to dip my toes in the carb removal and cleaning game...

[raydog]

Concentrate on getting the electrical fixed and cleaned up. A rapidly clicking fuel solenoid is either a poor connection with supply voltage or grd., or not having the required voltage to hold the solenoid open, in other words too low of voltage, again poor connections.
_________________
Come on, It's not rocket science. KISS

[VW_Jimbo]

Did you hook the solenoid up to the wrong side of the coil? Sounds like it is toggling. Like if points were opening and closing. Just a thought.
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Jimbo

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

[raydog]

Now that I look closely at the pic, it does look like the blue wire for the solenoid and choke element are hooked up to Neg.
_________________
Come on, It's not rocket science. KISS