[T3] Starting Again

[Jim Adney]

On 12 Aug 2018 at 18:45, matthew n stanfield wrote:

> I have not been able to get it to start since 2008. As i mentioned, i tore
> the engine down for a second time and it just would not start after
> putting it back together. It would fire when i tried to start it, but not
> start. I lean towards it being a timing issue, so i adjusted the
> distributor back and forth between the two extemes that i could move it,
> but was unable to get it to start. I pulled the distributor several times.
> Checked and rechecked the orientation of the distributor drive shaft. But
> always got the same result. It was frustrating. Everything seemed right.
> It seemed like it was close to starting. It just wouldn't.

Here are a few things to try. Nothing's certain, but these are some 
possibilities.

1) Remove the dist cap and twist the rotor hard. Does it suddenly come 
loose and spin all the way around? If so, the drive dog is not fully settled into 
the drive gear. If that's the case, loosen the clamp and slowly turn the rotor 
while pushing down on it, until it drops down ~1/4". Note that there will be 
other places that will try to "catch" but the dist won't drop down significantly. 
Keep turning until you find the right place, then try to start it.  

2) Get an inductive timing light and use it to verify that there is spark on the 
wire from coil to distributor. If there is, then check EACH spark plug wire, to 
verify that there is spark going to each plug. The timing light should flash 1/4 
as often on the SP wires as on the coil wire.

Check the overall resistance of each SP wire, from dist cap to SP connector. 
If you find any that measure infinity, replace that SP connector. Any 
resistance other than infinity is okay. OE sets will measure 1000 Ohms +/- 
20%, but some sets will measure zero. Either is okay.

3) If you have an old style analog Ohmmeter, the kind with a moving needle, 
connect it across 2 pins, center to one side, on the FI connector on the side 
of the distributor. Get someone else to crank the starter while you watch the 
needle. Does it move back and forth regularly with the turning of the engine?
Repeat: center to the other side.

If one side doesn't move the needle regularly, or doesn't move the needle at 
all, pull the distributor, remove the FI trigger points and clean them. Don't file 
them. Clean by slipping a clean piece of paper in between them and let the 
spring apply a bit of pressure as you slide the paper around. Remove all 
pressure as you remove the paper so no paper fibers get caught from the 
edge and trapped between the contacts. Check the motion of the points on 
their pivots; put a drop of oil on each pivot and work it in.

4) Send the trigger points to me to be re-set to the proper dwell. The rubbing 
block on them can wear over time until they no longer open and close 
correctly. Better yet, send me the whole distributor, less cap and rotor, to be 
rebuilt, including re-setting the FI trigger points.

Just resetting the trigger points costs $5 plus shipping. A full dist rebuild, 
including resetting the trigger points, costs $50, plus any major parts plus 
shipping.  

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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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