71 Auto won't start

Hi guys. I thought someone may have a quick answer to this before I test everything. Me and my son were sticking some spotlights on my 71 semi auto, 1302s. All was good until i went to start the car. Starter motor turns fine, but won't fire up and the auto won't engage. Normally you hear it whirring away as soon as you touch the gearstick. I have checked all the fuses and connections in the fuse box, also the fuse for the auto in the engine bay. Are there any others? I'm wondering if maybe we shorted something and just want a clue where to look. Have just tuned it all up and was running mint. Thanks Andrew

I would check the power at the coil. If the fuse to the coil looks good you still might want to clean its contacts.
Mario Vintage Werks resto
  Quoted Text Here  

scream wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
I bet you disturbed some wiring/connection at the fuse block.
BTW, there is *no* fuse for the Ignition/Coil. Although the Blk lead from the Ignition switch does go to a terminal on the fuse block, the Blk lead going into the Main harness for the Coil comes off the same point without a fuse in the circuit.
Looks like this: http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/schem/ignition.gif
There *is* a fuse in the engine bay for the autostick vacuum solenoid valve. That's the one you hear click when the shift is touched. But if the Coil isn't getting power, the solenoid valve won't either.
Locate the Blk wires in the diagram and use a multimeter to trace the 12V power.
Speedy Jim http://www.nls.net/mp/volks /

Thanks for your help. I'll give that a crack.

Hi. I still can't get my bug going. The coil seems to be getting power when I chuck the voltmeter on it, and so does the auto shift from the coil. I have tried putting in a coil from another car and I stuck my VW one in that car which worked fine. I ran a wire from the battery straight to the coil but still nothing. In the keep your VW alive book it mentions fuse #15. Where is that? I only have 12 in the fuse box. Thanks again

scream wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
I've completely lost track of the original story without the original post quoted. Is there spark at the coil when cranking?
Fuse #15 refers to one of the in-line fuses hung off the Coil. That's for the vacuum solenoid circuit and doesn't affect the spark.
There is *no* fuse in the circuit feeding power to the Coil.
Speedy Jim http://www.nls.net/mp/volks /

OK back to the basics! ;-)
Gas, Compression, Spark You are missing one or more of the above
Gotta ask questions like these so bear with me! 1. So the engine cranks over? And cranks over well?
2. Does the ignition distributor rotor turn when you crank over the engine? I have seen some distributors that have popped up and don't rotate anymore when the engine cranks over.
3. Like Jim said..............do you get spark? You could check the points by opening and closing them with a non-metallic tool to see if you get a spark at the coil wire unplugged from the dist. cap and held close to a metal part of the engine. Make sure that the ign switch is in the 'ON' position and you have power going to the ign coil. Take off any other wires to the ign coil which includes the carb wiring, the AT vacuum solenoid and the back-up light switch. Just have the power wire feeding the coil and the distributor condensor wire connected. On my '70 Beetle my points need to be freed up from sticking open before my engine will start, but I only start it up every 5-7 years. <g>
4. Look down the throat of the carburator and open up the throttle by pulling down the arm on the carb like you would a slot machine. Should be gas squirting down inside of the carb, but wear safety glasses to protect yourself.
Might be fouled out spark plugs or liquid that is not gasoline to add to your list of things to check!
Report results and PLEASE include previous posts. ;-)
later, dave (One out of many daves)
  Quoted Text Here  

  Quoted Text Here  
Hi. Sorry about deleting posts. I guess you guys are viewing things differently to me. I see all the posts together and when the posts have all the replies in them I have to scroll down heaps to get to the most current, so I thought it would annoy everyone to include all the old posts, so I deleted them. I'll keep em now.I'm using Google Groups by the way. Anyway, just to check I have this set up right, on my coil I have one side with three lugs. One is the black wire that provides the power, one goes to the auto, and there are two wires together on the last one. I don't know where they are going. On the other side are two lugs with one wire going to the condenser on the distributer (which is new as well as new points, rotor and cap which were all working sweet and I tuned it all up) When the ignition is on I get around 12 volts on my voltmeter (positive to the black wire lug, neg to earth) I am getting no spark when I take the fat centre wire out at the distributor end and hold it 1mm away from an earth. I verified the earth was good with the voltmeter also. I hanged the fat black wire with one from my other working car. no spark. Also I took all the wires off the lugs as you suggested except the black one bringing the power and the green one to condenser. Still nothing. I swapped the coil from the working car. nothing. I put my vw coil in the other car - worked. When the coil is in the vw it feels warm. Don't know if that's normal or not. I tried to shove the positive from the voltmeter in where the fat black wire was in the coil. Still nothing (although I didn't know what to set the voltmeter on for that.) The thing is the vw coil worked in the other car! Also the auto clutch ain't engaging but there is power to it as the lug is the same one the black power in wire is connected to. It used to whirr around just with the ignition turned on, car not started. Could it be some kind of short? As you can no doubt tell, I'm no expert, but learning always and I really appreciate you guys taking time out to help. Andrew

scream wrote:
  Quoted Text Here  
Quote: "It used to whirr around just with the ignition turned on, car not started."
What does this mean?? The starter whirred?
Back to square #1. Does the starter crank the engine?
-----------------------
As for spark, read this article on my web site: "Why won't my engine start?"
Skip down to the No Spark section. Step-by-step tests. Easy Peasy
-----------------------
Coil will normally get warm.
The auto clutch won't activate unless the engine is running since the clutch needs engine vacuum.
-------------------------
Post back with any more clues or symptoms and with what further tests show.
Speedy Jim http://www.nls.net/mp/volks /

  Quoted Text Here  
Sorry, I meant with the key turned on but engine not running, and then I move the gearstick I could hear the gear change servo thing whirring in the back. But it doesn't now. The starter motor turns over fine. I'll check your site out. Thanks.

OK with the ign. on did you open and close the ign. points with a non-metallic object while watching for a spark? Make sure that the points can fully close. I am thinking you have a problem with those points even if they are new. Rub the moveable side up and down a little against the other side.
I guess that this is also on Jim's site. ;-)
  Quoted Text Here  

  Quoted Text Here  
Thanks for your help with this everyone. Finally got it sorted. Went through your site, Jim, took off the neg off the coil and got power so I was going to put the old points and condenser back on. As I was changing the condenser I noticed it was touching the side of the distributor though there was a nylon bush around the connector, so I gave it a tweak with the screwdriver and bingo!. So the whole spotlight, fiddling with the fuse box etc was a red herring. I did the points, distributor cap, rotor and condenser about six weeks ago and i did notice the condenser was slightly different, but it was the pack for the 71 and worked sweet after i stuck it on so I thought nothing of it. I did notice it was getting a little harder to start though. I have taped a bit of plastic between the condenser and distributor now just in case. Those spotlights work sweet too. Thanks again and have a good weekend. Maybe I'll start on some body work. Andrew

congrats!!! I will ASSuME that the condenser is NOT made by Bosch! ;-) I always make sure it has a good grounding surface too!
Keep Rolling! later, dave (One out of many daves) http://vwdoc1.tripod.com /
  Quoted Text Here