AFTER FIRE van 1966 not starting!! HELLLLP!!!

As Joey noted, 0.016" gap. (You meant to say 0.40mm)

Look on my web site for: "Why won't my engine start?"

Step-by-step troubleshooting.

Speedy Jim

and I'll bet a beer he's got his plug-wires out of order.

Wow ... nice resource. Bookmarked!

I will certainly need to refer to this when I reassemble my engine in the next few weeks. ;-)

-Steve Ballantyne

Sorry I meant so say 0.40 mm for contact points wich is 0.016 (inch)

And on the spark plug wires, will the order cause the engine not to start? or only to missfire?

I had the wires from distributor lower rigt hand side and going clock wise

A note, when I have the switch on and UNPLUG the cable that goes from the automatic choke to the coil, and PLUG it again a mild spark goes on and something sounds on the carburator, again this might be normal, but just want to sayt it

Jim, i was sure hoping that is what he meant, but wasn't taking any chances....LOL

that is the correct *order*....that doesn't mean it is correct on the distributor..... firing order being off will indeed cause a no start or missfire conditions..... you may need to verify your TDC of number one cylinder.....there are a couple ways to do it, but easiest gets you in the ballpark...pop off the right hand valve cover and watch the valves on number one as you rotate the engine(clockwise)...when the intake valve closes bring the engine to TDC...pop the distributor cap off and make sure the rotor is pointing(roughly) where your number one sparkplug wire is located on the cap...

if your carb has an idle shutoff solenoid this is normal....it is on the lefthand side of the carb and should be linked to the same wire as the autochoke is....

oh man....could i use a beer....LOL....

Thanks Joey (and all) for your answers

What does TDC stands for?

That seems to go over my knowledge, but will give it a go right now, what a hell! no pain, no gain!

Yep there is a cable shared and connected to a part on the carb but is on the righthand side, I imagine that is what you mention.

A question if I go and change the cable spark plug cable order, will I cause any damage to the engine?

"Top Dead Center" - once you find it, you should mark it on your engine pulley. Or - likely someone has marked it there before. You will need to know where TDC lines up so that you can adjust your valves accordingly. Which, theoretically you should do every time you change your oil (or sooner!). :-)

John Muir does a really good job explaining valve adjustment. If you don't yet have a copy of "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive", now is the time to pick one up.

That's a good question. I would say you run more risk of blowing out your eardrums standing behind the engine getting backfired upon, but I will let the experts comment there. I know if you run a good enough backfire on a hot engine it's possible to eject your spark plugs like projectile missles and strip out your heads.

-Steve Ballantyne

Top Dead Center....which is the point at which the piston is at the most extended point relative to the crankshaft....you have *two* TDC's in each cycle of the combustion....one on compression stroke and one on exhaust stroke...you are looking to find TDC of the combustion stroke of number one cylinder. as i posted before pop off the right hand valve cover and rotate the engine clockwise while watching the valves.....when looking under the car you will see four valves for cylinder one and two...cylinder ONE is the forward cylinder....cylinder two is the rear most cylinder on the right side of engine.....the exhaust valves are the two outboard valves(relative)...the intake valves are the two inboard valves...so the number one intake valve that you want to watch is the third valve from the rear.....not trying to insult your intelligence or belittle your experience, just trying to be

what the above will help you do is set the firing order(cable order)....once you have located the TDC(roughly) of number one cylinder(as described above) you need to pop off the distributor cap...the rotor should be pointing to your cable that is connected to the number one cylinder...if it is *not* you need to re-arrange the cables....start where the rotor is pointing(at number one tdc on the compression stroke) then go clockwise to set the firing order....1-4-3-2 is the order.... if you find that your cables are already arranged in this configuration, you have eliminated the firing order being wrong.....which is one of the top reasons that folks have trouble getting cars to start after working on them....even the old timers can, and do on occassion, get the firing order mixed up..... good luck with it......let us know how it works out for you.

Man that is precisly what I need now, a clear and precise description, I would never feel offended by that... but the opposite I am already very thankfull for your help.

That is under the car, a cover that have a huge "clip" that is at the end of the pushing rods? if so, how can I do it? by pussing up? by pulling down?, by pulling forward and then down?, I ask because I just tried it and dont seem to be moving at all.

yes that is the valve cover....pull the bail downward....some folks pry it down with a screwdriver, but i like to(when its not an emergency type situation) use a shop rag...put the shop rag through and over the bail, then just pull down....pops right down..... I am kind of assuming here, but seems likely, that you don't have much experience with vw's......you will get to be intimate with those valve covers.....vw's have solid lifters, and that means, to you, that you need/have to adjust the valve clearances every 3k miles......

vw's have been in my family for years and years, and always done simple things to them, and when something went significantly wrong we always paid someone to do it. But I decided that, by paying sombody I am not learning anything, so I'll do it myself (with some help). Valve clearances each 3k miles, ouch...!!!

Ok I try that now! (btw where are you? I am in Ireland)

The valve cap is off (used the screw driver method) and now cranking it! the valve should be closed, two questions now:

- The valves are the ones that are on top that have the springs?

- Closed means that the valve is extended or collapsed? (I know: stupid questions)

you are seeing the valve springs...the valve stem is in the center of those....the rocker arms push the valves when the lifters push on the push rods....see...easy, eh'?

the valves are "closed" when they are fully extended outward...."collapsed" is when the valve is open(to the combustion chamber)... to adjust the valves you do it when the engine is "dead cold"...which shouldn't be a problem right now, since you haven't been able to start the car, but keep it in mind later on for maintenance...

i am in the USA.....the state of Virginia...

You might want to tap some threads into the carb and use a brass tube that is partially threaded, or use some kind of safety wire arrangement to prevent another similar or worse fire.

I should be able to put hands on deck soon, as here in Ireland guess what! is raining!!! (235 days of rain a year!)... :(, but it seems that it just stopped a bit, so I'll jump on it right now!