Help! I think I've gone and broke me van!

Post by **DapperDavies** » 23 Jan 2007, 12:05

Hi All

Love the forum.

I've recently bought a 1986, 1.9 Petrol camper and was giving it a bit of a service, including replacing the distributor cap and rotor arm (both seemed a little tired). But now I can't get the thing to start. The starter motor does its thing, but the engine just doesn't catch. So, I tried putting the old cap and rotor arm back on, but the same result. I may have connected the spark plug leads to the cap incorrectly, but I've tried all possible combinations (I think) and still it won't start.

Can anyone tell me the correct order the leads should connect to the cap and suggest any other possible reasons for the problem. I don't think I've disconnected anything I shouldn't.

Please help before my wife beats the living poo out of me for breaking the van

Ta very much
Brian

Post by **ermie571** » 23 Jan 2007, 13:55

Hi Dapper,

now I'm not technical, but think the firing sequence is 1,2,4,3. I remeber this as only 2 of the leads cross!

If you click the wiki logo at the top^^^ (the little hammer), then click engine, there is a nice picture of a 1.9 Can you copy that??

Oh - make sure the coil lead is pressed in firmly - its most embarrassing calling the AA to a non-starter to have the coil lead pressed on....and a waste of a call, too.

It ran once, it'll run again!!!

Emma

Edited - Mocki has put the right firing order 1 4 3 2 at the bottom - thanks for the correction

E

Post by **Ian Hulley** » 23 Jan 2007, 14:13

You haven't 'broke' it .... you've just mended it wrongly

The leads for the rear cylinders won't easily reach the front ones will they ? That should limit the scope of cockupability a tad.

As Emma says i'd try the HT lead to/from the coil ... you haven't knocked off the L.T. (thin) wires on the coil have you ? Knocked off the advance/retard vacuum pipe from the carb to the dizzy ? Run out of petrol ?

Ian.

Post by **DapperDavies** » 23 Jan 2007, 14:53

Emma, Ian thanks for your replies (I knew ther would be someone here who could offer assistance

)

The HT lead seems well connected on both ends, as does the vacuum pipe. All wires on the coil are attached and there is petrol in the tank.

When you say 2 of the leads cross, which ones? As you look at the engine from the rear, is it the pair on the right (I assume) or left? It doesn't really matter that much because I've tried both ways and it still won't start.

Whatever else could be the problem?

I've run the battery down trying to start it, so that's in doors on a charger at the moment. And as it doesn't seem that I'll have a chance to drive the damn thing today, I've decided to take solace in an epic drinking binge. If you have any other ideas please do post them, otherwise I expect I'll be entertaining the AA tomorrow whilst suffering from a monumental hangover.

Brian

Post by **DapperDavies** » 23 Jan 2007, 15:01

p.s. Forgot to mention; it seems to try and catch sometimes, doesn't quite manage it and farts instead (I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere!).

Post by **Ian Hulley** » 23 Jan 2007, 15:18

DapperDavies wrote: I've decided to take solace in an epic drinking binge. If you have any other ideas please do post them

Yes, always have a good breakfast after an 'early' night

Looks like you'll fit right in here .... that's a potentially award winning start you've made there !

Cheers,Ian.

BTW as you look at them the plug leads are :-

near left lead to nearest left cylinder
far left lead to farthest left cylinder
near right lead to farthest right cylinder
far right lead to nearest right cylinder
middle one to coil

Post by **HarryMann** » 23 Jan 2007, 15:49

p.s. Forgot to mention; it seems to try and catch sometimes, doesn't quite manage it and farts instead (I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere!).

Classic symptons of crossed leads...

Post by **kevtherev** » 23 Jan 2007, 17:25

Ian Hulley wrote:You haven't 'broke' it .... you've just mended it wrongly

I like that...very positive

is there a diagram this chap can look at?

Post by **Mocki** » 23 Jan 2007, 18:14

the firing order is 1-4-3-2

3------1
4------2

Post by **DapperDavies** » 24 Jan 2007, 14:49

All fixed now...Huzzah!!!!!

AA chap arrived promptly and told me off for re-connecting the spark plug leads incorrectly

The thing is, I connected them as advised, and as per the engine picture in the Wiki thingy, but they were out by 90 degrees. It would appear that my distributor is for some reason 90 degrees anti clockwise to the norm

Anyway, when the AA chap eventually realised that reprimanding me for my foolishness was entirely futile (I long ago accepted that my mechanical incompetence was to become permanent) he did inform me that there was, indeed, a local garage suited to my future needs. I had no idea, but there is tucked away in a dark side street of town, a garage dedicated to old VWs. According to the AA chap the proprietor won't touch a vehicle with an engine at the front and turns his nose up at anything electronic or injected.

No doubt the person who runs it is a drug-addled old hippy with a cavalier disregard for personal hygeine. But then again, who cares so long as he knows his flat fours?

So, something good has come from this affair. And I would like to thank you all for your assistance. Which brings me on to my next problem for which, perhaps I ought to start a new thread....

Post by **HarryMann** » 24 Jan 2007, 15:47

but they were out by 90 degrees.

This is very much the typical problem when it won't go and the leads 'appear' to be correct, at which point taking the dizzy cap off and checking the rotor arm position when No. 1 is on compression usually creates the great ' Aha!' moment... all very good now though in retrospect

dalmationman · Post by **dalmationman** » 24 Jan 2007, 18:26

If it was running in the first place and then you messed with it and it stopped.
It's your fault !
Simple really, don't play with things you don't understand.
Even though all the rest of us do .

Post by **DapperDavies** » 24 Jan 2007, 19:15

I know, I know, I tupped it up and I'm responsible. But rather than having messed it up I prefer Ian's explanation; I "mended it wrongly"...... As I so often do

dalmationman · Post by **dalmationman** » 24 Jan 2007, 19:25

I reckon most people have "mended it wrongly "
Thats half the fun