engine wont start. help"

[steve7]

i have reasently reabuilt my 2lt air cooled engine. im no macanic just followed the book
i have now put the engine back in the van but it just wont fire it seems to be turning over
ok but thats it. is there anyone out there with any advice would be realy gratefull .and if theres anyone in the cardiff area fell like thay want to get there hands dirty then give me a bell "please" cold beer supplied.
thanks steve7.

[sandwedge]

First two things to check are:
Do you have fuel at the carb, and a spark at the plugs?

If no fuel at the carb try main lining the carb, ie pour some fuel down the carb, not much. If engine fires then you probably have a fuel pump or carb fault.

If you have a spark at the plugs, check that the leads are on in the correct order, number one cylinder is marked on the edge of the carb body by a small line in the top face where the cap sits.
Turn the engine to TCD on number one cylinder, use a socket extension through the spark plug hole to find this (remember 2 TCD per cylinder, per engine cycle) if rotor in dissy is 180 degrees out turn engine over another 180 degrees. The align the distributor mark to the rotor by turning the distributor body.
This gives you a very basic setting to strob the engine from, if the timing is way off the engine wont catch.

If no spark at the plugs check all the connections to the coil (are the connected to the correct sides of the coil), check all connections back to the battery, earth good including engine earth strap etc.

[steve7]

thanks for the advice my freind will give it a go. steve7

[woodola]

if you followed the haynes manual it wont start because your tappets are to tight

[VWCamperfan]

The Haynes manual states exactly how VW set them up from the factory but VW released an ammendment a while back to change the amount of turn in from touching to about half to one turn.