Aircooled VW South Africa

Hi guys

My VW Beetle 1600 dual port wont fire, the engine cranks but the engine wont fire.
Initially the engine wouldn't idle bcoz of a faulty fuel pump which I replaced, I have checked for spark on the distro and everything there seems to be in order, also replaced the spark plugs but still no luck!
Im running a 36dcd Weber carb which has recently been referbed.

Any advice to get this engine to fire will be appreciated
Thanks in advance
Any help will be much appreciated

HI.
WHEN YOU SAY IT WON'T FIRE......
1. DID YOU CHANGE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE FUEL PUMP? (NOT TALKING ABOUT SPARKPLUGS)
2. HAVE YOU TRIED A BIT OF FUEL DIRECTLY INTO THE CARB FIRST?
3. WHEN YOU CHANGED THE PLUGS DID YOU PUT THE LEADS BACK ON IN THE CORRECT FIRING ORDER?
4. HAVE YOU CHECKED THAT NON OF THE WIRES HAVE COME LOOSE WITH YOUR FIDDLING, ESPECIALLY ON THE COIL?
5. DID YOU CHECK YOUR PLUG LEADS? THEY MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED OR BE CONTRIBUTING TO YOUR CURRENT AND EARLIER PROBLEM?
6. DOES THE ENGINE BACKFIRE AT ALL WHEN YOU TRY FIRE IT UP?

Hi Cyndi

The only thing I'very changed was the fuel pump which is working 100%
I've thrown fuel directly into the carb yes, actually tried everything I thought possible
My leads are put on correctly as I changed the plugs individually before continuing to the next
I'm not tech savvy but everything seems to be the way it was before I changed the pump
The engine fired once, idled for a second and just died
I suspect that I've flooded the engine and therefore it won't fire bcoz the engine was running 100% until one morning in the week, it wouldn't fire when I was trying to cold start

So you have spark at the distributor - but do you have spark at the lead ends?

Are the spark plugs 100% OK - even new ones don't work sometimes.

Hi Hitler

Yes I have spark at the lead end, pulled the plugs and held it close to the fan housing while someone cranked the engine, got a very good sparks all round.

IF THERE WAS BACKFIRING WHEN TRYING TO START; I WOULD CHECK THE TIMING/POINTS.
WITH THE ENGINE TURNING BUT NOT FIRING EVEN WITH GOOD SPARK AND FUEL I WOULD LOOK AT THE WIRING ON THE COIL.

Are you sure the fuel pump is the correct type, it sound as it the pump over pressures the needle and seat, and floods the carb.

Herman

Change your plugs again. I went through this as well, I took off the filter pipes on the carbs and made sure the carbs were carbing, changed and reset the points and condenser, bought new leads, checked the quality of the spark. Everythingwas in order but the engine would not start, and then once it started it ran terribly and died.

The spark plugs I had bought initially were duds, so I went through all of this, then started again, replacing the new leads with the old ones, still nothing. Bought my second set of plugs and the problem had a improved slightly. Then checked each plug for spark.....turns out out of 8 plugs, 5 worked as they should

Change your plugs again. I went through this as well, I took off the filter pipes on the carbs and made sure the carbs were carbing, changed and reset the points and condenser, bought new leads, checked the quality of the spark. Everything was in order but the engine would not start, and then once it started it ran terribly and died.

The spark plugs I had bought initially were duds, so I went through all of this, then started again, replacing the new leads with the old ones, still nothing. Bought my second set of plugs and the problem had a improved slightly. Then checked each plug for spark.....turns out out of 8 plugs, 5 worked as they should

They were ngks I think, also had this with points on a number of occasions.

Hey Guys

Thanks for the response, ton answer Herman's question, i simply replaced the standard mechanical pump with an aftermarket one.
Today however, I went back under after 3 days (hadn't touched anything in 3 days) I had a COMPLETELY DRAINED battery, I can't understand this bcoz I had purchased it end of May, I've still got guarantee on it but the battery isn't the issue here, what could have caused her to suck it dry?
Any help please?

Does it still have a condensor? My 1600 Beetle went through 2 condensors rapidly. Eventually fitted electronic ignitiion and non more problems....

had something similar and it ended up being the condenser. Firstly the lead onto the coil was not tight and secondly the condenser was not giving its all. I had cleaned the carb and every other thing I could think of and in the end that was all it was. Man was I pisnoyed. Oh, even brand new condensers sometimes conk.