Aircooled VW South Africa

Hi everyone, my name is Lee and i hail from Port Alfred. Ok, my problem is the following:
I bought a "running" beach buggy. Papers say it is a 1982 model vw 1600 twinport. Now with reading posts here as a guest i have gone through certain processes of elimination. First the buggy kept on dying while driving, especially on bumpy road. Found out that the ignition is worn and that was why it was cutting the motor out. So it has been standing. I replaced the electric pump with a new electric pump due to a kink in the line from the tank in front and the pump was working haphazardly. Now my problem is that the distributor was loose and freely moving. Is there anyone that can give me advice on the correct settings via schematics or instructions that can help me with the distributor and the firing order please. Also i have noticed that the battery isnt being charged. I see there is a wire running from the generator to the starter and then just the single wire from the starter to the battery. Should i run a decent cable from the generator to the battery and then the one to the starter?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Hi Lee,

Welcome.

The firing order is 1,3, 4, 2.

I can help and explain, but I need to know what mechanical knowledge you have of vw aircooled motors.

Does your buggy have a generator or an alternator?

Firing order is actually 1-4-3-2

If you need specs and servicing advice/info, I highly suggest you get a Haynes manual for the car. It'll pay itself off quickly.
https://www.takealot.com/vw-beetle-1200 ... lsrc=aw.ds

another resource you can use is
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/ma ... _Guide.pdf

To add: I found this very very very helpful!

http://www.vw-resource.com/mihov_index.html

Ricoffy wrote: Wed Sep 18, 2019 11:10 am Hi Lee,

Welcome.

The firing order is 1,3, 4, 2.

I can help and explain, but I need to know what mechanical knowledge you have of vw aircooled motors.

Tony Z wrote: Wed Sep 18, 2019 11:26 am Firing order is actually 1-4-3-2

What a poephol i feel. My bad. I knew this

Don't forget about Rob and Daves

http://www.vw-resource.com/table.html

acpaterson wrote: Wed Sep 18, 2019 2:15 pm

Ricoffy wrote: Wed Sep 18, 2019 11:10 am Hi Lee,

Welcome.

The firing order is 1,3, 4, 2.

I can help and explain, but I need to know what mechanical knowledge you have of vw aircooled motors.

Tony Z wrote: Wed Sep 18, 2019 11:26 am Firing order is actually 1-4-3-2

Happy B-day btw

Ricoffy wrote: Wed Sep 18, 2019 8:10 pm What a poephol i feel. My bad. I knew this

That's the spirit Ricoffy! Everybody makes a typo now and then.

Thanks guys. This motor is killing me. Haha. Only 3 and 4 is firing now. 1 and 2 are dead, but yet there is spark. Help please

Licons wrote: Thu Oct 03, 2019 6:18 pm Thanks guys. This motor is killing me. Haha. Only 3 and 4 is firing now. 1 and 2 are dead, but yet there is spark. Help please

If there is spark, are you sure you don't have 1&2 plug wires swapped? AFAIK No 1 is front (facing motor from back) and No 2 is right back.

Take your tappet covers off.

Find #1 Cylinder and turn the engine till the two rockers are loose (ie play between the tappet and valve rod.)

See that the mark on your fly wheel is lined up with the split in the casing at the top.(ie this gives you TDC)

Now remove your distributor cap and see if your rotor is pointing to the back of the car, there is a mark on the edge of the distributor rim that it should point to.

Now you know all is in line. and a good place to start.

Now you fit the cap, and see which pin lines up with the rotor mark.

That will be #1 cylinder H/T lead place.

Now go around the cap in a clockwise rotation and fit # 4 cylinder, then # 3 cylinder then # 2 cylinder.

Refit tappet covers, and drive a happy car.

Herman

retrovan wrote: Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:05 pm Take your tappet covers off.

Find #1 Cylinder and turn the engine till the two rockers are loose (ie play between the tappet and valve rod.)

See that the mark on your fly wheel is lined up with the split in the casing at the top.(ie this gives you TDC)

Now remove your distributor cap and see if your rotor is pointing to the back of the car, there is a mark on the edge of the distributor rim that it should point to.

Now you know all is in line. and a good place to start.

Now you fit the cap, and see which pin lines up with the rotor mark.

That will be #1 cylinder H/T lead place.

Now go around the cap in a clockwise rotation and fit # 4 cylinder, then # 3 cylinder then # 2 cylinder.

Refit tappet covers, and drive a happy car.

Herman

Will do it early in the morning and keep everyone updated. Thank you very much