Firing order
Firing order
I have a chiltons book that shows the firing order from tdc as 1-4-3-2 but plug wire 1 is located where on this website where plug wire 3 is. My question is if your diagram is correct then my Distributor is off by quite a bit. If your diagram is correct then should I align the rotor at firing point 1 and move my distributor mark to align with the rotor? Thanks for your assistance.
My suggestion:
First, take off your distributor cap. Look at the rim of the distributor body. There should be a mark somewhere in the lower right-hand quadrant of the distributor rim. Put your car into neutral (block the wheels!), and turn the engine manually counter-clockwise until the tip of the distributor rotor lines up with the mark on the distributor rim. (A big crescent wrench on the crankshaft pulley nut works well for this.) Turn the engine until you feel all four cylinders "thump" in succession, then continue turning until the rotor lines up with the mark on the distributor rim.
At this point, the engine should be set to fire on the #1 cylinder. Replace the distributor cap, but take note of the position of the rotor as you do so. With the distributor set to fire on #1 cylinder, the wire just above the rotor should lead to the #1 cylinder.
Clockwise from that wire are the wires for 2, 3, and 4 respectively. Now, check that the wires lead to the proper cylinders: #1 is closest to the front of the car on the RIGHT. #2 is just behind it on the RIGHT (or closest to you as the rear of the engine is facing you). #3 is closest to the front of the car on the LEFT, and #4 is just behind #3 (or closest to you) on the LEFT. Finally, check your engine timing with a test light according to the instructions in the manual. If you don't know how to do this, shoot me a message.
Hope this helps.
First, take off your distributor cap. Look at the rim of the distributor body. There should be a mark somewhere in the lower right-hand quadrant of the distributor rim. Put your car into neutral (block the wheels!), and turn the engine manually counter-clockwise until the tip of the distributor rotor lines up with the mark on the distributor rim. (A big crescent wrench on the crankshaft pulley nut works well for this.) Turn the engine until you feel all four cylinders "thump" in succession, then continue turning until the rotor lines up with the mark on the distributor rim.
At this point, the engine should be set to fire on the #1 cylinder. Replace the distributor cap, but take note of the position of the rotor as you do so. With the distributor set to fire on #1 cylinder, the wire just above the rotor should lead to the #1 cylinder.
Clockwise from that wire are the wires for 2, 3, and 4 respectively. Now, check that the wires lead to the proper cylinders: #1 is closest to the front of the car on the RIGHT. #2 is just behind it on the RIGHT (or closest to you as the rear of the engine is facing you). #3 is closest to the front of the car on the LEFT, and #4 is just behind #3 (or closest to you) on the LEFT. Finally, check your engine timing with a test light according to the instructions in the manual. If you don't know how to do this, shoot me a message.
Hope this helps.
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Are you 180 degrees out? The distributor mark for number 1 should be at approx 5 o'clock when you look at it from above. If it's at around 11 o'clock you're 180 out. If it's somewhere else then your timing's hideously wrong.
If you're 180 out number 1 should be at the 11 o'clock position, then 2,3,4 counterclockwise around the cap from there. If you're not 180 out, #1 should be in the 5 o'clock spot, and again, 2-4 counterclockwise from there.
Exprof, I'm sorry, but your note on the position of the wires is wrong... In a clockwise rotation it'd be 1/4/3/2. Counterclockwise is 1/2/3/4
Normal dizzy would look like:
3-2
4-1
180 out would look like:
1-4
2-3
Here's a better diagram than my cheesy little ascii one...
http://beetle.motorious.org/wiki/images ... er.svg.png
If you're 180 out number 1 should be at the 11 o'clock position, then 2,3,4 counterclockwise around the cap from there. If you're not 180 out, #1 should be in the 5 o'clock spot, and again, 2-4 counterclockwise from there.
Exprof, I'm sorry, but your note on the position of the wires is wrong... In a clockwise rotation it'd be 1/4/3/2. Counterclockwise is 1/2/3/4
Normal dizzy would look like:
3-2
4-1
180 out would look like:
1-4
2-3
Here's a better diagram than my cheesy little ascii one...
http://beetle.motorious.org/wiki/images ... er.svg.png
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- Senior Member
- Posts: 512
- Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2008 12:05 am
- Location: The 480
Should be no problem
Having rebuilt dozens ov VW engines over the years, I can tell you exactly what happened. A previous mechanic or owner had removed the distributor for some reason after a rebuild and when he re-installed it, did not replace it exactly as it was removed. This often happens. When pulling the distributor, the shaft gets moved from the number one position and then is placed back on the engine. Instead of removing the distributor and re-aligning it, the mechanic simply moves the wires to a new position.
To fix this, all you have to do is put the engine at #1 Top Dead Center and remove and re-install the distributor. Then remove the wires and place them in the proper location on the cap. The last thing you need to do is time the engine again. However, this is not really necessary since the engine WILL run just fine with the distributor installed as it is. The only reason to do all this is because you are being a bit OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and need to have everything done perfectly. You can wait to get things perfectly aligned again when you do a full engine rebuild.
To fix this, all you have to do is put the engine at #1 Top Dead Center and remove and re-install the distributor. Then remove the wires and place them in the proper location on the cap. The last thing you need to do is time the engine again. However, this is not really necessary since the engine WILL run just fine with the distributor installed as it is. The only reason to do all this is because you are being a bit OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and need to have everything done perfectly. You can wait to get things perfectly aligned again when you do a full engine rebuild.
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- Senior Member
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- Location: The 480
Oops, too late I guess.
Maybe the information will help someone else.