Please help me sleep tonight (Timing woes)

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I've started to question my sanity - flattened the battery trying the tips as per the past responses, did manage to get a fut fut cough but nowt else.

Could someone answer me a basic question - firing order is 1432 so the order that the plug leads should be plugged into the dissy cap going 1432 is clock or counter clockwise?
 
<-- running back to the garage to check

I think i made a typo as it's bloody stamped on the manifold, i'm also hoping that this is the silly mistake i've been making, am running out of things to change/test

brb
 
hmmm now at least it's running for a bit, now will have more carby fun - seems to be blowing a lot of smoke from the oil filler cap - battery on charge again more fun in the morning (must get a head torch)
 
Loosing the will to live here - really weak spark on all 4 plugs so it's new coil day tomorrow - nothing else left to change.

Compression test shows 1,2 & 4 at around 150 with 3 way down at 110, surely the thing should run even with 3 being so low? - thats assuming the new coil perks things up.

I've got a tidy 200Tdi engine just waiting to go into my 110, i'm tempted to get the angle grinder out and show it into the series if i dont get anywhere soon.
 
I started this thread ages ago, i'm sure everyone will have lost interest in it well before now but in the hope that someone may find the eventual cause of the issue i'll outline it here.

Basically engine ran ok but lumpy and need a top end going over inc de-coke etc - took end off and decoke but feeling somewhat flush i ordered a new Turners head - fitted it and it would huff puff and bugger all else - seeing as i was hoping to use it as a semi daily vehicle and in the interests of getting it running reliably i changed afew items including HT leads, plugs, coil, dissy cap - then the starter went so that got changed - new fuel pump and finally i treated it as a last act of despiration to a new distributor - still wouldnt even fire - so out with the beep beep tester.

An hour spend working my way through the spagetti i found that the new dissy had an intermittant short between the coil HT lead and it's body.

Put the old one back in after a good clean, pointed the vac advance towards the bulkend in an attempt the guess the timing and she fired up like a goodun - rotated the dissy a couple of degrees tweaked the mixture and now all is very very well again.

Sigh ...... and the morol of this thread should be - don't assume that new parts actually work!
 
Yeah, good un............at least it's running & you've lot's of shiny new bits on it as an (expensive!) bonus.

Bloody annoying, it's not as if dizzy's are cheap. Of all the bits you would expect a new'un to work! :rolleyes:
 
Foolproof method 1:

Remove No1 plug, rotate engine until No1 piston is at TDC (use long thin screwy), remove rocker cover and make sure both valves on No 1 are fully closed ie loose tappets, put vac advance where it sits nicely, remove dissy cap and make sure the rotor arm is pointing at No1 lead. Check direction of rotation and firing order. If the rotor arm is not facing No1 segment in the cap then swap the leads round till it is.
Fire her up and tweek;)

If she's still running crap suggest you have a thorough check of the valve clearances....
 
Dave Wilson said:
Foolproof method 1:

Remove No1 plug, rotate engine until No1 piston is at TDC (use long thin screwy), remove rocker cover and make sure both valves on No 1 are fully closed ie loose tappets, put vac advance where it sits nicely, remove dissy cap and make sure the rotor arm is pointing at No1 lead. Check direction of rotation and firing order. If the rotor arm is not facing No1 segment in the cap then swap the leads round till it is.
Fire her up and tweek;)

If she's still running crap suggest you have a thorough check of the valve clearances....
Click to expand...

And you dont think i've done that 100 times allready ...... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Big thanks to all those who have helped, you know who you are.
 
There are TWO places the crankshaft pulley can sit at top dead centre:

1. with Number ONE cylinder "firing" = GOOD

2. with Number FOUR cylinder "firing" = BAD BAD BAD.

How to tell the difference:

Take off the rocker cover. Take out all the spark plugs (so turning engine is easy)

Turn engine CLOCKWISE by crankshaft pulley nut while watching the FRONT TWO ROCKERS, and the BACK TWO rockers.

As your TDC marks come close to TDC, both rockers at one end or the other will be moving, one (exhaust) valve will be coming UP and the (inlet) one next to it will be going down.

The cylinder with the MOVING rockers is NOT the one on a firing stroke.

So, if the front two rockers are moving, turn the crank exactly one full turn.

No whip off the distributor cap. The rotor arm will be pointing at one of the plug lead terminals. Spot which plug lead terminal in the dissy cap is lined up the tip of the rotor. It should be Number ONE plug, the front one.

Job done.
 
CharlesY said:
There are TWO places the crankshaft pulley can sit at top dead centre:

1. with Number ONE cylinder "firing" = GOOD

2. with Number FOUR cylinder "firing" = BAD BAD BAD.

How to tell the difference:

Take off the rocker cover. Take out all the spark plugs (so turning engine is easy)

Turn engine CLOCKWISE by crankshaft pulley nut while watching the FRONT TWO ROCKERS, and the BACK TWO rockers.

As your TDC marks come close to TDC, both rockers at one end or the other will be moving, one (exhaust) valve will be coming UP and the (inlet) one next to it will be going down.

The cylinder with the MOVING rockers is NOT the one on a firing stroke.

So, if the front two rockers are moving, turn the crank exactly one full turn.

No whip off the distributor cap. The rotor arm will be pointing at one of the plug lead terminals. Spot which plug lead terminal in the dissy cap is lined up the tip of the rotor. It should be Number ONE plug, the front one.

Job done.
Click to expand...

That's really really helpfull, cheers.

Engine started with a bit of gas pedal action this morning from cold - i'll get the length of string that's replacing the choke cable replaced today, screw the dash back in and go for a drive yipee.

But - now that her in doors has heard it running she thinks i can start building the conservatory she's just decided we need - how do i tell her there's a 200Tdi waiting to go into my TD first (cost effective suggestions please)
 
But - now that her in doors has heard it running she thinks i can start building the conservatory she's just decided we need - how do i tell her there's a 200Tdi waiting to go into my TD first (cost effective suggestions please)

The Mad Hat Man replied ...
order a few bricks - shows you have started

I reckon if MadHatMan and I had known you have suicidal tendencies we would not have gotten involved ....
 
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