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On 30 May 2003 at 4:25, redyouth@juno.com wrote: > Excuse any repetition--I was told that the two paint marks on my crankshaft are > both TDC for #1, but one is intake, the other exhaust. Further, I was told that > if the paint mark is for intake, the lil black piece on top of the distributor, > but under the cap (what is its name?) should be pointing in the direction of #1, > and that this would only be different if someone had altered the reference point > for my car's timing (how can I tell if this has occur ed, since I suspect it?). > If I am mistaken here, then my problem would probably be solved, but assuming > otherwise, I will go on. In general for 4 cycle engines, the term TDC is only used to describe the point where the piston is at its peak between the compression stroke and the power stroke. Ignition always occurs somewhere in this region. Since neither of these is the intake stroke, referring to an "intake TDC" and an "exhaust TDC" is bound to be confusing. Note that there is another moment when the piston is at the peak position. This is between the exhaust stroke and the intake stroke. Again, it is hard to know which term, intake or exhaust TDC should apply to this one. It would be best if we could just refer to the first one as the real TDC, and keep in mind that the other one exists and can fool us sometimes. As the pulley comes from the factory there were several notches in it for setting the timing. For most engines you set your timing to the leftmost notch. If someone has added paint marks you may want to see how they relate to the notches. Remember, the notches are the real marks. If you have a paint mark somewhere well away from any notches, then you should just ignore that one. > When one of the paint marks is in the right location, the lil dohickey IS > pointing towards #1, but I am unable to turn the distributor enough to get the > notch lined up with it since the generator and crankshaft casing are in the way. > What confuses me here is that the car did run only a month ago, and no one has > taken the distributor out, which tells me that--correct me if I am wrong--the > position for TDC#1 is different for my engine for some reason, and that further, > where the dohickey moves when the crankshaft is turned to the other paint mark I > can get the notch lined up with it. Also, why would it be in the exact opposite > direction of where I am told to be, and why would the figure Muir gives in his > book for a T3 be different from both locations it lands? The only thing I can > think of is that the reference point for TDC#1 has been changed, and that the > position which I can line it up at is TDC#1, would this be a safe assumption? > Is there any way that the notches on the crankshaft could not match up wi It is certainly possible that your dist drive gear has been installed improperly. You can either fix this or work around it. All you really need is to find a combination of dist position and plug wire installation that will put a spark down the #1 wire when the engine is at #1 TDC. > I would simply try to start the car and see what occurs, but since I got it back > from impound the engine won't even turn over, and I'm not sure why (perhaps a > severed wire, but I'm not certain). Once I get enough people over to my house > I'm going to push it into the garage (it is now in the driveway and I'm not > about to jack it up on anything but a level surface, and I can't move it to the > street for fear of it getting towed again) where I can then go about figuring > out what they did to the front end and why it won't start. I get the impression that you are avoiding the real problem and getting into other things ahead of yourself. Your observation that it worked earlier is exactly right, so you should concentrate your efforts, for now, on what is really wrong now. The real danger here is that you will create another problem before you fix your original problem. This leaves you with TWO problems, and decreasing knowledge of where the fault is. Work on the starter circuit. Note: There is NOTHING in the front end of the car that can be damaged and keep the starter from working. You may well have a loose or broken wire up there, but it is probably just for the horn. Ignore it for now; concentrate on your problem. You probably have a dead battery. Have you tried jumping from another car or charging the battery? -- ******************************* Jim Adney, jadney@vwtype3.org Madison, Wisconsin, USA ******************************* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List info at http://www.vwtype3.org/list | mailto:gregm@vwtype3.org