1981 1.1 engine help!!!!

I have recently put in a 1.1 engine in my Mk1 golf. everything is connected and wired up. As i try and start the car the engine turns but it dose not start, i done the timing with a test lamp and followed the mk1 golf book. any ideas what it could be

Can you smell any petrol atall as your turning it over?

Chris

hi, yes i can smell a little bit petrol from the carb area… 

Assuming that theres fuel getting through, and theres fuel filling the carb float, it must be an electrical issue. are you getting a spark? Have you had the engine out?

Chris

yes my brother took the engine out last year, and we put it back in this month. we have changed the spark plugs and leads.

Cheers
rans 

Take the airbox lid off,, turn it over, as its turning over, poor an aerosol  capful of Petrol down the carb Venturi, see if it just needs a bit of a helping hand to fire. It maybe struggling to draw the fuel up from the tank.  

Chris

alright mate i just tried putting petrol in the carb venturi, and my brother was trying to start it and the carb started popping. but the timing is ok i think, the leads are 1-3-4-2…….cf_emoticons__BangHead:thanks for the tips, do you know what this could be?

cheers
rans

is the cam timing correct? also have you tested the spark plug out of the cylinder just resting on the head to see if it sparks?

Im with Mazza on this one, It certainly sounds like the timing is out if its popping out the carb...

been a while since i looked at a small block so not sure if they have the 12v idle valve on the back of the carb or that is a mk2 pierberg thing.

if you set cambelt timing to tdc and pop off the dizzy cap make sure the rotor arm is pinting at plug lead number 1 then arrange the leads counter clockwise 1-3-4-2

have you set the points too?

i'd pop out a plug see if it gets wet after cranking and see if it sparks while cranking and condition of spark.

Olly

Are you 1000000000000% you haven't mixed up the leads?

hello sorry for the delay……. yes i followed the book it says 1-3-4-2. and i checked for fault finding and there is a spark coming from the spark plugs. i just don't know what this could be i have changed almost every part on the engine…..cf_emoticons__BangHead:

the cam timing is definitely correct? I had starting problems with mine and found the cam pulley was 1 notch out, and as Olly says make sure the the rotor arm is facing the right way when all lined up, there should be a little notch on the dizzy body if you take the cap off which'll show you roughly where it should be, could be facing directly opposite at number 4 (I'm sure you've more than doubled checked all this now tho)
If you're getting a strong spark and all the timing is correct then I can only think to try starting again, first tho unbolt your fuel pump from the head and draw up some fuel by hand into the carb, and then like before with a drop of fuel or easy start down the carb might get it going

hello, i think it could be the cam being one notch out because i have tried everything, how would i sort out the cam being one notch out? thank you for your help

ned_h said

the cam timing is definitely correct? I had starting problems with mine and found the cam pulley was 1 notch out, and as Olly says make sure the the rotor arm is facing the right way when all lined up, there should be a little notch on the dizzy body if you take the cap off which'll show you roughly where it should be, could be facing directly opposite at number 4 (I'm sure you've more than doubled checked all this now tho)
If you're getting a strong spark and all the timing is correct then I can only think to try starting again, first tho unbolt your fuel pump from the head and draw up some fuel by hand into the carb, and then like before with a drop of fuel or easy start down the carb might get it going

We know that you have fitted the leads in the correct order (1-3-4-2 anti clockwise on the cap) but what side of the engine did you take as being cylinder 1? Cylinder 1 is at the camshaft sprocket end! If you have accidentally done it the other way it will cause the issues you have! 
Hope this helps 

GolyTheGolf said

We know that you have fitted the leads in the correct order (1-3-4-2 anti clockwise on the cap) but what side of the engine did you take as being cylinder 1? Cylinder 1 is at the camshaft sprocket end! If you have accidentally done it the other way it will cause the issues you have! 
Hope this helps 

Hello thank you for your reply. Yes the number 1 cylinder is set to the one closest to the timing belt and number 4 is next to the distributor.

Hello thank you for your reply. Yes the number 1 cylinder is set to the one closest to the timing belt and number 4 is next to the distributor.

Have you got a Haynes? If not, get one second hand, eBay or amazon, for less than a fiver. It will tell you how to change a cambelt and set the can timing in there.

Have you got a Haynes? If not, get one second hand, eBay or amazon, for less than a fiver. It will tell you how to change a cambelt and set the cam timing in there.