My baby's playing up !

[jon da rock]

Hi everyone. My car 1970 411 LE FI

I have a problem. starter motor was playing up so put on a new/recon unit. easy, started straight off. Running a little rough so changed points/condenser/rotor/diz cap/coil all correct and new. Checked and started straight off again. Quick cup of tea. Checked again and nothing! Mate sugguested resent the timming, as per haynes. Nothing. Checked checked and checked again all the things I could of knocked/loosened. Mate tried something as I started car, moving distributor.
We concluded that...
1. Retard timming to start car. Runs very lumpy and hunting. But starts straight away
2. Advance timming, by moving distributor, once car had started and she runs great But will not start at this setting.

Forgive me if I have this the wrong way round, retard/advance. advance/retard. bit confusing.

Has anything like this happened to other members. Any hints, tips or solutions greatly received

Anyway, Am I a muppet or has something else happened that I'v not spotted.

Many thanks in advance for any replies,
Cheers, Jon

[Big Mark]

I'm only a newbie so please forgive but have you checked the battery voltage. Had failing batteries cause all kinds of odd stuff over the years

[411ron]

Hi
Have you an air leak in the manifold or something connected to it as the vacuum is very important on this type of fuel injection, or possibly a wire loose on an injector.
Try taking the distributor cap off if the timing mark on the fan is in the correct place the centre mark on the rotor arm should line up with the scratchd mark on the rim of the dizzy body, also have you tried looking at the H T leads.
Hunting is often caused by air leaks in the manifold but the starting sounds like a timing issue.
Good luck
Ron

[411ron]

Just had another thought on the starting motor there is a wire that connects to the fuel injection system that when the starter is cranked tells the fuel injection via the cold start injector to add more fuel, is this broken not connected ? seems possible as your problems started when you replaced the starter.
Ron

[jon da rock]

Hi, thanks for your replies. Free time tomorrow so will go through check list of suggestions.
Think the white wire your refering to Ron is ok as I did get the car started and drive home yesterday. About 4/5 mile. Tic over got increasingly faster the nearer to home I got. As my first post, car will start with timing adjusted in retarded(?) position well off the recommended and she fires up, but runs very very rough. As she fires up, moved distibutor in to an advance position, again, well off recommended, but runs very smooth. There doesn't seem to be a happy medium. Either starts and run rubbish or doesn't start unless you physically move dizzy as and when she fires up. So tomorrow I will start from scratch checking everything, maybe i knocked a wire off somewhere. Who knows, I'm sure a solution will present itself once I have a drive full of bits to re-assemble!

Many thanks for your suggestions keep em coming.
JON

[Editor]

Check the earthing braid on the baseplate in the distributor. It sounds like there's something adrift in there. The rotor arm should be able to be turned a bit one way against the advance springs, then spring back. Put a couple of drops of light oil on the felt pad under the rotor arm - that helps keep the centrifugal advance working OK.

Be careful adjusting the timing by engine speed - it's easy to get too much advance and you risk burning something. Best to get a timing light and do it properly.

[Quantum-Man]

I have had two later model vw's that would either idle poor, or run poor. In both cases, the problem was a cam shaft that was not properly syncronised with the crank. Is this a possibility?

[jon da rock]

Hi everyone, thanks for all your suggestions.
After a bit of fiddling and head scratching, finally sorted out the problem.
Only had the car a few weeks and ran ok but as post, started to play up. Turned out someone had put the vacuum advance hose from dizzy on the wrong connection on the throttle control if that make sense. blocking bottom one off and connecting hose to top. Runs great now i'v switch them round. Not sure if this correct but it works!!
Many thanks again, Jon