Scirocco Register

Sorry about this everybody, you must all be sick of me and my Rocco problem. On and off since August I have been trying to start my GT2 after a 5 year lay up. I have tried everything... and I mean everything! but I still can't get it to fire up, even tho there is plenty of fresh fuel and a good spark getting to the combustion chamber. I've replaced so many parts now it's starting to cost a lot of money. My mate (who's been helping) says that the timing is correct, even tho it feels like the distributor is 180 degrees out. How can I check the timing correctly without the engine running? Is there an easy way for me to check this?

line the engine to TDC (marks on crank pulley) and see where the dizzy is pointing. if you think the timing is 180 out, have you tried changing the leads round?

which part of the country are you in?

Hi Nate, I'm in Cardiff. The thing is, it was running fine when I took it off the road 6 years ago. I was afraid to start it without changing things like the cambelt etc, but in hindsight I wish I'd changed the fuel and given it a go first. It turns over really quickly, just won't fire, as if the spark is missing the fuel? or vice versa. If I'm getting a spark that must mean all the electrics are ok? The leads are in the order according to the Haynes manual, can't remember off hand. I've tried the coil off my polo, changed the ignition amplifier, checked all the earth leads, re-cleaned. The only one I didn't reconnect was the rocker cover to the old Pieburg as I've now put on a brand new Weber. But I'm getting a good spark at the plugs and they smell off petrol, so the stuff seems to be getting through. I drained the tank and put fresh fuel in. There is an immobiliser on the car, but it wouldn't even turn over if that wasn't working. I rebuilt a Mini years ago and put the dizzy back in 180 degrees out, the thing turned over and over but wouldn't fire. But I havn't touched the dizzy on the Rocco. I've just checked and ruled out things one by one. I'm just stumped, at the end of the day I will have to get it towed to a VW garage, but that's gonna cost me!

So do I read correctly that you've done the cambelt? If so, if you so much as breathe on the intermediate shaft, it'll move, and it's that that runs the dizzy. You can then line up the dizzy, and get it 180 degrees out easily (as you won't know which way you knocked it!) As Nate suggests, if that's the case, move the plug leads round 2 positions and see if that works.

Have you checked the timing marks on the intermediate shaft?