The distributor should only be able to drop into the slot of the distributor drive shaft at one point.

#1 piston will be at TDC when the 0 degree mark is lined up with the split in the case . . . BUT, so will #3.  One will be at TDC on the compression stroke and the other will be at TDC on the exhaust stroke.  You #1 at TDC of the compression stroke.  At that point, the rotor should be pointed towards #1.  If it's dropping in with the rotor pointing at #3, you may just have it on the wrong stroke.  If that's the case, turn the motor over one revolution.

Ret.Bugtech will be throwing rocks at me in second, but you should be ok if you set the static timing and go straight to a mechanic with a timing light with an advance dial.  Set the dial at 32 degrees, rev it up to full advance and lock the distrubutor down with the TDC mark hitting the split in the case.  I've been without a timing light before and done this with no problem, but just as disclaimer . . . if you have too much total spark advance (over 32 degrees) and you drive too fast, too far, our keep it under a heavy load for very long the result will look like you took a cutting torch and burned holes in the tops of your pistons.

ok..i got some pictures to describe better what is going on with the bug
all this pictures were taken like u were standing right behind the car


1. this is how the distributor sits on the engine (pointing to #2)
3. all the way in

on full revlution it will point to opposite site cyl. # 3

4. inside the whole were dist.sits...at point DTC point 0
5. my dist. --> if you visually align the the little foot of my dist into the whole in the engine were it sits...you will see it will point to 2 or 3..oposites


may be i am doing something wrong..very possible i am doing something wrong  any ideas of how can i set poly at TDC and have dist point to cyl.#1

Here are some old dealership mechanic training filmstrips that explain ignition systems.  And don't worry about the Dwell Meter it shows.  You can set and/or check the dwell angle by correcty setting the point gap with a feeler gauge.  If you go to your local parts store and try to buy a dwell meter today they might look at you like you have two heads.  Back in the days when all cars had breaker points, everybody that worked on their own car had a dwell meter.  Today, they've kind'a gone the way of the Dodo bird.  They are handy diagnostic tools, but you need to invest in good timing light with an advance dial WAY before you worry about a dwell meter.

http://www.youtube.com/volksfolks#p/u/26/xm4OmiVH2J0

http://www.youtube.com/volksfolks#p/u/25/cIrA4iWkhbE

http://www.youtube.com/volksfolks#p/u/24/BbX-oC1WSbs

i knew i was not crazy! this bug is really testing my patience  

in my case the distriburator is pointing to cylinder #2 when pulley is in TDC.
that will make my cylinder 2 --> cylinder 1,

so the spark cable that goes from the dist to cyl 1, should go now to cyl 2...correct?

and i should adjust the dist. body (timing) with a test light when:

1. pulley is at TDC
2. head of dist. pointing to cyl #2
3. spark cable that used to go to cyl 1 now is going to cyl 2
4. all the other spark cables move one spot to the left accordingly

I am not sure about my fourth point  

what is my firing order now..bugme video says normally 1423 clockwise and 1234 couterclockwise..is this still true with my bug?

phisically cyl.#1 still right and forward in the engine, BUT with my new seting I am sending the first spark from dist. to cyl.#2.....so the car will always fire on #2 (phisically)   ---- is this statement right???

or maybe my engine was not well rebuilt and the car does fire on the mark of cyl.#2 but which phisically is really #1.


ayayayyayay

ok guys..

i did move the spark cable from cylin.1 to clyn. 2 and mover all off them accordingly 1432....I set the timimng at TDC (when i did this wth the testing light the light never came on, actually as i was turning the dist. waiting for the light to come on i heard a click in the coil, but the testing light never came on, so i just adjusted it with the click from the coil....is that normal., the click??)

anyways......recheck cables, recheck "click", i loosened the idle screw (in carb, upper left side of gas reservoir), just enought to not be tide.

The car startes...not backfiring....idleing....I never heard such a sweet sound sound on this beetle since i got it  .......it only backfire twice on two different ocassions, but not as loud as it was before....I guess it needs to be on its proper timing.

1. what should i tell the mechanic where to the set the timing on? i know i need to know the rpm for ideling and the degree on the pulley for the setting, but in my case where things are out of normal place....where should the timing be set? can any mechanic with a strobe light be able to do the job?
1972 super beetle

2. now I started with the brakes...normally i have to push the pedal more than half way for the car to start stopping..and then i have to push very hard for the car to come to a complete stop...this doesn't seem right to me. the adjusters in the back of the drum should fix this problem? the mechanic install a new master cylinder, flood the brakes, but he did not know where half of the brakes went. (whom by the way i will not trust my bug again  > )


Thanks guys...u really made my saturday, even my wife was happy that the "thing" was sounding good. 

You don't tell your "Lawnmower/Jeep  mechanic" anything. You take it to a good pro. VW Man. You can then tell him about the Dist drive gear. He should know what to do.You could ask him about the brakes. I think I know whats wrong with your brakes but it would take all day to post and answer and would depend what else you did or didn't do to the brakes and you would end being very confused .   DO NOT let anybody work on you car except a VW Man >>>>>>>>>

is the bug driveable? --> i want to feel it on the road + i have to take it to the mechanic 9 (of course after i try to fix the brakes) should i use regular gas or it should be unleaded? if i take it to a mechanic. is there something they can do (mark the poley) so i can static timing it from then and so on..or it should always go back to a mechanic for timing until i get a a proper tool?

what r good places here in chatt....vw mechanics? i will like to compare prices, my funds are low  

thanks