The engine in my 72 1.7L hasn't been driven in 20 years, and I want to start prepping the engine to come back to life! I have a general plan to get it running and want to share it, but would really like tips and to-do's while i get this under way since i have never taken on a project like this before.
My plan so far:
New gas tank, SS lines, fuel pump, fuel filter (order and on the way)
Rebuild kit with new gaskets and such for each carb, will thoroughly clean them out in that process as well
New Bosch spark plugs and spark plug wiring set
New distributor, (looking at AAs R0231178009)
New battery and battery terminals
Oil change and new oil filter

If anyone thinks that there is some thing must be added to this list prior to me even attempting the first crank please let me know! All suggestions are welcome!

Thanks!!

i would pull the spark plugs and crank it untill the oil pressure light goes out.

Change all the rubber fuel hoses. Use correct FI hose and clamps.

also.... if your running carbs and thinking about buying a new dizzy. you should definately think about an SVDA dizzy. http://vwparts.aircooled.net/Aircooled-Net...-p/acn-svda.htm

A squirt of oil in each of the cylinders before you start turning the engine over wouldn't be a bad idea.

do i need to drop the engine out to do this?

No, sir.

Pull your plugs one at a time and squirt about a teaspoon of oil into each cylinder. Make sure it gets into the cylinder and not just into the engine tin.

If you have the trans in neutral, and grab the fan, with the plugs out, can you turn it over? I have put a good shot of WD40 or other spray lube in the plug holes- DON'T LET THE PLASTIC STRAW/SPOUT THINGY COME OFF THE BOTTLE AND GET LOST IN THE ENGINE. Then I'll spin it over by hand, and repeat. Spinning with the battery and starter till the oil pressure light on the dash goes out is a good next step. You could stick a plug in a wire and ground it, to see if the existing dizzy will make a spark.

IF you do put the plugs back in and turn it over, expect insect control fog out the back, given the oil in the cyls. Fire it up outside the garage. Don't think just leaving the door open will be OK. When/if it starts, if it makes $$$ sounding noise, shut it down. If it just rattles and bangs like an air cooled engine, great. Shut it down and change oil and filter, cuz you contaminated it with the WD, and any rust/crud or condensation in the case had contaminated it.

IF the tank isn't totally roached, I'd just pull it and rinse it out. With the tank out, you disconnect the fuel lines in the engine compartment and use some air to blow the fuel lines in the tunnel out. New fuel filter seems a cheep and reasonable step. Does the current fuel pump work? Has it been tested? Just trying to save ya a few bucks if any of these parts are still good.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Exactly. the only thing that could be worse is if you had a tip of a chopstick break off when finding TDC on #1.

I used Marvel Mystery oil too. Used one of those baby medicine syringes to squirt the oil in. It helped to get passed the tins. I also changed oil with a high-zinc oil initially. Once you get it running you'll want to change it again.

If you're at all concerned about the cylinders locked up, a gentler approach is get one back wheel off the ground with it in gear and hand turn the engine via the wheel after you squirt oil in it with no plugs. Let it sit a day or so (with plugs so nothing gets in) and do it again. After another day I'd say give it a crank and get oil system pressurized.

The brakes will be that other thing you need to address. Getting Mo is one thing. Getting it No-Mo is another and purely a safety thing.

Thanks for all the tips, i hope i get to this point soon, I am still working on redoing the suspension to 911 set up.
But the PO said the FP went out 10+ years ago, but i havent tested it myself. I already have a new tank, SS lines, fuel filter, and fuel pump ready to be installed.

Alright! Well it has been some time since I have updated this or any other progress thread of mine but it has not been in vain. This past quarter at school was a tough one and very time consuming, so not many man hours were spent in my garage. But over the past few months I have been collecting both new and used parts for the car, way to many to list.

Onto the important shit, the engine has still not been started, but it does work, I think. It turns over nicely and is not frozen. All the electronics seemed to be working for the most part in order.

I have all the parts needed to switch out the fuel system. Got the kit from Tangerine Racing. My biggest question is the schematic of it all. The fuel pump is one in and one out and meant to be up front for relocation, so how does the return line on the tank tie into things??? I was originally thinking from tank sending outlet to filter to pump to tunnel line to engine compartment line to fuel pressure regulator to a tee and then to each carb. Is this ok!?!? Or do i have to tee from the regulator to both carbs and a return line to tank?

Thanks in advance!
David

A few more small questions!

What does the fuel pump positive wire look like and where should I look to locate it?

Where does the green wire from the distributor go?

Why do the new Bosch Super Spark plugs i ordered not fit in the stock connectors (they were purchased from AA, and the exact same ones were listed on pelican and other sites to fit my car )? I believe they are the WC77... I'll have to check though.

Is there any way to get the spark plugs out without removing the covering/cooling tins?

Thats all i can think of right now, I'm tired!!

You have to unscrew the small cap on top of the spark plug to get it to fit the wires.

Fuel pump positive wire is black with a red band on my 75. Ground is brown. Not sure where to find it on a 72 though.

The green wire from the distributor goes to the negative side of the ignition coil. Might be marked with a #1 for neg., #15 for positive.

Spark plugs should come out without removing the tin. They sit at an odd angle. Use a quality socket and and 3" extension. Make sure the socket is seated on the plug by hand and then go easy with the ratchet. Once it starts turning I usually turn the extension by hand to be sure it backing out ok. When putting them back use anti-sieze on the threads and start them by hand.

Hey I have a 1.7 sitting in my garage I may be able to help you out.btw I'm in Pomona also.

Thanks brenz, I will have to look around for that black/red wire. I believe I saw it but the PO had cut it and attached it directly to the positive battery terminal.. so i may have to reattach it the relay board right?
I'm going to leave those plugs in there for now then cause i dont think i have a deep enough socket that size, my roommate may though, ill ask him once he is home later in the week. and anti-sieze is now on my shopping list!




I really appreciate that! It's comforting to know there is someone 'up the road' from me that can be of assistance if i get stuck.
I am located in Walnut right off the 60 at brea canyon and go to school at cal poly pomona.

Anyone know about plugging the return pipe on the gas tank??? (as mentioned in my fuel plan a few posts above???)

ha ha so does the 914kid he has a yellow 914 with a black hood....super cool cat.

Ya i see his car on campus all the time in the parking structure. I tried contacting him through this site, but he never responded....

Let me know when you need help...he hang's with me sometimes....
Click to view attachment

Alright, So I have a problem but need your help figuring out what. The engine cranks over but slowly. When I checked one of the spark plugs it wasn't showing any sparks when turning over the engine. I took off the distributor cap and looked at the points and contacts and they all look very clean and intact.
On the starter coil am i my missing a wire? I have the green wire going to the positive from the distributor to the starter coil and one wire on the negative being grounded, and then of course the middle spark wire on the distributor going to the middle terminal on the coil.

Where should I trouble shoot next???

Jamie, are you free today at any point!? Ill shoot you a text too.

How do your grounds look? Especially where your negative battery cable attaches to the body and the ground strap at the transmission to body?

Shoddy grounds = poor cranking.

Also, I don't know how old your new battery is, but is it freshly charged?

Battery was just charged yesterday. Ill check the ground cable, but do you have a picture of the ground strap at the transmission to body, im not familiar with it.

Thanks

I don't have a picture handy. The factory ground strap was a braided strap that went from a nut on the rear transmission cover to a stud on the body.

If you get under the car and start looking there, you should see it. You probably had to disconnect it to drop the engine/transmission combo. If you didn't disconnect it, it likely broke under the weight of dropping the engine/xmsn.

When you check both the battery ground cable and the xmsn ground strap, make sure both ends are clean and the surfaces they are connected to are clean and shiny. Some electrical grease would be good preventative maintenance.

Found a pic, posted by Jeffs9146 last year.

Dfelz,
I think your coil connections are "No Bueno" The positive wire to the coil should have 12V, the negative side of the coil should have the wire going to the distributor, not ground. The points are used as a switch to open and close the coil ground. I hope someone with more knowledge jumps in on this one item.
Cesar

Please tell us that you are not trying to run carbs on the original (3 port) fuel pump....

You mentioned "fuel return line" and regulator above....

Stu

Thanks for the concern Stu, but no i am not using either of those! I have a low pressure one in one out fuel pump, i do have a regulator on there set at 5psi since its duel carbs, if it were single i would scrap the reg. I am also not using any kind of return line.

Thanks Cesar for the help, I was missing the lines coming off the harness, silly me, i even had them labeled!

Good news though, I got her to fire up!!!!

When the clutch was in the revs climbed really high, sounded like something was wrong internally, but when i released the clutch it idled fine, then i killed the engine to jump around with joy!!

I'll probably fire here up one more time before i drop the engine, and i will record a video so that everyone can listen to its odd sounds. Kind of sounded like a cracked valve or rocker.

After i drop the engine i will pull off the top and do further examination.

Thanks for all the help though on getting it situated!

Sounds like your clutch and accelerator cables are tangled up in your tunnel. But if your planning to drop your motor again, I wouldn't worry about it too much at this point.