HELP! - no start this morning

Any helpful advice would be appreciated.
Van started 1st time and as I reversed off the drive all went dead. Starter still turns over and I can smell the fuel. When I get home tonight this is my plan of attack please chip in if I this sounds the same as a problem you have experienced and you have advice.
I am initially assuming electrical e.g no spark so this is my plan:

• Pull a plug lead and stick in a spare plug and see if I can get a spark off the engine block. If no spark check distributor cap, rotor and plugs. If still no spark check the coil or condensor maybe?
  

If there is a spark - any tips would be appreciated and what to check and any order e.g. clean carb....
thanks in advance

hmmm . you just need to get in and have a poke about i recon . take the feul pipe of the carb and check its pumping when you turn it over . check the spark . if no spark then check there power to the coil . in the past we've had probs with the egniton switch braking down . good luck mate . keep us posted

Most help I can be is to lend you my John Muirs 'How to keep your volkswagon alive' book

And to suggest hitting it with a hammer.

Being able to smell the fuel doesn't necessarily mean it's getting to where it need to go tho. I had a blocked fuel filter in a car once, it would go a few yards, then stop, then go, then stop..

Twat it with a lump hammer

Crags wrote:Twat it with a lump hammer

I've already said that

If I could borrow your book that would be fantastic - do you still live around the corner from me?

Mine did that. Would start and run for just about long enough to be let you move off and once half way across a road junction or halfway out of a parking space it would then die.
Same symptoms, smell fuel, starter turnimg etc.
After much headscratching it ended up with a reset of the points and we were away.

the braincell wrote:

Crags wrote:Twat it with a lump hammer

I've already said that

Ouch....gettoff me!!!

63Split wrote:If I could borrow your book that would be fantastic - do you still live around the corner from me?

Yep, I'm in this evening, and in and out tomorrow. Should be in from 12ish til 5 ish tomorrow, then out til 8.30ish I think.

Prolly be easier for me to drop it at yours tomorrow if you don't collect it tonight .. So long as one of your dubs is on the driveway, I'll know which house is yours

his bus was on the road opposite earlyer i it the one im thinking of. hope he can get it back safe on the drive .

spect we could organize give it a push if you get stuck

The book is on your doorstep

But someones nicked your bus !

All sorted!! Your right van was stranded on the road but got a hand to push last night. As always I feared it was something I could not deal with but I surprised myself, tested lead with spare spark plug; no spark. Worked back and the dizzy rotor arm was the culprit, luckily I carry a spare. Thanks for the offer of the push + the lend of the book. Think I will use the book and take the opportunity to give her a tune up.

Sweet, its usually something simples

nice one

How did the service go ? I drove past and saw you with your head in the engine this evening, didn't beep in case you bumped your head

Have not done the service yet. Had a hole the size of my fist in the exhaust, changed the header and the exhaust last night with a nice new empi one. All went relatively smoothly although did not finish until about 11pm, new problem with new exhaust - van sounds like a tractor and ildles v badly. I guess next step is to look at the timing and possibly the mixture - sounds stupidly loud at the mo. + the accelerator rod thing that passes through the carb is now fouling against the alternator so I cannot put my foot to the floor - anyone else had this problem?

It's a common fault fouling the alternator. Have you got a grinder?. if so mark where its toutching take the carb off
cover inlet hole and grind a bit off the alt.

Oh and cover fuel lines with a damp cloth.

the braincell wrote:How did the service go ? I drove past and saw you with your head in the engine this evening, didn't beep in case you bumped your head

I dirove past too
didnt realise you were active on here
by the way i was the guy who tracked your bus up at formula 1 a few weeks ago

the bus wernt there went i came passed today so i ges its moving

oilyT wrote:Oh and cover fuel lines with a damp cloth.

Yeah, that'll be the important bit