Electrical problems - spark & lights

Q1: Speedy won't start - just died quick (not like fuel starvation). I have spark a the top of the dizzy from new blue coil, but no spark at the plugs and no sign of firing while cranking. The cap is brand new but I didn't get a rotor. Ever heard of a rotor going bad "just like that?" What else is there - I mean I know plug leads go bad but all 4 at once?

Q2: CMC light switch, with the fuse built into the switch - how many amps that fuse... is? I know there's a formula for adding up all the lights on the car but I know the answer is in someone's head, just dying to get out.

Nah - everything's clean and dry inside. I just read on NLS that the rotor can go bad and not deliver spark, so I'll try a new one of those tomorrow.

On the first one, if the old distributor ever got wet and accumulated moisture inside, maybe. Have you tried to clean it yet?
Question two; every fuse in my car was VW old-school when I got it. There was a knob on the dash tied to a fuse in the block under the dash, and an 8-amp fuse (the white ones) there.
I might suggest trying to take your car cell phone charger apart if it's the kind that has a company logo in it -- mine has the Motorola M) that lights up with power applied -- and see what the fuse is that's in there.
Rookie and somewhat crazy idea, but those things are fused independently. Might work in the absence of the "right" answer.
I don't know if that helps you or not. :(

Good luck!

Make sure the graphite contact in the cap is still there.

Yeah, weird that I found that carbon thing had fallen out, but not sure how or when. So the new cap was a must.

Still, no spark

Jarco, Always look to the last thing that was changed/played with. You said your cap was "brand new", did you just change it? Pull the coil lead out of the cap and hold it near a ground, either actuate your points by hand (ign. key in "run" position) or have your pal
crank the engine (watch your fingers, hair, clothes etc). If you get a nice solid spark this eliminates (almost) your; points or ign. trigger, coil, coil wire, power to coil and your problem is down stream-cap(maybe not installed correctly), rotor, wires,plugs.
No spark at coil wire---points, condensor,ign trigger, power to coil, ign swt, etc...

Good luck
P.S.--Don't stand in a puddle while doing this

If you have a "stock" rotor, chances are that it has a built-in resistor. Those resistors die pretty often, leaving you without a spark. The ONLY thing that would effect spark on all four cylinders is the coil (which you've already found is good), the cap (which I would change, even if it's new) and the rotor, which I would change first.

BTW: If you get an HEI rotor from CB Performance, it does not have that resistor in it and should last for years. for that matter, get the cap along with it.

gn

A complete spare distributor, with a full NEW tune-up installed and a spare coil, is almost a must for any on-board VW survival kit.

Like they said, start at the coil and check for spark working outwards to the plugs. You'll find it! If you end up buying new parts to replace your new parts, and you don't go full HEI, ALWAYS buy Bosch, it makes a big difference.

Luck,

TC

Thanks all... turns out it was the rotor. Got a new Bosch in there and she fired right up. Problem solved.

Now, back to part 2 of the original question - the CMC light switch. What fuse goes in there? My fuses keep blowing and the whole electrical system is giving me fits.

Advice?

If the system worked fine for X number of months and now trouble=
something changed. Shorted wire? Did you add any additional lighting to that fuse(driving lights or anything)?

It's never really worked well.
I pulled the switch apart one night and did a thorough cleaning and tightening on it which seemed to help, but that fuse keeps blowing at randome times. I'm just not sure I have the right fuse in there, or should I rebuild the system.
I seem to recall a writeup in the knowledge base about wiring with relays for "flame thrower" headlights. Now that would be better than my current "is that a bike or a car?" headlamp setup.

Jarco:

A decent value fuse for stock VW headlights (incl. tail lights et al) would be around 10 amps. Some of the heavier duty systems, running brighter headlights, could be running a 15 amp fuse.

If you have a glass cartridge fuse in there (clear, with metal end caps and a fuse link inside the glass) and it's a 10 amp it could be heating up a bit, especially if there is excess resistance in your circuits due to corroded sockets and such, and the fuse link may be melting the solder at the ends and letting go - acts just like it blew, but the link still looks OK.

You could safely run a 15 amp fuse if that's bigger than what you currently have. Try that until you add a headlight relay to the circuit.