BTDT a few times.  The first time I installed a 2.0L in a Rabbit it would
not fire right up.  I follow ALL the instructions in the manual and I
doulbe checked everything.  I was getting quite upset to say the least.  I
would get my wife to crank the engine as I slowly rotated the distributor
back and forth --- nothing...  I got so cheesed that I just gave it a big
spin ( 45 deg ) and vroom!!  It fired right up a lot way from where it was
supposed to be!

You are not going to hurt anything if your timing is wildly off as long as
you correct it once you get the engine running.   It is better to start a
fair distance before top dead center and work your way to TDC... I timing
light is also good as you will see where it is trying to fire at.

Good luck with it!

At 17:55 21/11/98 +0000, Racer X wrote:
>    I've re-installed the rebuilt engine of my 87GL vanagon.
>It cranks, is pumping gas, does have spark. But won't start.
>I'm suspecting that I've not aligned the distributor correctly, and
>it's throwing the timing way out. When I put in the gear that turns the
>rotor, it didn't line up "exactly" as in the Bentley. It may be one
>tooth off or so.
>   Is this alignment critical? Or am I looking in the wrong direction? (I
>shrugged this off when installing as due to the differences in my new
>distributor and old). Was this a crucial misjudgement??
>I can't wait to get this baby purrrring again...
>Many thanks to anyone that can help

-- David Marshall                                    --
-- 78 1.8L VW Rabbit, 80 2.0L VW Caddy, 87 Audi 5KSQ --
-- 85 VW Cabriolet, 88 2.0L VW Syncro 16" Double Cab --
-- Volkswagen Homepage   http://www.volkswagen.org   --
-- Volkswagen/Audi Parts http://parts.volkswagen.org --
-- mailto:david@volkswagen.org - Quesnel, BC, Canada --