I'm so pumped! It runs...But why is the distributor THERE? (sorta long)

[area53 at validpath.com (Jeff Toomasson)]

You know the scenario. You pour hours and hours into a project - be it a 
swap, a resto, both - and a good portion of those times, it just doesn't 
work out on the first try. Possibly because you're a dumbass, possibly 
not. In my case, it was both.

In my haste to get my project running (I got miles of excuses too:
- becasue the headliner shop wouldn't take it without it running, it's a 
ragtop with a great big hole in the roof and I have no garage, winter's 
coming
- new baby
- new business)

...I tried to get my ABA/JH swap running with the 3A distro using the 
original ignition. Had lots of help too. Randy Block, Craig Williams, 
Dick Wong, Tobias, Mark Hausler and other non-listers came out and gave 
me what they had (Randy was the star though!) Got the engine, suspension 
and brakes done. Finally got to turn the key about three weeks ago and 
just got cranking. No spark. But the coil was getting power. Was it the 
Hall Sender as I asked the list a couple weeks ago? I five-fingered 
another 3A distro to take that out of the equation. Fuel system was 
pretty sure to be good so we didn't test it.

Over the next couple weeks, I sifted through an 86 GTi wiring harness I 
got from a yard months ago just for this. Last weekend, used every bit 
of free time the family would allow soldering in the knock-sensing 
setup. Here's where the dumbass-ness realization sets in. Not only did I 
realize that I never bothered put GAS in the car, I never bothered to 
ground the ignition control module even though I looked at that goddam 
isolated ground wire 100 times! >:(

Finally got it done Sunday afternoon and got to turn the key again 
(though this time w/ gas and the ICM grounded). Still just cranking and 
the taxed Braille battery couldn't keep up w/ the rebuild and the diesel 
starter. Had to shelve it because I promised we would take the kids to 
the park. Four 10's and a 4 hours into today later, I found myself 
fixated on the Scirocco. I told myself that if I didn't get it running, 
I was going to bite the bullet and take it to Chris Lagatutta (a local 
mk1 wiring guru that was one of ND's first 16v swap pioneers). I just 
was flat-out running out of time. I couldn't let it get nailed by the 
coming winter. But I was going to give it one last try.

Came home today, went out and tested the fuel spray just to make sure 
and rotated the distro a little. Turned the key and I finally got a pop! 
I was rejuvenated!  Many more trials netted a decently running setup, 
but it won't idle (and I have no timing light). The hall sender plug is 
virtually pinned to the transaxle side of the engine block though (any 
ideas)?

I'm so glad I was able to get it running. After my successful 8v-16v 
conversion in my old cabby, I was sure I could do this. But there's 
always that doubt - especially when thing don't go as planned. It sure 
is nice to know I'm not a hack!  :)

Anyway, thanks for listening!  :)

JT


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