Dead 93

[Briano1234]

Push in the clip, and separate. It may be tough and you will have to pry it apart.

No, disconnect the negative cable. Touch the negative cable to the Positive for about 30 seconds.
Another way it to start the car, unplug the cts sensor and rev the engine 3 times to 3000. Reconnect the CTS.

[boschbabe]

Got it running again. Changed the distributor. The old one came apart when I pulled it out. The snap ring above the hall wheel was missing. I thought that might be the problem with the erratic timing like the wheel came off the splines and reset. I also unplugged the knock sensor. It seems to run the same either way. The new dist is a tooth off counterclockwise. I'll fix that soon. I need to drive it around my neighborhood about 500 times before I take it anywhere.

[boschbabe]

Hope this will be my last entry in this extended saga. I started the VW and tapped on the block near the knock sensor trying to induce a timing change. Didn't notice anything (still revved properly). Then I had a closer look at the old distributor to see if it was possible for the hall wheel to slip on the splines with the rotor holding it. It can. Not only is there no circlip holding it (or the shaft), but there was no alignment pin or hole for one. And it wobbled on the shaft. I am reasonably confident that this was the problem. I never checked the timing thinking modern ign systems don't shift like points igns do. I plan to carry a stubby 13mm with me from now on plus the hall sensor, cap and rotor from the old disty. I might try to pick up a good used unit somewhere because I don't fully trust a $42 new distributor.

[Briano1234]

Hope this will be my last entry in this extended saga. I started the VW and tapped on the block near the knock sensor trying to induce a timing change. Didn't notice anything (still revved properly). Then I had a closer look at the old distributor to see if it was possible for the hall wheel to slip on the splines with the rotor holding it. It can. Not only is there no circlip holding it (or the shaft), but there was no alignment pin or hole for one. And it wobbled on the shaft. I am reasonably confident that this was the problem. I never checked the timing thinking modern ign systems don't shift like points igns do. I plan to carry a stubby 13mm with me from now on plus the hall sensor, cap and rotor from the old disty. I might try to pick up a good used unit somewhere because I don't fully trust a $42 new distributor.

It can't be any worse than a part off a junker before you run with it for a while. I know after my last debacle with my green weenie, and the ripped up knee
It is nice to have spare parts so you can eliminate them or resolve the issue, funny thing is that after I replaced the ICM, my voltage on the console gauge increased about a volt..

Congratulations on a running car.

[boschbabe]

The # for the old distributor is: Bosch 037 905 205. It might be impossible to see because it's toward the engine but if your hall wheel pulls right off I would consider upgrading.