Volkswagen Repair: 1969 Beetel (1500cc) manual transmission, crank pulley, firing order

Question
the bug want start-it is getting fuel and a good spark-origial distributor replaced with one with centrafugal advance at some time in the past.it must be the timing or is it? I don't see how the timing could be that far off. we used starting fluid and didn't even get a backfire

Answer
Steve, thank you for your question.   Firing order is 1,4,3,2.  Valve adjusting order is 1,2,3,4.  In order to verify TDC for #, turn crank pulley to TDC.  Then take off the 1,2 bank valve cover.  Giggle the rocker arms, intake and exhaust. If they do not both giggle then you have to find TDC for #3.  Turn crank pulley around until TDC for #1.  Now look for small notch on the distributor housing. Check the valves (for #1) again. Now rotate crank pulley counter clockwise until BDC (this is TDC for #2) repeat this process for valves 3 and 4.
Hope this helps