Volkswagen: 1968 squareback spark problom, compression stroke, distributor line

Question
hey ron.
i have a 1968 square back with a spark prob.
when i first got it, it ran and drove fin ran smooth. then a left it running for a wile after that it started backfiring and missing and running really rough. so i parked it over night. started it up the next day, it started up but ran crappy again. after this it never started again. ive replaced the disrupter and the coil still won't start. there is no spark coming from the coil. and ive tried EVERY THING. also i after it stopped running i took the weirs off and kinda messed forgot which one goes were on the coil. i need this car for school so any help you could give me would be much appreciated.  

Answer
Hi Jerred:

Try this.  

1) Set the engine to the number one firing position.  This is when cylinder #1 (it is marked)has the piston all the way up top and it is expelling air.  This is the compression stroke. You will have to remove the spark plug and spin the motor to find this.  

2) Once you are on the compression stroke, make sure the pulley notch is exactly facing the top center of the motor.

3) Now go to the distributor and you will see a notch on the top of the rim where the cap sits.  Put the rotor on and loosen the distributor.  Line up the rotor exactly with that notch.

4) Tighten down the distributor, and put the cap on, observing which post the rotor it pointing to.  This is the post that you plug in the #1 cylinder wire to.

5) Going counter clockwise from Number 1 on the cap, plug the wires in like this: #1 (you have in) than, #2  than, #3, than #4.   

6) So clock wise, the wires should be in the position of 1-4-3-2.

7) Change the points and condenser, this will cause the car to lose spark as well.

Good Luck,

Ron