Hello-I need some VW expertise- Last saturday I checked and adjusted my valves- there was none out of spec really - was my first time getting more involved with my engine. I started the car and was running fine.  I decided to go and put some gas in it.  Was driving to walmart and the car "missed" one time.  drove further and it missed again.  I pulled out onto a road and it died on me.  I could not get it re-started, I added a gallon of gas to make sure, still nothing- I had to get it towed about 2 miles home.  It still will not start.  As i crank it i smell gas and i disconnected the fuel line at the carb and the wife cranked it and I saw there was gas spurting out the hose end.  Still nothing- I need some help here guys.

Kevin  

I love troubleshooting.  The first step is to figure out which system is really giving the problem.  From the sound of what happened, my money would be on a problem with fuel delivery or ignition.

Sounds like you've pretty much eliminated the fuel system. (OK, you could still have a carborator problem, but from the sound of how it died, I think you can move on)

Pull the coil wire off the top of the distributor and hold it close to a good ground and have someone spin it over.  You should have blue sparks jumping from the wire to the ground . . . if not, you've got an ignition problem.

If you have no spark, then you need to #1 make sure you are getting power to the coil (pretty easy . . . turn on the switch and pull the power wire to the coil . . . an jumper should be running off of the same side of the coil to the idle cut off on the carb . . . when you plug / unplug the wire, you should hear the idle cut off clicking.  If so, you have power.  If not, you have no power OR, maybe you have a bad idle cut off . . . but again, from the sound of how this all went down, I don't think the idle cut off is an issue.

No power . . . could be your ignition switch, a broken or loose wire somewhere, etc.

Got power to the coil?  Like KC said, check your points . . . that's probably where your issue is.  Could be a bad coil.  Could be a bad condensor . .. .but more likely a points issue.

Look to see if the carbon plunger in the top inside of the disto cap is gone.
KC

Food for thought and a Very simple check is fuel shut off valve is sticking or dead. Take the valve out and put your finger over the hole while cranking and see if she starts. Check a spark plug, if there it's not wet with fuel, the carb is the culprit. You could spray a little starting fluid in the carb and see if she starts first.

Cheers