Volkswagen's Original Electronic Ignition Section Index Main Index Five years after breaker points disappeared from domestic cars, unceremoniously supplanted by electronic ignition, Volkswagen finally followed suit and introduced a Hall-Effect system for regulating coil primary current.
Most mechanics appreciate that.
It keeps them interested, but doesn't baffle them with dozens of seemingly unnecessary changes, something lots of other car companies do by continually sprouting new models, strange engines, and all kinds of different systems. We appreciate it too because it allows us to write one section that gives you useful info on numerous model years. But, troubleshooting hasn't changed much. Before we give you the diagnostic procedures for the original version, then explain the differences that showed up as time went by, we'd better cover a few basics. The wheel has as many shutters as there are cylinders in the engine, and they can be compared to the flat spots on a distributor cam.