You guys are getting far too complex. The gent's problem, as described, is no sparky, one of the three key necessary items for the "voom , voom" noise (the other two being compression and fuel).

OK, GolfRacer, first off, what year is the car? What engine? Ju gots points or electronic ignition? Ju gots the later model engine with detonation sensor?

Ju gots a Bentley manual for your car? If not, get thee to eBay and order one. Now. Worth its weight.

The fuel pump is SUPPOSED to run a few seconds on initial key, then it shuts off. After that it runs only when the engine is running, based on a tach signal. Bentley 101.

OK, let's assume you don't have a '75 or so, and you have electronic ignition. Do you have 12 volts at the coil when the key is on? Gots to have that. No 12 volts? That's your problem; open the Bentley, follow the wiring diagram and find out why you don't got no 12 volts at the coil. The Internet is no place to have folks help you troubleshoot electrical probs.

Gots 12 volts at the coil? Good! Now, do you have a good coil? Dunno? Are you getting spark out of the coil lead? No? Is the coil field circuit being dropped? Can you BRIEFLY connect a ground wire to the OPPOSITE terminal of the coil and get spark out the lead? If yes, the problem is in your Hall effect system/distributor (which grounds your coil. If no, you have a bad coil. Find, beg, borrow a know good coil and try it again.

Coil good? Good! Getting spark out the coil lead? No? Got another coil lead you can try?

Not a bad coil lead? Good! Getting spark out the coil lead? Good! Getting spark out a spark plug lead? No? Same on all four? Yes? Bad cap and/or rotor, replace and retry. Not the same on all four? Got a bad spark plug wire, replace them.

All this confusing? Good! No, I mean bad! I mean, aw, whatever...