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@IR plus one what @lynx said, dwell meter is best for setting the points up but if you do do it with feeler guages set them up when firing at cyl 1 if you look at the rotor cycl 3 is smaller to create a shorter spark/burn because that is the last cylinder to get the air cooling and runs the hottest, as the points gap closes the timing retards so resetting the lot always helps, if you haven't got a strobe you can set the timing stationary with a 12 volt light :)
http://www.vct2.com/vwtech/Pages/Maintenance/Check%20Timing/static%20method.htm
Fixedwheelnut
If you ran the fuel low it could have sucked some crap up and blocked the idle jet of the carb, but that wouldn't make it difficult to start, just stop it idling.
It's easy to unscrew, blow up with an air line or a poke a soft bristle tooth brush into the hole and refit.
I'm with @lynx tho. It'll be pitted points. You can scrape them flat with an emery board or wet and dry, regap and try again or just buy new ones for a couple of dorrah.