WELL I GOT ENGINE AND TRANS BACK IN EVERYTHING HOOKED UP WENT TO FIRE UP TODAY. ITS GETTING GAS BUT AFTER CRANKING OVER AFEW TIMES OK MORE THAN A FEW TIMES .NOTHING NOT EVEN A BACK FIRE FLAT LINE I HAD IT AT T D C POINTS SET DIZZY IS GETTING JUICE. BUT NOTHING.WHAT SHOULD I DO??? BESIDES POST A FED UP FOR SALE AD. THANKS FOR ANY AND ALL HELP. ROBERT
OK, Check to be sure you have the crankshaft on TDC, #1 Cyl, and on compression stroke... Turn the harmonic balancer to whatever the book says is desired timing, or 6 degrees Before TDC, as timing marks indicate. Check to see that the rotor is pointing at the #1 plug wire tower on the distributor. Put the distributor cap back on. Next part will be done with the ignition switch on, but make all the preparations before turning on switch, to keep from burning points needlessly. Now loosen distributor hold down bolt, and pull coil wire from center of distributor. Place this wire about 1/8" from a 'ground',ie something bare metal. Now, turn the key on, and rotate the distributor back and forth a few degrees and watch the spark from the coil wire to confirm that you have spark. If you do, then rotate clockwise 'till it sparks, then slowly counterclockwise 'till it sparks, and lock it down at the point just where it sparks. This will give you a starting point for the ignition timing, if that's your problem. If you're getting fuel, (good quality fuel), and it has compression, this should make it start and run fairly well. If so, then you probably otta' set the timing with a timing light, and the points with a dwell meter. If it still acts flatline, try shooting a little ether, or pouring a tablespoon of gas down its throat, just to be sure it's not a fuel problem after all.... Let me know how it goes. There are others more experienced than I am who may offer some more.
getting fuel THANKS FOR REPLY BILBO ITS GETTING FUEL SPARK TO THE POINTS AND COIL HAS JUICE. ENGINE JUST CRANKS OVER WITH NO WILL TO FIRE. NO SPUTTER NO COUGH NO BACK FIRE NO NOTHING. I WILL TRY ALL THE STUFF YOU SAID ONE MORE TIME. AND SEE WHAT I GET. THANKS ROBERT
If you had the distributor out, I suppose it could be 180 degrees out on the timing? If your TDC is not on the compression stroke, it just spins and never acts like it's firing. Forgive the stupid question, but did you put the rotor back in? (Guess what made me think to ask?) If you doubt the TDC setting, I might just pull the dist. and rotate 180 degrees and try it. It may be quicker than proving it out. Of course, you'll have to go through the static timing setting thing from my previous post again. Through all this testing, be cautious about backfires. Stay away from the carb... (again, guess what made me remember to warn you about that?)
Robert ; If there's spark at the coil , then disconnect the # 1 sparkplug and connect a spare one in it's place and lay it on the rockerbox , crank the engine (key ON) and observe the plug ~ it should get a white/blue spark every so often , if not , the spark isn't leaving the dizzy , check the continuity of the coil wire and each plug wire with your test light and the truck's battery ~ if the light doesn't light, the wire is bad ~ I don't use resistro typ plug wires , I always go buy two sets of VW Beetle wires for a '72 and use them , they have solid copper cores and are far better . Even of the dizzy is installed 180° out (easy to do BTW , I've done that) the engine should cough and spit out the carby if there's any spark . Lastly , I use a spark sparkplug and wire , in the coil , to test basic spark before attacking the dizzy . I assume you've used a test lamp to ensure the lamp goes _out_ when the points close... this gaurantees the points don't have any resistance problems .
Yeah, i've done it. also learned that the spring in the box of points has to be installed in order to run at anything above idle....
We all been there Engine that wont fire up properly in the pits cos i forgot to re fuel the tank engine wont fire cos i forgot to put king lead back in dizzy even after checking through motor and moving lead numerous times cos it was in the top of my tool chest and i picked it up to get to sockets etc many times before the D'oh moment countless times its happened to us all, luckily the majority of times when no one was around
Got Her Started Got her running yesterday The Dizzy was out like you guys said . I rechecked everything. I pulled out the dizzy and reset it and she fired right up. I also shimmed the starter and it sounds like it should and not like the crankshaft is going to fall out of the block. As always thanks to all for your help. Robert
I love a happy ending! Robert, let this be a lesson to all of us! Never let your project get the best of you! Walk away for a day or two. Consult the greatest forum around. In 3 days, you're a happy camper again. The only thing you need to get rid of now is the "FED UP FOR SALE AD" Glad it worked out for you! Keep on Truckin'
Robert, Your truck was a testing you to see ifin it was going to stay with you. Looks like it has a keeper. Charles
memories You will forget all about times like these when your trundling down the road on a warm summers day and looking around and enjoying the scenery at a leisurely pace, instead of hammering along tryin to get there as quick as possible in your daily driver and................. Life will feel soooooooo good!
Great board JUST A LITTLE THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR CYBER SUPPORT. I DON`t KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE HAD I NOT FOUND THIS WEB SITE. ROBERT
Forget ? _NOT_ ! Robert ; As you're rolling down Whittier Blvd. to a cruise - in , remembering this will make you smile and your buddies who don't know how to fix old cars , will never understand.... You have joined an ancient brotherhood now
WHOOOOAAAAHHH there Nate!!!!!!!! Ancient brotherhood!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you been keeping this bit from me! How, where, when........why am i not included.......is it cos i is brit? is this a brit thing? is it a secret society? dont leave me out! please, i wanna join! please let me join! go on, please, aw please, let me please, go on, you know you want to, please, please, please, please LET ME JOIN!!! PLEASE!
cruzin Funny you say that nate we where on whittier blvd today hanging out with my mother in law . bought a new seat cover for my 52 we had lunch at chronis hot dog stand also on whittier blvd. has not been any cruzin action there for years now i lived in whitter for about 15 years or so. got home later and had more fun started to put front fenders back on. ROBERT
The AD Brotherhood.. Oh , O.K. Neil ; I guess we can let you join , (in spite of the whole Colonies and tea thing) Robert : I'm of mixed mind about the loss of the old Whittier Blvd. Cruise , it was cool but also lots of hate and violence , sadly the folks who created it , also brought the end of it on themselves . Back in the day , there were killer curise nights all over So. Cal. , the Low Riders who had the very best cars , killed them off one by one sad to say by acting like childish animals . The cruise in Elysian Park near The Grace Simmons Lodge is still on , not many oldies there anymore and it's kinda rough I am told , I used to go there in the 80's . my buddy who recently left The Life , tells me I should warn you away from it... I dunno
