Wont start, struggling Options

[Triaddave]

It may sound stupid but maybe a kinked fuel line or clogged fuel filter.

[marksteinhilber]

You have unsteady firing from a number of cylinders, but there is fuel so the car runs. It could be a carb or ignition problem. How do you know you have a strong spark at each plug? How old are your plugs and plug wires? Are any of the plug wires arcing to metal where they are touching. Plug wires will show where they are discharging to metal grounds. For this reason I make sure none of my plug wires are touching metal or each other by looming them and by using zip-ties to make wire separators. Check for fouled plugs. They should not have excessive gap or wear, nor excessive deposits. A spark checker or an inductive timing light placed right before the spark plug can tell you if one or more of your plug wires is grounding out to metal. Once you are sure you have a strong spark at each plug, then you can start to look for erratic fuel delivery problems. If you have a dual carb set up, it may then be caused by clogged jets or an adjustment on one or more barrels. Might be a good time to check the balance of flow and re-tune.

[ericoneal]

I will double check the spark tonight by pulling the plugs and watching them. Previously just used timing light on plug wire to check for spark.
Fuel lines are not kinked, checked those. Will post back. THanks for all of the suggestions everyone.

[cgnj]

I will double check the spark tonight by pulling the plugs and watching them. Previously just used timing light on plug wire to check for spark.
Fuel lines are not kinked, checked those. Will post back. THanks for all of the suggestions everyone.

Watched the video. you are clearly running on pump jets, till you flood. I'm going to assume that you pulled the carbs off to drop the motor.
you have at least two problems, one you have already repaired (loose/ intermittent connection at coil).

Take off the engine lid if it is still on. Check the throttle stops and make sure that both carbs are on the idle stop. Clean the idle jets and replace. Take off air cleaners, operate the linkage and observe that each bore squirts. try to start car. two pumps on throttle, throttle close then twist key. If it fails to idle, seat each mixture screw counting the turns on each bore and write them down,observe if any are more than 2.5 turns. Seat the air bypass screws (only one should be open on each side). It's ok for all of theem to be closed, but not 2 open on a single side) Try to start the car using th method already described. You want to avoid using the pump jets two much, Let it stall if it wants to, it should run longer as it warms up.

hope this helps,
Carlos

[sdoolin]

Watched the video also. I think you have a linkage problem, engine is likely only running on one side or the other at idle.

I have a uni-syn tool and like 30 years of experience living with dual carbs running off of a hex bar linkage, and I am 20 mins away. PMd you and should be able to assist this weekend.

[ericoneal]

Thats why this website is great. PMed received, will call you at 5:00 to set up a time and to chat further.

Thanks all!

Also, and I may neglected to mention this. The reason that I took the linkage off was because I couldnt remove the throttle cable from the linkage. It appears that someone completely rounded out the set screw. I have a new cable on there, but it is likely not attached correctly. Anyway, there is enough slack so that the linkage returns to idle, so I really dont think that is a contributing issue, but be aware.

Watched the video also. I think you have a linkage problem, engine is likely only running on one side or the other at idle.

I have a uni-syn tool and like 30 years of experience living with dual carbs running off of a hex bar linkage, and I am 20 mins away. PMd you and should be able to assist this weekend.

[Mblizzard]

Thats why this website is great. PMed received, will call you at 5:00 to set up a time and to chat further.

Thanks all!

Also, and I may neglected to mention this. The reason that I took the linkage off was because I couldnt remove the throttle cable from the linkage. It appears that someone completely rounded out the set screw. I have a new cable on there, but it is likely not attached correctly. Anyway, there is enough slack so that the linkage returns to idle, so I really dont think that is a contributing issue, but be aware.

Watched the video also. I think you have a linkage problem, engine is likely only running on one side or the other at idle.

I have a uni-syn tool and like 30 years of experience living with dual carbs running off of a hex bar linkage, and I am 20 mins away. PMd you and should be able to assist this weekend.

This is exactly what this is such a great community! People will actually provide their knowledge and offer to roll up their sleeves, get their hands dirty, and help!

[Tdskip]

Making progress....please keep us posted and someone better buy @sdoolin a beer.

[ericoneal]

I got it covered..

Making progress....please keep us posted and someone better buy @sdoolin a beer.

[cgnj]

post a pic of your carbs and linkage as they are currently installed.

[ericoneal]

sdoolin rolled over this afternoon in his great looking blue 914. We didnt make alot of progress, but I got a nice crash course in cleaning carb jets.

We cleaned the the jets, looked at the linkage synchronization, and double-checked the timing, with no effect. We know its getting spark and fuel because flames shooting out of the stacks. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Not sure what else to check. Carbs are clean and mostly synced. Timing was double checked. Anyone have ANY ideas before I have thing towed on Tuesday would be more than welcome. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)
Maybe I'll start a bounty with a small cash prize...

I really miss driving this thing.

[wndsrfr]

sdoolin rolled over this afternoon in his great looking blue 914. We didnt make alot of progress, but I got a nice crash course in cleaning carb jets.

We cleaned the the jets, looked at the linkage synchronization, and double-checked the timing, with no effect. We know its getting spark and fuel because flames shooting out of the stacks. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Not sure what else to check. Carbs are clean and mostly synced. Timing was double checked. Anyone have ANY ideas before I have thing towed on Tuesday would be more than welcome. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)
Maybe I'll start a bounty with a small cash prize...

I really miss driving this thing.

Uhhhh....you're so close...if you're getting backfire flames then it's timing or just as simple as plug wires switched on the cap or the plug end....carefully go back over both...

[sdoolin]

As Eric said, not a fuel issue. We removed and cleaned idle jets and main jets (they were clean but we double checked). Oh, and for the record my Dellortos are MUCH easier to work on - but that is another story. All accelerator pumps pushing gas, and carbs are synched well from side to side. Certainly well enough to run. Impressive flames out of the tops of the carbs seems like a timing issue. We did double check and it seemed correct (but Eric had a shit selection of beer so who knows if the timing was right).

Removed the number 2 plug and it was sooty and black, but dry. Then we lost battery. I think Eric is gonna replace plugs and wires (and maybe battery) and give it another shot before towing it.

[Tdskip]

Well - look at it this way, the carb work sounds like it needed to be done anyway so not a loss of effort.

Press on!

[cgnj]

basics 101

At this point, I would jack it jp put in 5th and and confirm tdc ##1 but observing the valves. then confirm the rotor is point towards the index mark on distributor. Im anal, since I already dug in this far I would check the valve lash on all four any way.

If the timing is correct is mechanically correct, I'd target coil, points distributor, plugs wires.

[injunmort]

do you have access to a timing light? how are you sure timing is correct. sounds like you need to reset static timing get the engine running and then set it with a light. if you are getting flames out of the carbs, you have a timing issue.

[ericoneal]

do you have access to a timing light? how are you sure timing is correct. sounds like you need to reset static timing get the engine running and then set it with a light. if you are getting flames out of the carbs, you have a timing issue.

We put the engine at TDC, according to the fan, and the rotor was pointing at plug wire #1. Is there something else more to it than that?
Wondering if one or two of the sparkplugs are not firing now when cranking. Of course the battery is dead (I hope thats what it is), so it will be until tonight before I can test that.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)
I have no idea what else to try.

[injunmort]

yes, there is more to it than that. are you running points or electronic? with the engine on tdc on #1 compression, rotate distributor until points start to open. lock it down. put rotor/cap back on and start. warm up and then put timing light on #1. rev past 3500rpm and set your timing on the advance mark before tdc. done by loosening distributor and rotating until the marks align.

[ericoneal]

Thanks, I'm familar with timing the engine once its running, but at this point its only running for a split second unless I mash on the gas.
I think my next step is to be sure TDC is accurate although I have confirmed that the fan mark has the distributor pointing at plug wire one, then it should be. Going look at valves and mark on the fly wheel tonight as a double check.

yes, there is more to it than that. are you running points or electronic? with the engine on tdc on #1 compression, rotate distributor until points start to open. lock it down. put rotor/cap back on and start. warm up and then put timing light on #1. rev past 3500rpm and set your timing on the advance mark before tdc. done by loosening distributor and rotating until the marks align.

[injunmort]

you must make sure points are opening when you set tdc. while in there you might want to gap points and clean them. your points plate could be out even with the rotor pointing at #1.