Full Version: Starting issues
Dropped the engine in April and refreshed the heads due to the new gas with ethanol and sitting. After I put it all back together I put in an SVDA Bosch distributor to replace my 009 and now it won't start.I've got spark and fuel (running 40 dells) and it's in time. WTF it's gotta be something simple I'm missing.Help!!!!
Are you sure you have the plug wires routed correctly? I had 2 and 4 reversed. Thought the dizzy rotated ccw instead of cw. 1432 firing order.
Tom
Tom
Also, are you SURE you are not 180degrees off?
Whenever someone replaces a dizzy and the engine won't start, 8 times of 10 they are 180 out on the dizzy placement.
The #1 piston comes to the top of its rotation twice for each firing cycle, only one of them is TDC. You know that you ar5e at TDC when the piston is at the top of its travel AND both valves are fully closed.
Even people that know their cars well have made this mistake - even after assuring us all that there was no way they could have made it. It happens to the best of us.
However, if you are 180 off, you will blow some impressive fireballs out the carb tops if you give it some gas while trying to start it. Fun times!
Zach
Whenever someone replaces a dizzy and the engine won't start, 8 times of 10 they are 180 out on the dizzy placement.
The #1 piston comes to the top of its rotation twice for each firing cycle, only one of them is TDC. You know that you ar5e at TDC when the piston is at the top of its travel AND both valves are fully closed.
Even people that know their cars well have made this mistake - even after assuring us all that there was no way they could have made it. It happens to the best of us.
However, if you are 180 off, you will blow some impressive fireballs out the carb tops if you give it some gas while trying to start it. Fun times!
Zach
...Your timing is off! 
Timing marks are in the center of the notch on the fan and the rotor is pointing about 7:30 towards #1 cyl could I still be 180 out?
That doesn't sound right. I think the rotor should be pointing to about 10-11 O'clock with 12 being the fan housing. I can't remember for sure, maybe some one else will chime in.
Tom
Tom
8 would be right @ the #1 plug 10 would be #2
Unscrew the collar holding the the dizzy in place so you can turn it.
pump the throttle a few times to get some fuel in the engine.
have someone start cranking the car over with the throttle pushed about 1/2 way down. Your job will be to turn the dizzy slowly 15 degrees forwards and then 30 degrees backwords until the engine catches. when you start, this is your baseline. It might run like shit, but once it starts you can go through the rest of your timing exercise.
If the engine does not catch, you have other issues to work out.
Like, making triple sure your leads are going to the correct cylinders. Even if you think I am crazy, if it is not catching, try switching lead 1 for lead 3, and lead 2 for lead 4 and try again. If it starts, you were 180 out. Don't bother to pull it, just run with it. You will bein good company running this way.
If you are 100% positive that the leads are right, and 100% positive that the timing is right, use a little starting fluid. *gasp* you are not going to hurt anyhting, just don't use a lot. If the engine starts with ether, then you may have a fuel problem. Work incrementally. When you start a fresh built engine for the first time, it usually takes a while to convince it to run. I am convinced that it is part magic. After you get it to run once, it always wants to run again. Once, when I was a might bit more sober then I was now, I tried to explain this theory to DrEvil and ScottyB. It was 26 degrees, and the corvair eningein was not turning over. I think they wanted to hit me. Anyway. Be thourogh. but also compliment the engine and say nice things to it. They like to be treated right when you ask them to come out of hibernation.
Zach
pump the throttle a few times to get some fuel in the engine.
have someone start cranking the car over with the throttle pushed about 1/2 way down. Your job will be to turn the dizzy slowly 15 degrees forwards and then 30 degrees backwords until the engine catches. when you start, this is your baseline. It might run like shit, but once it starts you can go through the rest of your timing exercise.
If the engine does not catch, you have other issues to work out.
Like, making triple sure your leads are going to the correct cylinders. Even if you think I am crazy, if it is not catching, try switching lead 1 for lead 3, and lead 2 for lead 4 and try again. If it starts, you were 180 out. Don't bother to pull it, just run with it. You will bein good company running this way.
If you are 100% positive that the leads are right, and 100% positive that the timing is right, use a little starting fluid. *gasp* you are not going to hurt anyhting, just don't use a lot. If the engine starts with ether, then you may have a fuel problem. Work incrementally. When you start a fresh built engine for the first time, it usually takes a while to convince it to run. I am convinced that it is part magic. After you get it to run once, it always wants to run again. Once, when I was a might bit more sober then I was now, I tried to explain this theory to DrEvil and ScottyB. It was 26 degrees, and the corvair eningein was not turning over. I think they wanted to hit me. Anyway. Be thourogh. but also compliment the engine and say nice things to it. They like to be treated right when you ask them to come out of hibernation.
Zach
By the way, you are in maryland. where in Maryland are you?
Zach (just over the border in Dallastown PA)
Zach (just over the border in Dallastown PA)
I'm in Calvert County.About an hr south of Baltimore and 45 min. from the White House, and I live just outside the Blue Dot from the Calvert Cliffs Nuke plant.I was begining to believe its a conspiracy involving Peter Angelos,Barrak Obama and some escaping radiation from the nuke plant that are keeping me from driving my car.I live in Prince Frederick.Thanks
QUOTE(Vacca Rabite @ Sep 3 2010, 06:17 PM) 
Unscrew the collar holding the the dizzy in place so you can turn it.
pump the throttle a few times to get some fuel in the engine.
have someone start cranking the car over with the throttle pushed about 1/2 way down. Your job will be to turn the dizzy slowly 15 degrees forwards and then 30 degrees backwords until the engine catches. when you start, this is your baseline. It might run like shit, but once it starts you can go through the rest of your timing exercise.
If the engine does not catch, you have other issues to work out.
Like, making triple sure your leads are going to the correct cylinders. Even if you think I am crazy, if it is not catching, try switching lead 1 for lead 3, and lead 2 for lead 4 and try again. If it starts, you were 180 out. Don't bother to pull it, just run with it. You will bein good company running this way.
If you are 100% positive that the leads are right, and 100% positive that the timing is right, use a little starting fluid. *gasp* you are not going to hurt anyhting, just don't use a lot. If the engine starts with ether, then you may have a fuel problem. Work incrementally. When you start a fresh built engine for the first time, it usually takes a while to convince it to run. I am convinced that it is part magic. After you get it to run once, it always wants to run again. Once, when I was a might bit more sober then I was now, I tried to explain this theory to DrEvil and ScottyB. It was 26 degrees, and the corvair eningein was not turning over. I think they wanted to hit me. Anyway. Be thourogh. but also compliment the engine and say nice things to it. They like to be treated right when you ask them to come out of hibernation.
Zach
I've got help coming over on Wed. Night and I'll try all of these things.Thanks for the feedback.
QUOTE(Vacca Rabite @ Sep 3 2010, 09:17 PM)
Unscrew the collar holding the the dizzy in place so you can turn it.
pump the throttle a few times to get some fuel in the engine.
have someone start cranking the car over with the throttle pushed about 1/2 way down. Your job will be to turn the dizzy slowly 15 degrees forwards and then 30 degrees backwords until the engine catches. when you start, this is your baseline. It might run like shit, but once it starts you can go through the rest of your timing exercise.
If the engine does not catch, you have other issues to work out.
Like, making triple sure your leads are going to the correct cylinders. Even if you think I am crazy, if it is not catching, try switching lead 1 for lead 3, and lead 2 for lead 4 and try again. If it starts, you were 180 out. Don't bother to pull it, just run with it. You will bein good company running this way.
If you are 100% positive that the leads are right, and 100% positive that the timing is right, use a little starting fluid. *gasp* you are not going to hurt anyhting, just don't use a lot. If the engine starts with ether, then you may have a fuel problem. Work incrementally. When you start a fresh built engine for the first time, it usually takes a while to convince it to run. I am convinced that it is part magic. After you get it to run once, it always wants to run again. Once, when I was a might bit more sober then I was now, I tried to explain this theory to DrEvil and ScottyB. It was 26 degrees, and the corvair eningein was not turning over. I think they wanted to hit me. Anyway. Be thourogh. but also compliment the engine and say nice things to it. They like to be treated right when you ask them to come out of hibernation.
Zach
Damn you are a smart man Zach
I have been fighting this for about a week, i read this and said what the hell its worth a try and bam fired right up.
LOL!
Which part? Were you 180 out? Glad I was able to help. The same advice - or a version near it - was given to me back in 08 or 09 I think. My dizzy is still 180 out. ;-)
Zach
Which part? Were you 180 out? Glad I was able to help. The same advice - or a version near it - was given to me back in 08 or 09 I think. My dizzy is still 180 out. ;-)
Zach
QUOTE(914rat @ Sep 3 2010, 11:19 AM)
Dropped the engine in April and refreshed the heads due to the new gas with ethanol and sitting. After I put it all back together I put in an SVDA Bosch distributor to replace my 009 and now it won't start.I've got spark and fuel (running 40 dells) and it's in time. WTF it's gotta be something simple I'm missing.Help!!!!
what did you do "refreshed the heads" to them ?
I adjusted the valves and changed the points and fuel pump dont know how i got 180 out but i did
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