Maybe post some pictures of the wires, distributer, etc?

Tested the coil and am getting a strong white spark. Point gaps are perfect at 0.016. Starting to suspect the distributor. I found this distributor in some parts that the previous owner gave me, so it should work. (Whatt the big silver thing on the side for?)

So, if I understand correctly how to replace the distributor, I just need to :
1. Put it at TDC
2. loosen the adjustment bolt
3. Rotate it to get to the 13mm removal bolt.
4. REmove.
5. Put in new distributor with rotor in same direction as one that I took out.

Any tricks here. I read something about a spring that could fall down in the engine? Is that on the distributor shaft, or is that below the gear shaft?

Basically, my only hesitation is doing something stupid, unknowingly, and having something fall into the engine.

Thanks

Click to view attachment

The item on the side of the distributor is the vacuum advance can. I doubt that the distributor is causing your issue. Going back to your first video, the engine turns over strong then chugs. It revs to about 3k RPM before dying. Nothing in the distributor would cause that except points.

It seems to me that your problem is fuel related. Have you tried starting fluid before starting to see if it revs up?

Tried that too. At this point just going through the process of elimination. Fuel pump is shooting gas just fine and carbs are squirting gas on acceleration. Jets have been cleaned.

I’m thinking fuel as well. Could be that the pump is weak and/or the lines have some restriction somewhere and when the engine wants max juice it can’t keep up. Had the same issue on my mustang which baffled me till I finally replaced the pump.

Hi,
1. TDC on #1
2. yes
3. yes
4. rotor is keyed should point to close to index when installed.
5. I'd eyeball the distributor drive gar to confirm it is correctly indexed.
6. That a vacuum advance/retard can. do your carbs, hve ported vacum? it will work withit it hooked up.

Yes I lost the spring on the distributor. I had my son working on my 27- build when he was about 10. He dropped and it fell to the ottom of the case. Disassembled/reassemblemed motor. Have a pick in hand to tr\p the spring if you have to noodle with the gear. It's not likely unless this engine ran a Unilite with vacuum.

You are so close.

OK, so you sprayed starting fluid in each carb barrel and started it up. Did it jump to life or just chug like other times?

After spraying, it takes a few times, then starts for 1-2 seconds at a high rpm like before, then dies.

So with proper fuel, it revs up? I think you've hit the nail on the head. It appears you have some type of fuel issue.

If you have problems with timing, valves, distributor, points the engine likely wouldn't roar into action even with the starting fluid.

Have you checked the fuel pressure at the carb's fuel inlet(s) ... should be between 3 & 5 psi for carbs.

If it's not, I'd disconnect the hose from the line going to the engine bay and check for pressure right at the pump's output port.

I'd also recommend checking/cleaning or replacing the screen in the supply line at the fuel tank outlet and change any fuel filter(s) in the supply line as needed.

Add fresh fuel and see what happens. If it's still not starting, I'd pull the carb tops off and check float bowl levels - they may be stuck or the inlet check valve(s) may be gummed-up due to sitting and not allowing fuel to fill them. Pull those valves and clean them up as well.

you have still not timed it. yes the distributor and engine are at tdc, but you have not rotated the distributor into correct position. at tdc, on #1, the points should just start to open. I do this by a piece of cellophane between the points, rotating the distributor until the cellophane comes out of the points with light pressure. everything can be pointing in the right direction and it is still not statically timed.

How old is the gas in the tank? Could it just be bad gas?

Bump for an update and any help needed to get you back on the road.

I'm starting to think its a fuel pressure issue myself, although it shot gas into bottles when the pump was on, maybe its crapping out after ignition?

As far as timing, we already set TDC and rotated the distributor each way while cranking with no luck.

Anyway, time is now up, and she is off to the clinic:

Click to view attachment

Will let you guys know what they find.

Please do!

I'm betting on the points....

What "clinic?"

Stuttgart Specialists, here in Louisville.

Any news?

So as suspected all along, the problem would turn out to be something small and embarrassing:

I left a washer between one of the carbs and the head. causing a huge vacuum leak. So it fires up and runs great now, the mechanic also sorted out some other issues and dumbassery (not all mine) that he found in the engine bay as well.

But all is not well:

I drove her home Satuday night (20 miles or so) and she dumped two quarts of oil out of the connection between the transmission and engine. So rear main seal? Its bad. Really bad...
I didnt change the seal when I did the clutch because it never leaked and I didnt want to mess with the flywheel and all that could go wrong with getting that back on.
Is it possible for this seal to get damaged when inserting the transmission shaft back on during re-install? How/why did this happen now?

Maybe RMS.

Yes its possible to damage it replacing the transmission, but you have to try. Its likely that the seal was just old and tired and it was its time. Pull the transmission out and put a new seal in. Also a good time to check your clutch and flywheel.

BUT!
There are some freeze plugs back there that can come loose too. and when they do they will dump a ton of oil quickly. Many of us pull the freeze plugs out and thread the bungs and put pipe fittings there instead. Either way, you need to pull off the transmission and look and see. If it was a freeze plug you were lucky not to loose the engine.

Zach

I would say that it blew out a galley plug to spill that much oil

Glad she is running well, at least that is sort it out.

Thanks for the update

With all the cranking, peddle pushing and fuel squirting, the oil is prob loaded with fuel.

I drained the two quarts that were left and put in 3 3/4 quarts new last night. Degreased the engine as best I could so I could fire her up and watch for the leak.

Here is the leak, just after shutting the engine off.

oil leak

You'll know whether it's a galley plug or RMS after the trans is separated from the engine. Prepare yourself for a not so swell bill. Bummer...

Checking back in, have a look at this:

Finally got time to get the transmission off and removed the main seal tonight. Definitely seemed to be leaking from there:


Click to view attachment


Removed the seal and bunch of scrap metel filaments fell out. I was expecting to find some end-play shims in there, is this whats left of those? Shouldnt they be wider (when intact)?


Click to view attachment

and final shot once everything is removed. Clutch is still clean of oil and flywheel seems fine. Have not found felt washer in there either. I bought everything to do the seal, but I guess I am going to need shims now...

Click to view attachment


What can you guys make of all this? Thanks for input everyone.

there are no shims behind the seal. that's whats left of the seal springs. looking at pre seal removal, its pretty obvious where the seal failed. new seal and reassemble. galley plug looks like it has indian head smeared on it and probably not the worst idea.

IIRC There certainly are supposed to be three shims sandwiched between the flywheel and the end bearing surface....looks to me like the remains of a badly rashed shim there and if that's the bearing surface it's rashed also...

It must be shim remains because the seal spring is still inside the seal and is intact. But how can this happen to the shims?

Shims are there for crank end play which you will need to reset since they are destroyed.

Have the flywheel checked for balance and wear.

It could be bad or installed incorrectly.

Good thing it is just a TIV.

The DMF's in the newer P cars' are expensive.

if that is in fact shim remains, it was installed in the wrong place. the seal goes into the journal, the flywheel goes into the seal and is bolted up with shim on the flywheel. not behind it. see the pin on the crank, that corresponds to the flywheel, nothing in between. the shim as mentioned is for crank endplay. the bolts for the flywheel go through the shims and into the hub. the only way you could get shim remains back there with seal remains is if it was istalled in the wrong place. to confirm this I pulled the clutch on a motor I have in the garage there is the shim on the flywheel. io pulled the flywheel, seal that's it. when you pulled the flywheel bolts to remove it, was there a shimplate between all the bolts holding them to the flywheel? if not, there is your answer.

Hard question to answer. I dont know where the shims were installed because there was really just shards left (what you see in the picture). They seemed, from what I could tell, to be around the crank and behind the the main seal.
I found this set of flywheel shims online:

Flywheel Shims - Pack Of 5

but you mention: "..the bolts for the flywheel go through the shims and into the hub. " but I dont see any way for a bolt to go through these.

Are you referring to the flywheel washer?
Flywheel washer

If so, the yes, that was there.

I am going to pull the flywheel off another motor now. I will be back

Installed incorrectly be my quess.

Check everything.

Have the crank run out checked.

Something is wrong there.

The shims should be stacked tight against the #1 Bearing Journal against the RMS.

Flywheel could have been loose. You may have dodged a bullet.

this engine has three shims behind the oil seal. I stand corrected. according to Haynes, do not install seal. put two shims in and measure end play. that gives you the thickness of the third shim. then install flywheel and tighten.

Yeah, I'm with you on all of that. Just concerned as to how these shims could get destroyed like that. Flywheel was very tight when I took it off.
Car seems to run just fine except for the oil leak.

I also dont know what size shims to buy now. Looks like I will need to mail order them blindly unless there is a correlation between the measurement with 0 shims vs the various thicknesses offered.

install the flywheel. measure endplay and order 3 put it in spec.

Here ya go, Eric ... everything you need to know to get it into spec.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/D51T5dU1HtY



BTW, I use Victor Reinz seals ... Elrings seem to have a QC issue or something, they've always leaked on me.

THanks, will check that out. I've actually watched quite a few of his videos and I think he is also from Kentucky.

That doesn't look like enough material for 3 shims

Might explain why it's rashed up if only one was in there....

Hi all, still working on this and finally have the proper tools.
But I'm having a hell of a time with the flywheel shims.

I bought a pack from ecstuning.com, but they were all the same size, so I'm not sure how that would ever work unless I got very lucky.

From my calculations now, with three .3 shims in and .12 freeplay left, it appears that I will need a .3, and .34, and another .34 to get me at .04 endplay.

As I said, I have a whole pack of .3.

Does anyone have or know where I can get two .34 shims?

Will these fit our cars? (see no mention of 914 or even Type 4 on some of these pages)

BusDepot

GoWesty


This is the last step to get me back running. Should do a write up on all of this for the next guy...

I only use Sabo rear main seals Eric. They are the only ones I've found to be the right depth. I found them at GoWesty

Have the seal, need the shims

FYI for anyone reading this, found them here:

thegansmann shims

and also here:

BusDepot


Expensive!

Can you post a picture of the mating surface of the flywheel? Also, is the oil hole under the seal open to the inside of the case? It seems wise to understand the cause of the shim destruction before reassembly. I am thinking that the aluminum case isn't going to chew up steel shims, but maybe they dried up and got really hot.

Good thinking. I will double check the surface tonight. I think the oil hole is indeed open because it was leaking like a sieve through the rear seal.

My suspicion, from looking at the remnants of the shims compared to the new ones that I have now, is that mayne the wrong diameters ones were used. But who knows for sure?

Expensive at $12?