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Crypt Car Ignites Successfully [kinda]

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Dale,

Yes the #@!$#!## PO reaches out, yet again. The spindle is not in its factory delivered clocking. But, this does not matter!!!! The car is running:smile: /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. You can reclock the spindle later if you desire. It does not matter, as long as you do not run out of turning ability in the distributor, as you adjust timing, i.e. the vacuum advance canisters hit something. It does not look like this is the case. If you run out of room just move the wires one contact and rotate the distributor to place the plug wires back in their proper location, as I stated in any earlier post. If you reach this point I can furnish pictorial instructions upon request. I can also do this for the spindle change as well. Do not remove the spindle at this point. Work on the remaining items and get the Crypt Car streetable. You are doing a wonderful job. Your work inspires me. Yours is the first thread I look for when I log on.

Phil
 
Just for the heck of it, I checked the fan belt
pulley with the rotor and dizzy as in the photo.

The heavy line in the pulley wheel is very close
to beneath the metal pointy arrow. Maybe 3/4" until it is directly under.

d
 
Dale,

The latest photo explains whats going on. Startech is right you do not want to pull the distributor drive spindle and reposition now. If the vacuum is hitting the engine and not allowing for proper adjustment you can parallel the distributor and move each wire counterclockwise in order one outlet over on the distributor cap. This will allow you greater adjustment if needed. Please put the ignition wire going to the coil in last it shouldn't be crushed under the other wires like that. It should not matter but it will look better and make the other wires easier to see. Hope were not confusing you too much.
 
3:30 PM Puerto rico time:

All of this thread quite for naught it would seem.
The Crypt Car is now worse than before.

I just spent almost 1 1/2 hours trying to get the lazy
Crypt Car to start up. No luck whatsoever, regardless of
where I rotated the dizzy.

A few times it came close to starting with great clunking
noises and backfires thru the carbs.

The #@%#$##?/ Crypt Car gobbled another $250
today in useless diagnostic instruments like $119
for a timing light, $89. for a cylinder pressure
testing, $40 misc.

My ignition system: New alternator, new carbs, new carb
linkage, new intake manifold, new distributor, new
distributor cap, new rotor,new electronic ignition, new
ignition switch, new coil, new plugs, new plug wires,
complete Dan Masters Power Block wire harness installed and new ground wires.

Well, I have the following spare ignition parts:
Where do I start switching out components?

Spare coil
spare plugs
spare points and condenser (2 each)
Spare plug wires

Or is it finally time to call it an effort well made
and tow the beast away?

Really down in the dumps since last night the fool
car would not shut off and today it will not start up.

If Pedro the PO walked in my garage right night now
..... you'd nect see me on an episode of CSI, criminal
intent.

a very discouraged Tinster
 
Well, since every bloody part is brand new maybe
I'll regroup by replacing the small pieces one by one.

Maybe I'll find something defective that cause the
car not to start.

I think I'll pull the dizzy cap and check the position
of the rotor and then pull off the valve cover again
to verify #1 TDC..

Pulled the dizzy cap: This brand spanking new rotor
looks a bit odd to me. Should I install my spare?

rotor2.jpg
 
OOPS!
 
Dale,

We all have bad car days. Just need to know when to walk away and come back later and say hey there's the problem. I can't remember ever seeing a rotor break like that though? Maybe it wasn't pushed on all the way correctly? Wifey calls, have to go... check back later. See it's not only you!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Well, since every bloody part is brand new maybe
I'll regroup by replacing the small pieces one by one.

Maybe I'll find something defective that cause the
car not to start.

I think I'll pull the dizzy cap and check the position
of the rotor and then pull off the valve cover again
to verify #1 TDC..

Pulled the dizzy cap: This brand spanking new rotor
looks a bit odd to me. Should I install my spare?

rotor2.jpg


[/ QUOTE ]

Well, something made that rotor break. There's a possibility it wasn't pushed home all the way and hit something inside the cap. I would carefully inpect the inside of the cap to make sure nothing is gauled up, cracked or broken.

Dale,

If I was there, I'm sure I could get this car running in about 10 minutes. Give me another 10 minutes to adjust the carb idle etc, and you'd be out driving taking pictures of the palm trees. Since I'm not there, I'll try to give you a step by step procedure to get this dizzy all straightened out.

You've followed my instructions on previous occassions to a tee, and things have worked out for you. I'll put this in another post once I get my thoughts together.
 
Dale,

When you put the spare in check the contacts for damage in the distributor first. Use the spare cap if there is any damage. Make sure the rotor button is all the way on the distributor shaft and make sure the distributor cap is firmly on and straight on it's mountings prior to cranking the engine.

You are almost there. Phil
 
OK Dale, here we go...

Edit: Make sure that the spare rotor is aligned properly with the notch in the shaft, and it's pushed down fully. Also, use the spare cap if there is any damage from the rotor breaking.


The first thing we want to do is get back up to TDC like you did on a previous occassion. However, this time, we'll make one change so we can get your timing pretty close to where it should be. I don't know what kind of timing marks you have on your damper pulley, so I'll cover all the possibilities.

Remove the valve cover. Now turn the engine clockwise (as looking from the front) and look for the intake valve on #1 piston (second from the front) to open. Keep turning until it starts to close and then start watching for the TDC mark. This time, I don't want you to go all the way to the TDC mark.

If you have degrees marked on your damper, bring it up to the 10 deg mark BTDC (Before Top Dead Center). That would be to the right of the TDC mark as you're looking from the front.

If you don't have degrees marked, but have two marks, align the FIRST mark (the one to the right) with the pointer.

If you only have one mark, stop the rotation about 3/8"-1/2" before the TDC mark.

This will put you at about 10 deg BTDC. You'll see in a bit why were doing this. Make sure both valves on #1 cyl wiggle just a little to indicate they are closed.

Now, pull all of the wires from the distributor cap, including the coil wire. Take off the cap. Loosen the distributor and rotate it into position so it looks like the pictures of the other distributors in this thread. They looked like the advance mechanisms were pretty much parallel with the engine block.

Attach a test light or voltmeter to the coil. Do this on the (-) side, the wire there should go to the distributor. If using a voltmeter set it at DC volts, and clip the red (+) lead from the voltmeter there. Hook the other end to the negative on the battery. This goes for the test light or the voltmeter.

Turn the ignition on, but DO NOT CRANK THE CAR OVER, or you'll have to start over again.

If the test light is on, or the voltmeter registers, turn the whole distributor CCW, until the light goes off. Then turn it back until it just lights. Tighten the distributor.

If the test light is off when you turn on the ignition, turn the distributor CW just until the light goes on or the meter registers. Tighten the distributor.

You have just set the timing statically. You can put the valve cover back on now.

Look to see where the rotor is pointing, and see which tower on the cap it lines up with. That is cyl. #1. Put the wire in and hook it up to #1 plug. Continue around the cap in a CCW manner with the rest of the wires. 1-5-3-6-2-4... put the coil wire back on.

Start the car.
 
[ QUOTE ]
OK Dale, here we go...

Edit: Make sure that the spare rotor is aligned properly with the notch in the shaft, and it's pushed down fully. Also, use the spare cap if there is any damage from the rotor breaking.


The first thing we want to do is get back up to TDC like you did on a previous occassion. However, this time, we'll make one change so we can get your timing pretty close to where it should be. I don't know what kind of timing marks you have on your damper pulley, so I'll cover all the possibilities.

Remove the valve cover. Now turn the engine clockwise (as looking from the front) and look for the intake valve on #1 piston (second from the front) to open. Keep turning until it starts to close and then start watching for the TDC mark. This time, I don't want you to go all the way to the TDC mark.

If you have degrees marked on your damper, bring it up to the 10 deg mark BTDC (Before Top Dead Center). That would be to the right of the TDC mark as you're looking from the front.

If you don't have degrees marked, but have two marks, align the FIRST mark (the one to the right) with the pointer.

If you only have one mark, stop the rotation about 3/8"-1/2" before the TDC mark.

This will put you at about 10 deg BTDC. You'll see in a bit why were doing this. Make sure both valves on #1 cyl wiggle just a little to indicate they are closed.

Now, pull all of the wires from the distributor cap, including the coil wire. Take off the cap. Loosen the distributor and rotate it into position so it looks like the pictures of the other distributors in this thread. They looked like the advance mechanisms were pretty much parallel with the engine block.

Attach a test light or voltmeter to the coil. Do this on the (-) side, the wire there should go to the distributor. If using a voltmeter set it at DC volts, and clip the red (+) lead from the voltmeter there. Hook the other end to the negative on the battery. This goes for the test light or the voltmeter.

Turn the ignition on, but DO NOT CRANK THE CAR OVER, or you'll have to start over again.

If the test light is on, or the voltmeter registers, turn the whole distributor CCW, until the light goes off. Then turn it back until it just lights. Tighten the distributor.

If the test light is off when you turn on the ignition, turn the distributor CW just until the light goes on or the meter registers. Tighten the distributor.

You have just set the timing statically. You can put the valve cover back on now.

Look to see where the rotor is pointing, and see which tower on the cap it lines up with. That is cyl. #1. Put the wire in and hook it up to #1 plug. Continue around the cap in a CCW manner with the rest of the wires. 1-5-3-6-2-4... put the coil wire back on.

Start the car.

[/ QUOTE ]


Art,

You need to copyright this as written.....
 
Dale

It sounds real good to me!

You stopped the video just before the distributor. Are the wires the same as before or changed? Sounds a little rough but nows the time to use the timing light and maybe readjust the valve pushrod clearances cold? Hard to tell from the video but I think you are there and it just needs some smooothing out.
Well Done!
 
I disagree, it sounds like it's missing on at least one cylinder, maybe more. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif
 
Some PO put headers on that TR250 engine. Do you think it has a modified cam? If so, makes a difference in low end tuning and rough idle.

Just a thought.
 
I cannot tell for sure, junky little speakers. Hear some pushrods tapping and maybe a skip every once in a while (timing?) but I've heard worse, junky little speakers, I also see some engine shake but not too bad. Hard to tell on my end. Dale - Whats it do when you push on the throttle to lets say 1000-1100 rpm? Don't push it.
 
I wanna see and hear. Why can't I see you tube videos. Dale, What did you tittle the video?
 
Don,

Did you try clicking on the link in Dales post? If you did and nothing happened you probably need some kind of codec thingy added to your computer from the you tube site. I know absolutely knothin about computers but that's my best wildest guess.
 
Here's a late Crypt Car update.

I got so ticked off earlier, I went back in
for round #2.

I replaced the broken rotor with my spare.
Just for kicks I cranked the engine. VaROOM,
it started right up without the choke..

So I hooked up the new timing light which I have
never before attempted. Pulled the pistol trigger
and no light appeared on the pulley wheel.

Ah Ha! I noticed the light brightness dial on the
pistol handle. 0 to 60 brightness. So I cranked it
up to 60, pulled the trigger and COOL!! A strobe
light on the pulley wheel. I could see my white mark.

So I adjusted the distributor using the 60 brightness
setting and then took the video I posted. Running rough
but running.

During dinner I got to thinking about that odd
0 to 60 brightness setting. I got to thinking
360 degrees divides well by 4 or 6 or 8. Maybe
that was not brightness I was adjusting.

So after dinner, I reset the timing pistol to -0-
and cranked up the Crypt Car again. I moved the
distributor until my white line on the pulley wheel
and my red arrow lined up. They were about 3 inches away from each other as a result of the 60 "brightness" setting.

Once lined---- up the engine smoothed out nicely but at
about 1800 rpms. I backed out the idle screws on each
carb until the engine was running fairly smooth at
850 rpm with almost no surging or shaking.

Turned the key off and one single "POP" and the engine stopped.

I think I have just successfully "timed" my very first automobile.

Carbs smell very rich, plugs are black, oil pressure
holds aroung 65-75 psi, #2 cylinder pressure holds
at 160 pounds. One very loud valve clicking away.

I think I am close to driving this beast??

Thanks all!!

d
 
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