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Engine Will Not Start

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GerryL

Jedi Hopeful
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Tried to start car and engine turned over but never fired. The last time the car was driven was two weeks ago and the car had plenty of power. Compression for cylinder two thru four is 189 and cylinder one is 124. With hose disconnected from front carb, gas was pumpded when engine cranked. Removed both float bowls which contained fuel and appeared to be at the same level. On the front bowl, I pressed the float down and gas came out the jet. Why are my plugs not getting covered with fuel after extensive cranking?
 
Do you have spark at the plugs? If its got spark and got gas and they both get there at about the same time - it's got to run. To check coil, pull out coil lead at distributor and hold it with INSULATED pliers about 1'4" from valve cover or engine while helper cranks starter. A flame should jump across gap. To test plugs, unscrew a plug, reattach plug lead and place against engine while helper cranks. Spark should be seen. If it doesn't, trouble is with points or distributor cap.
 
Have spraayed starting fluid and car will not start. Originally thought that problem was fuel. Then inspected ignition and shorted out primary wire going to points in distributer. Replaced points with an electric pertronics setup and have an extremely good spark at each spark plug. Static timed ignition. Still would not start. Rotated distributor while cranking and no sign of starting. The jet in the front carberator is getting fuel as shown by removing bowl cover and pressing down on float which pressured fuel to exit out the top of the jet. The choke is working. Plugs still mysteriously dry!!!!!
 
Just because we went through this last year with a forum member and his Spitfire....roll the engine over by hand to align the timing marks. Pull the distributor cap.
See if it's pointing at #1 or exactly opposite (could be either way...won't know until you pull the rocker cover).
Virtually everyone said couldn't happen...it was carbs, ignition, bent valves....it was the crank key for the timing gear sheared.
Took it apart, he got the necessary bits, last I heard he was tearing up the roads with it.

Easy to do, just check.

Dave
 
TOC said:
Virtually everyone said couldn't happen...it was carbs, ignition, bent valves....it was the crank key for the timing gear sheared.
Click to expand...
That's what I was thinking too ... certainly can't hurt to check.
 
TOC said:
...See if it's pointing at #1 or exactly opposite (could be either way...won't know until you pull the rocker cover)...
Click to expand...

And while you have the valve cover off -- verify that the intake valves are opening.
 
Geo Hahn said:
TOC said:
...See if it's pointing at #1 or exactly opposite (could be either way...won't know until you pull the rocker cover)...
Click to expand...

And while you have the valve cover off -- verify that the intake valves are opening.
Click to expand...

or not too tight, which will cause fuel to spray back out the carb.

First check, no tools, just see if the rotor lines up, then we go deeper.
 
I have verified that piston is at top dead center and on compression stroke. When the piston is at top dead center the whole in the pulley lines up with the pointer. Have again static set ignition. Will still not attempt to start. I foun that number one cylinder intake valve was too tight and compression increased from 125 to 150. Tried rotating distributer in counter clockwise which would allow engine to crank longer before abruptly stopping.
With valbe cover off all valves can be seen while cranking engine. Plugs remain dry and will not fire with starting fluid.


How do I determine if the time cam timing is off?
 
Finally have it running on starting fluid but evidently not getting gas. Amazed that there is fuel in both bowls and when pressing down on float gas appears to exit at top of jet. Plan on taking apart and reuilding both carbs. I am relieved that I am not faced with a cam problem. This time I both static timed with the whole aprox. 3/8 prior to the hole at TDC pointer and sprayed starting fluid thru both carberators.
 
Have you visually confirmed that the throttle plates (butterflys) open when the linkage moves?

Have you double (or triple) checked that the plug wires are correctly placed (both in the cap & in the firing order: 1-3-4-2)?

Basic stuff but if you have gas in the carbs and spark at the plugs there aren't many things that can prevent it from running.
 
How about where the intake bolts to the head? Could the gasket be blown out on the bottom or the nuts loose? It seems like the gas has to be going somewhere.
 
Car ran last night on startinmg fluid. Now it refuses to do that. It either spins fast at times or stops abruptly as if timing is too advanced. Did have puff of smoke coming out of car once or twice. Throttle plates open. No fuel leaking from gasket.
 
Spinning fast.....or cranking and stops like timing advanced......
Pull the rocker cover. Run the timing marks by hand to where they line up. See if #1 or opposite is split overlap.
May just have another Triumph crank key for timing gear sheared, holding just enough to get it lit once in a while.
One the opposite of TDC, the exhaust is just closed and intake just starts to open as you roll past the timing marks.
Easier if you pull the plugs to do it.

Having things like timing marks and piston line up are good, but now we need to see what the valve train is doing.

Just to make sure.

This process is far easier and definitive than any other field test.

Dave
 
GerryL said:
...stops abruptly as if timing is too advanced. Did have puff of smoke coming out of car once or twice...
Click to expand...

At the risk of belaboring an unanswered question -- have you confirmed the plug wires are correct on the cap and in the firing order?
 
Plugs are now dry and black. Am currently rotating crank manually and observing valve movement in cylinder one in relationship to tdc marking on pulley. Will repoirt my observations when completed.
 
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