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HELP! My car won't start.

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2wrench

2wrench

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Ladies and gentlemen: This is not a drill. This is what
you've been trained to do.

My car won't start and I need to begin the trouble-shooting
phase.

Please try to speak in: Mechanics for Dummies mode.

I have verified fuel to the gas lines just short of the
carbs.

I have spark from coil to rotor cap.
I have spark at the number one spark plug wire.
Did not pull the spark plug to verify spark down to the
plug, but it seems it should be there.

Just to note: Distributor has minimum of movement because
it hits the gas line.

The things that nag me are: Timing..like something to do
with the gear cog below the distributor for 1); flat out
whether I have the cam properly in synch with the crank.
 
Are you able to orient the dizzy such that the wire to Cylinder #1 is at approx. 7 o'clock? As reference, the oil filler cap is at about 12 o'clock.
the rest of the wires in a counterclock direction 5,3,6,2,and 4.
 
pull the #1 plug, find the compression stroke on #1, line up the pointer with TDC on the damper, and see if the rotor is lined up with #1 on the cap. If this is not the case, then the dist. gear is in wrong. Also, with the TDC on the damper lined up, on the compression stroke, both valves for #1 should be closed . If not, cam timing is wrong.
 
poolboy said:
Are you able to orient the dizzy such that the wire to Cylinder #1 is at approx. 7 o'clock? As reference, the oil filler cap is at about 12 o'clock.
the rest of the wires in a counterclock direction 5,3,6,2,and 4.
Click to expand...

Dizzy is oriented as outlined.
 
What TheSearcherMan said!

But a few more points:
I would suggest feeling down the #1 plug hole with a pencil or something to ensure that the piston is really at TDC with the marks lined up. Sometimes dampers lie.

With #1 at TDC between compression and power strokes (ie firing position), look at the valves for #6. They should be open by roughly the same amount, if the cam timing is correct.

If fuel is the problem (2008 fuel seems particularly apt to block jets and make float valves stick closed), then a shot of "jet spray" carb cleaner down each carb throat should let the engine fire a few times, if not actually start briefly and die.
 
Okay. Need to find way to line up TDC on damper. Difficult because
no fluid in tranny. Fill plug being a bugger to loosen. My idea is
to put car in high gear and roll till damper shows TDC. Gear shift knob
not installed. Tranny dry.

Any suggestions? Is there a proper tool to remove this square fill plug
from side of tranny. The thing is soft brass.

Youch....
 
Sounds like a replacement plug. Of course, that might be a good idea, since the original ones are iron / steel / whatever and seem to really get stuck in alloy gearbox cases over time.

Meanwhile, how much can you turn the distributor. In desperation, I've been known to have the ignition on and hit the button on the starter solenoid while turning the distributor back and forth in hopes of finding a spot where it's close enough to get the engine started! :smile:
 
TheSearcherMan said:
pull the #1 plug, find the compression stroke on #1, line up the pointer with TDC on the damper, and see if the rotor is lined up with #1 on the cap. If this is not the case, then the dist. gear is in wrong. Also, with the TDC on the damper lined up, on the compression stroke, both valves for #1 should be closed . If not, cam timing is wrong.
Click to expand...


I will need a little more explanation on "find the compression stroke on number 1."

Got a buddy here bumping the engine over....kinda like shooting craps. Got to be a better
way. Is it possible to put it in gear and roll the small distance without hurting the
tranny?
 
Brass? Then someone replaced it. The plug is tapered pipe threads same as the drain plug.
 
You'll find you can turn the engine over more easily with the spark plugs removed. Then you can turn it over in neutral by turning the fan by hand or the alternator with a wrench or socket on the nut, if the fan belt is installed. Of course the valve cover must be removed to observe the position of the valves.
 
Okay. We're kind of cross-posting here a bit. We've gotten the
thing in fourth gear; lined up the damper at top dead center;
verified the number one piston is up; verified that piston number 6
intake and exhaust valves are in equal positions....

Gonna prime the carbs. If she doesn't start, do I then remove the dizzy
and invert 180 the drive gear cog, I think it's called....the gear, anyway?
 
But, hand pushing the car with no oil in the gearbox won't hurt anything, if you'd rather do it that way.

One way of finding compression stroke is to hold your finger over the plug hole while someone else turns the engine. When it blows your finger off the hole, that's the compression stroke.

Another is to remove the valve cover and watch the valves. When both valves on #6 are moving at the same time (one opening, one closing), then #1 should be coming up on TDC compression.

The stock fill plug has a square head (and is pretty doggone soft, though not as soft as brass). Sears (or any quality tool store) will sell you a 8-point (not 6, not 12) 7/16" socket (preferably 1/2 inch drive) that is my favorite tool for removing them. Use a breaker bar to turn it, and if necessary, pry against the head of the breaker bar to hold the socket down onto the plug.

Then I always replace them with a hex socket pipe plug (MMC or similar), which are hardened and much less likely to round off. Plus a coating of teflon pipe "dope" as anti-seize.
 
Is it possible for everything to line up as it has, as outlined above,
and have the drive cog gear be installed 180 degrees off causing the
car not to start?
 
2wrench said:
If she doesn't start, do I then remove the dizzy
and invert 180 the drive gear cog, I think it's called....the gear, anyway?
Click to expand...
The only way that you would need to do that is if the rotor is not pointing at plug wire #1 when the #1 cylinder is at TDC and both valves closed on that cylinder.
 
Pool: Looks like everything is checking out so far. I'm gonna head to the
parts store for carb cleaner to try to prime the thing. Seems the can I
have is quite low; can't angle the can to get a good spray shot.
Be back in 30 minutes or so.
 
Hmmmm. Still no pop. Loosened hoses to carbs. Getting plenty of gas
there, operating the fuel pump by hand.

Shot some starting fluid into the carbs. Still nothing. I'll
post some pics to verify what I'm seeing.
 
Points and condensor. Now I got the thing stuck in gear. Put the
gear shift handle in; pulled it where I needed it. All was well
Now, tried it again and got her stuck in gear.

Guess I need the right tool to remove the square fill plug on the
tranny; fill. Then are there just a few parts to install the gear
shift, temporarily?

I did move the cog gear on the bottom of the distributor. I lined
everything up; thought it looked good. Rotor was pointing over near
2:00 o'clock instead of 7:00. So, moved the cog gear 180. Guess I don't
want to try starting untill I get the tranny topped off.
 
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