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Where would I start to get a little more HP.

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disconnect the fuel line at the carb - with someone helping you, crank the engine with the line going into a cup of some description. turn over the engine and see if fuel is flowing.

if it is flowing, your problem is likely electrical. pull a plug, reattach it to the plug wire and lay it on the engine - without touching it, crank the engine and see if you have spark. spark should be nice and bright and you should actually be able to hear it.

It's a '79 Bill so, no points, electronic ignition.
 
True but there could easily be water inside the distributer cap which can cause spark tracking to ground and therefore no spark at the plugs.
Bill

Edit- I just read you post that it is dry! OK then go for the fuel but is wouldn't hurt to pull a plug, hook up a wire to it, lay it on the engine and crank the engine. If the plug fires then definitely go for the fuel questions (the Opus systems don't like water either!)
 
David

Here is the link to actually rebuilding the water choke:

https://www.sterlingbritishmotoringsociety.org/files/choke.pdf

As JP said rebuilding the ZS carb is pretty straight forward and easy to do after you get the rebuild kit. The water choke has some hidden internal parts that the above article lays out for you. I also suggest again that you watch the John Twist YouTube videos. He shows you how to recalibrate the choke and how to flatten the mounting base which is another cause of a rich running condition.
Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5GveCj3Hck

Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTFbwcxc5eI&feature=channel

Part 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ1nr1WroRs&feature=channel

Her's one on stopping the ZS damper from leaking oil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPzB95-paE4&feature=channel

As for the current problem of not starting. I would check to see that you have a good connection on all the wires running to the distributor and the coil. You may have knock one loose while cleaning and it may have loose on you drive.
 
at the chevy dealer?

m
 
I kind of wish this did not happen. There was great spark & and fuel squrted out of the line when I tryed to start it. ( I disconected the fuel line and it squirted when I tryed to start it ) ( I pulled the plug out of the engine and put it on the top on tryed to start it and there was bright spark.)

What would be my next step? I am confuzzeled.
 
No I have not checked the compression. Is that my next step? And how is compression playing a part in the problem? I guess I don't know the first thing about how and what compression is suppose to be doing. And what role it plays.
I was thinking somehow that the fuel wasn't mixing correctly with the air somehow somewhere to fire. Could it be something with the carb still? I don't have a clue???
Help Please
 
If it was running and now it isn't, compression is not the problem. nor likely the fact that you washed it.

I'm stumped too, and will think on it, but, try this - will it start if you spray starter fluid (or brake cleaner) directly in the carb?
 
I already tryed starting fluid and it did the same thing. It just cranked and cranked much to no effect. I tryed that yesterday. I did not try spraying brake fluid in the carb? I never heard of that? Do you do that if you don't have starting fluid? Or is that something other than starting fluid?

I know I said brake fluid I ment cleaner.
Also I did not spray a lot of starting fluid in the carb, maybe three squirts. Is that enough or should I spray more?
 
It shouldn't take a lot of starting fluid just to get it to hit...just a shot of ether down the throat will suck into a cylinder or two and cause a stumble if nothing else. (Go easy on the fluid; it'll eat the carb piston diaphragm!)

It's a puzzle. Gas + spark + timing = ignition. If you have a good fat spark, and your plug wires aren't crossed or your dizzy's been knocked around, and you're getting some sort of flammable mix through the intake, it should fire.

Sure you didn't knock the distributor around when you sprayed it off? It may be the timing's out. It's happened to me.
 
The thing is I started it for 15 mins like it says after you wash it. And also I drove it a few days after that even to breakfast.

I think I too stumped on this one and I need to take it to someone. I have done all I can do. I haven't a clue with this problem. It will be most likely taken in on Monday. So if anyone has any other ideas let me know.
 
It is possible that it has jumped time. This can and usually happens on shut down if you have a severly worn timing chain. The fact you drove it twice since the wash would rule out any water caused problems, at least for me for the moment.

On your car, you (should) have the later style electronic distributor that used the GM control module mounted in a black box on the fender (CIS or something like that.). I have, on a few occations, seen these GM 4 pin modules still fire, but still be bad. The symtoms were similar to what you are describing. The module would fire, but out of time. There is a slight chance this may be the problem, if you still have this type of distributor. The earlier Opus had a square section built into the side. IIRC, the Opus didn't use the GM module but was housed inside the distributor. The later distributor has just the round vac retard and two wires.

With both fuel and spark present, there is some sort of timing issue causing it not to run, beit valve or ignition.

First thing, as stated earlier, check to see if you distributor is loose, i.e. you can turn it. If it is loose, reset the ingition timing and try again.

If it isn't loose, next thing I would do is put a timing light on it and see exactly where it's firing at.

If you're force feeding ether and have good spark at the PLUG, there is no reason it shouldn't fire other than a timing issue. Let us know what you find.


She may have quit in protest of the idea of being turned into a hot rod and wringging the crap out of her. :jester:
 
OK, let's think this through.

1. there is almost no chance that it is timing chain or compression or some such thing - yes, it happens, but it is a 1 in a million chance, let's look at the more likely culprits.

As has been stated, there are only three things we need air+fuel+spark and your car will run. We already know you have all three, so now we have to figure out why we don't have all three at the same time or at the right time.

Here's what I would suggest.

1. Air. it is highly unlikely you are getting too little, more likely too much. The easiest way to check this is to try to start the car with the carb intake partially covered - probably don't want to use your hand in case it backfires. If it starts, you have an air leak and likely your manifold is loose.

2. Fuel. You said you had spark at the plugs - after you have tried turning over the engine, do you smell gas and are the plugs wet? If yes, you are getting gas through the carb (at this point we only know we are getting gas to the carb not through) If no, we need to figure out why. The float is not likely the culprit with a Zenith Stromberg as they are very reliable, but check just in case. Pull the float off the bottom and look for debris, dirt or clogs. Another area of regular concern is the diaphragm on the bell. it can crack or get a hole in it - it is also "keyed" so it only fits one way. BTW this sounds obvious but the gas pedal cable does work right? One other thought. does fuel spit out the carb? I had this issue and the vent line was clogged (don't ask me why :wink: ) are you sure the fuel line and the vent (return) line are hooked up correctly.

3. Spark. What color are the plugs? There is much to be learned from reading them and pictures all over the internet to compare them to. Assuming your plugs themselves aren't clogged (they would be a very sooty colour) After that, the next likely culprit is the distributer. You may have knocked it out of time. Check and see whether you can turn the distributer by hand. If so, before you get into all the Top Dead Centre stuff, have someone turn over the engine and turn the distributer by hand slowly. Anti clockwise is I think the best way to start. It is highly unlikely that you should have to move it 5 or 10 degrees either way so go slow. BTW you loosen and tighten the distributer with a collar underneath, the nut should be facing the back of the car and is, as I recall, a 7/16" nut.

It has been running, we shouldn't be too far off it running again. Only try any one of these at a time - the last thing you want is to introduce two or more variables - again, don't ask me how I know

PS I don't recall that vacuum should make a difference but do check that everything is hooked up. Let us know
 
Ooo Ooo Ooo and one more thing - are your plug wires hooked up correctly? the car fires 1342, this will take a little more thought but, it is astonishing how easy it is to mess up. You didn't ever pull the dizzy did you?
 
JPSmit said:
OK, let's think this through.

1. there is almost no chance that it is timing chain or compression or some such thing - yes, it happens, but it is a 1 in a million chance, let's look at the more likely culprits.
Click to expand...


JP, it was running fine last time he shut it off, he fed it ether through the carb and it has spark at the plug, a timing issue is the only thing that would keep it from running with both of those present, unless it's flooded as you stated earlier. There is no complaint of fuel smell mentioned, unless we haven't gotten all of the facts.

I find it strange it's not doing anything.



JPSmit said:
OK, let's think this through.


As has been stated, there are only three things we need air+fuel+spark and your car will run. We already know you have all three, so now we have to figure out why we don't have all three at the same time or at the right time.
Click to expand...

You said it yourself, timing. (unless it's flooded)
 
Ok, you got me there. What is " the dizzy " I may or may not have pulled the dizzy. I will first need to know what a dizzy is?
 
Yes after I try to start it I do have a small smell of fuel in the air. As if it's flooded. After I try to start it two to three times it happens.

And also I don't know if this is important or if it is suppose to be. The carb is ( choke ) is closed. It does not open at any time when starting. It seems that that whould mean that it's not getting air. No air - no fire - no fire - no start. Or is it suppose to be closed.
 
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