No fuel suggestions...

[Jazzydaze]

Hi all,
Im pulling my hair out. Out of the blue my engine wont start..it barely even coughs. It has electronic ignition and a new coil. I verified spark individually on all the plugs. So that leaves fuel. I took the carb apart and cleaned it (I hope!) and have verified that the gas line to the carb in fact pushes gas through. I shot starter fluid into the arrestor while cranking...nuttin! Occasionally it makes an awful Ping! So im a bit hesitant to crank it much more til i figure something out.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Jazz

[ndutton]

Your testing thus far is good, it covers two of the three basic food groups: Fuel → Spark → Compression. Can you please provide a compression test (plugs removed, throttle wide open, small coil (-) wire disconnected)? Also, consider the Undo Button. What if anything has been done to the engine since the last time it ran well?

[Al Schober]

If there's good spark but no roar with the starting ether, there's something else going on. Like neil suggests, check compression. Any chance the spark is occurring at the wrong time? The 'awful ping' makes me wonder if there's something amiss in the distributor?
I wouldn't start addressing fuel issues until you can get the engine to respond to the starting ether.

[Jazzydaze]

Hi thanks for your responses. With my finger over an open plug hole, it forcefully gets blown off. Compression seems solid.

I was thinking something w the distributor too. I had a friend poke around on it recently?? Yesterday I was trying to verify piston 1 tdc w Dons method but had varying results. Last night i read its when the valve in #4 just starts to go so im headed down there now to try this new bit.

[joe_db]

If you look down the #1 hole from the starboard size of the boat looking across at the port (manifold) side, you can just barely see the valves moving. Also you can use the thumb system, piston going up and pressure is good, going up and no pressure is the exhaust stroke.
Re the spark: How long and what color? Are the plugs dry? I used to have issues with the wire from coil to distributor going bad slowly, so there would be spark, just not enough of it. Try replacing that wire.

[Jazzydaze]

Hi
Wires are on the list. The spark is blue/yellow. Im hesitant to change wires until I atleast get it to cough. It should do something even w a yellow lame spark right? Nuttin...just. rrr.rrr.rrr.rr. PING!
Hunting down a fuel pressure gauge at auto store then off to the boat.

[Sam]

The "ping" or "plunck" which sounds like a weak firing is probably a timing/distributor issue. Years ago one night I put the distributor on wrong by not marking the rotor position and put the timing way off and got the same result. Also would not surprise me if the "friend" put the wires back on in the wrong order on the distributor especially with the 1-2-4-3 sequence.

[Jazzydaze]

Ok got an interesting surprise...everything Ive read tells me the #1 point on distributor is the farthest one on late models..early models poi t towards block. So just as the #4 valve is cracking open, the pin on the flywheel is vertical.. i get this on distributor...the wires def were not wired for this. Is this pointing at #1?

[joe_db]

Unless someone is playing a practical joke on you, how could the wires get re-arranged between shutdown and startup
Did you literally JUST put a new coil in and now it won't work

[Jazzydaze]

I have no idea...maybe my buddy did something. The coil was just a replacement because the other one looked terrible. It wasnt involved in this fix Just a precautionary measure. It ran on the old one until the day I came out and it wouldnt start. Do you think its safe to just wire it up and try? I thought the rotor was supposed to point a different direction on #1

Also just plumbed in a fuel pressure gauge..not the sexiest install but cheeaaap! In case we need it.

[Al Schober]

I've always set the distributor so that with #1 cylinder at TDC (firing position), the rotor was pointing away from the block. But it doesn't matter - as long as the #1 lead is connected to the post that the rotor is pointing to. I recommend you remove the distributor clamp, lift the distributor a bit, turn the rotor and shaft so the rotor is pointing away from the block, then reseat the distributor. You might have to do this twice as the rotor will move as you reseat it. You're on your own for getting the EI stuff oriented - I'm used to points.

[Jazzydaze]

Ok I wired it up..nice new plugs..gauge showing fuel pressure, though it fluctuated like crazy between like 2 and 4 (i think its just the nature of the pump)..theres nice spark everywhere. Leads me back to the carb? Im not sure plugs are getting the juice now couldnt be anything else. Its hard to smell them because I lubed the threads a bit and the threads look wet and smell similar. Someome shoot me please. Ohhh a small bonus...no PINGGGG! No help from starter fluid. Chike appears to be closing all the way.

[Jazzydaze]

Heres the choke..I cant tell if you can see but its wet in there.

[Jazzydaze]

Back in the carb. Its possible to hang up the needle valve pushing floats up and down. Its clipless. Researching float adjustment. The bowl had gas. Jets seem clear.

[joe_db]

Back up a step.
Is it:
1. Engine ran
2. Coil was replaced.
3. Now it doesn't run.