fuel not getting through the carb...

[JOHN COOKSON]

[QUOTE=sailhog;34477]
I also check the spark at each plug as per Dave Neptune's directions, and they all appeared to have fire. While check #3, I felt a nice jolt of 12 volt running through the head.

What you felt on the spark plug wire was more than 12 volts! Electricity outside the wire leads me to believe the spark plug wires are defective. To test: Start the engine at night in the dark and look for shorting to ground (the engine). You will know it when you see it. Sometimes you can hear kind of a snap as the wire(s) short out. This can get a little trickey because when you move the spark plug wire away from the engine to test it may not short to the engine because it is lifted away only to short out when it is close to the engine in its normal working position.

Is the inside of the distributor cap clean?

One last potential clue.... After trying and failing to get her started, she sometimes makes a strange racket -- like a clicking -- while the starter is attempting to turn her over. She doesn't make this noise at the beginning of the attempt, only at the end -- after about ten seconds of cranking....

The clicking you hear may be the starter as the battery runs down while you crank. Try shorter bursts on the starter and give the battery more time to recover.

Hope this helps. Your engine wants to run - it just doesn't know it yet.

TRUE GRIT

[sailhog]

Neil,
I see your point.... Thanks for all your help. I can't tell you how badly I want her to frickin run....

[ndutton]

I have a feeling you're very close.

[sailhog]

John,
The spark plug wires are new, as are all the engine-side ignition parts -- cap, rotor, points, condenser. I'm wondering if the reason I felt the shock is because my arm was lying atop the head as I did the test. Would that produce the shock?

[sailhog]

One more question....

I screwed the mixture adjustment in all the way, then back it out exactly one revolution. Is this the correct setting? It's a late model carb.

Thanks, gentlemen....

[JOHN COOKSON]

John,
The spark plug wires are new, as are all the engine-side ignition parts -- cap, rotor, points, condenser. I'm wondering if the reason I felt the shock is because my arm was lying atop the head as I did the test. Would that produce the shock?

Yes it would.
Can the theory with the wires.
The next thing to do IMHO is to get a properly functioning and adjusted choke as others have suggested.

TRUE GRIT

[ndutton]

One more question....

I screwed the mixture adjustment in all the way, then back it out exactly one revolution. Is this the correct setting? It's a late model carb.

Thanks, gentlemen....

One and a half turns out.

[Dave Neptune]

A confirmation

Sailhog, now we know you have spark! I have one question regarding the ignition~~have you twisted the distributor or possibly mixed up the wires?

The thing that puzzles me is that you said it tried to start with a bit of "motor crack" ~ true? I have started wet motors with it. I'm beginning to think that the carb is plugged inside with permatex but you say the throat is wet. This coiuld be that the carb is flooded and that won't work as it is just to much fuel.

Don't put anything else in the cylinders and leave the plugs out so they (the cylinders) can dry out. If you can drain out a bit of fuel from the carb or the line that feeds it into a clear jar. Let it sit and see if there is any water collecting under the fuel~~this could also keep her from running!! If you find water I have a good starting procedure for wet engines.

Your compression is a bit low but it should easily run with it!

Check back~~the possibilities are narrowing.

Dave Neptune

[ndutton]

Rather than mess with the existing choke cable, consider this.

[sailhog]

The choke is next on the docket....

Dave,
I was exceedingly careful with the permatex, and used it only at the far end of the threads so as not to have it come in contact with flowing fuel. I'm pretty dang sure I didn't make this mistake.

Regarding the wires: I've got this correct, I believe.... 1,2,3,4 on the distributor, moving clockwise, starting with the connection furthest from the block. These connections go to 1,2,4,3 on the head, starting at the flywheel end. Correct?

Regarding the flooded carb: I'm wondering if this is because I have my choke wired closed. After trying to start it several times, I'm thinking it flooded. Does that sound right? I'm going to replace the cable and housing tomorrow.

I'll drain the fuel and let it sit tomorrow. FYI: my engine was flooded with freshwater during a long lay-up. I seven hours away, so couldn't look after her adequately.... makes me heart sick....

I've changed the oil four or five times now. I think she's pretty dry, but will follow your instructions.

Thanks again....

[roadnsky]

FYI: my engine was flooded with freshwater during a long lay-up...

Sailhog-
Can you give us a little more info on the water flooding?
How long was the engine flooded?
What parts were flooded?
Did it dry out long enough to rust?
Has the engine started or run since that episode?

Give us as much of the history as you can...

[Dave Neptune]

Good news!

Sailhog, from your #40 post I eel fairly confident that either you have a bit if water in the fuel or carb. Worth a check and it doesn't take but a few minutes for the water and fuel to separate.

Flooded with fresh water set off a few alarms. You could easily still have a bit of water in the intake runners, manifold and/or around the rings. That with a flooding senario would explain the not continuing to run after the start on the "motor crack".

First get the choke operational and be sure it closses all the way.

I worked as an O/B motor mechanic for a while and we were always getting "dunked" motors. We would drain the carb and or the tank so we KNEW we had good fuel. We'd blow off the flywheel area with an air hose and check for spark. If we had spark we would heat the sparkplugs on the stove until water would sizzle on them and install finger tight with a piece of hose (there blooming hot and don't worry about tightening them hurry ) as fast as we could. Then a small shot of "motor crack" and start. The added temp in the plugs really helps with a wet cylinder. Sometimes they'd start and run right away and other times it may take 2~3 tries.

A word of caution, if it starts and stumbles to a stop don't try to restart~~heat the plugs again and give her one more LITTLE shot of "motor crack". Russ, love your "motor crack" crack and I can see you fidgiting now. This is about the only time I use it is to get a wet one to spin and finally catch.

Dave Neptune

[sastanley]

sailhog..yes..it sounds like you have the plug wires correct...there is a nice pic that rigspelt made up of the plug wires too...(see below)

There are a series of events that must occur in proper succession for the engine to turn over, start & run. Proper choke operation is part of this. You can spin the starter all day long with the choke open and it will never start. You spray some "crack" in there, she lights up for a few seconds, burns up the "crack", but the open choke doesn't keep the fuel/air mixture rich enough to keep the cold (or wet!!) engine running.


I second (or third or fourth) getting the choke operational..it is an integral piece of the puzzle. My engine will not start if I can't get the choke to operate correctly.

Dave, I'd forgotten the piece-of-hose-on-a-hot-spark-plug trick..great idea.

[thatch]

"An alternative to that pesky choke cable"

Sailhog,
Here is a picture of my current choke actuator. Since I was in the process of building a new gauge cluster and in need of a longer choke cable I decided to go electric. The actuator is actually an auto door lock motor. I have been testing this unit for the last couple of months and it seems to be working just fine. I stole the idea from outboard motors that use a similar approach for chocking.
Tom

[edwardc]

Regarding the wires: I've got this correct, I believe.... 1,2,3,4 on the distributor, moving clockwise, starting with the connection furthest from the block. These connections go to 1,2,4,3 on the head, starting at the flywheel end. Correct?

Sailhog,

This sounds correct, but brings up another possibility. In the course of all this troubleshooting, was the distributor removed? If so, it needs to be replaced with the rotor pointing straight away from the block while the engine is at TDC on cyl #1. If it wasn't, your timing could be way off and it won't start or run.