No Start - ideas please

[Al and Dave]

1970 Ericson 35 with 1969 Atomic 4

Motor has 6 hours since rebuild. Has been easy to start and runs well until just now. It won’t start. Here’s what we’ve confirmed:
- we replaced coil and get a good blue spark from the Champion J8C plugs when grounded
- replaced fuel pump and filter and fuel lines
- confirmed actuation of throttle and choke
- fuel is fresh
- confirmed good pump delivery at carb fitting
- pulled carb and inspected. Seems clear of varnish and seems clean. There was fuel in the bowl
- confirmed compression by hand covering the carb intake and can feel a healthy draw on cranking.
- points had been replaced with an electronic pickup previously
- engine won’t cough or sputter when starter fluid is sprayed in the carb intake
- plugs are gapped evenly but didn’t measure.
- the plugs don’t get wet and we aren’t flooding the motor

We are now cleaning the carb (off the boat) and have been told it was a Moyer rebuild several years ago.

Wondering if distributor advance is hung up?

Any obvious ideas on things we can look at?

[Dave Neptune]

First welcome to the MMI forum.

I had the same boat and engine combination, what is your huill #?

If it does not even sputter when you spray start fluid into intake means that there most likely is no spark when cranking.

Do you have a electric fuel pump and an OPSS?

Did you try running power (a wire) directly from the battery to the coil when trying to start?

Did you try to adjust anything?

Dave Neptune

[Al and Dave]

CFZ6072K0070B is the reg hill number on the title

We get a strong spark when grounding plugs. It’s a strong blue spark now that we replaced the coil. Although it had a weak yellow spark even with the old coil

[Al and Dave]

The distributor is firm and secure, and we can’t imagine that it changed positions suddenly given how firmLy it’s secured.

The fuel pump is electric and New and performing well. We replaced it with the same model Edlebrock even though the old one was performing well.

Again, this engine went from running very well and reliably to not running at all.

[Dave Neptune]

Check the voltage at the + side of the coil while cranking. If no voltage try the "hot wire" from the battery. Be sure to disconnect the hot wire so you don't fry the coil when done.

Dave Neptune

[Al and Dave]

Check the voltage at the + side of the coil while cranking. If no voltage try the "hot wire" from the battery. Be sure to disconnect the hot wire so you don't fry the coil when done.

Dave Neptune

Thank you for leaning in Dave. We have 11.8 at the coil. That should do it? Batteries are topped off with solar at 12.7. We do see a drop to 8 at the coil + terminal when cranking.

[Dave Neptune]

The 8V is a little low at cranking but should throw a spark when cranking.
Double check the plug wires for "firing order" and confirm that the rotor is in place, seen to many on the motor with no starts.

Also just because the engine is sucking air does not mean that you have good compression. Do a thumb check over the holes and crank. Your thumb should "blow off" on the compression stroke if you don;t have access to a compression gage.

Spark at the right time, clean fuel and compression should start. If something is off it should at least sputter or pop with starting fluid.

Dave Neptune

[Al and Dave]

Any thoughts on mechanical advance on distributor? We will confirm your other suggestions. Thank you. We’re aware that it went from running great to no start or even cough so we aren’t imagining spark plugs out of order.

What about dry plugs? Why aren’t we flooding the motor when trying to crank it?

[Dave Neptune]

Did you VISUALLY confirm the choke is actually closing all the way, seen this a few times.

If the choke is working and the engine is sucking you should see some dampness or smell fuel on the plugs.

Fuel in the bowl does not mean it is "full" enough to be drawn out by the choke. This is where a fuel pressure gage is priceless. A cheap one works just fine as all we want to see is positive pressure. Just a note~~if you run a fresh line down from a fuel container about 2 feet above the carb via syphon it should run at idle and a bit higher just from that pressure. Fuel flow does not mean good fuel pressure! All the A-4 needs is about 2 PSI to run well.

Dave Neptune

[Dave Neptune]

RE the stuck c-advance just give the rotor a twist. It should rotate about 15 degrees and spring back smoothly and should not cause a non-start even if stuck at full adv or zero advance.

Dave Neptune

[Al and Dave]

Success! We didn’t believe the carb was fouled but after a thorough cleaning and remounting the engine fired right up. Runs normal.

[Dave Neptune]

Good to hear. I had hull # 136 for 34 years, great family boat and racer/cruiser.

Dave Neptune

[Peter]

Excellent news you are up and running again. I suggest investigating why the carb got dirty.

Peter

[jcwright]

Hello Al and Dave.

I believe your original post noted that starter fluid had no effect. I'm curious what you and others think about the view that this suggests problems with ignition. Did you do any other work besides clean the carburetor?

Jack.

[JOHN COOKSON]

Success! We didn’t believe the carb was fouled but after a thorough cleaning and remounting the engine fired right up. Runs normal.

Maybe the choke adjustment slipped and was restored to correct adjustment\function after the rebuild?

ex TRUE GRIT