I apologize in advance for another "it wont start" thread, but I'm about to pull my hair out. I'm pretty new to all this, but I rebuilt a 283 last year and got it running pretty well about two months ago while sitting in the frame. Everything sat for about a month while I installed the body (model a) and reconnected the very basic wiring needed to start the motor, and now it wont start. I have everything connected exactly as it was (based on photos I took prior to disassembly). The motor cranks, I am getting spark (pulled the new plugs, cleaned, gapped, and visually checked for spark), and I've got fuel in the cylinders (wet plugs) after cranking. I haven't messed with the carb or the distributer since I unwired it. When its cranking, it acts likes like its maybe coughing on one cylinder. I've adjusted timing just to rule that out and it doesn't affect anything. I dropped the coil about two feet onto the concrete floor while I was rewiring. I've checked the resistance and voltage readings on the coil and everything seems fine. I didn't think much about it, but could this be the reason? The motor... 283 bored .60 over, new wires, new coil, rebuilt Mallory Unilite distributer, Rochester 2G carb, mechanical fuel pump. Many thanks in advance!
Starting fluid helps with troubleshooting a problem like this. If it will fire with starting fluid but not continue running than it pretty much locates the problem to fuel. If it wont fire on starting fluid, than you've got ignition system problems to sort out. Don't use too much at a time, or for too long, that could be detrimental to the engine. But just to help diagnose the location of the problem it is helpful.
Did you reinstall the distributer 180 degrees out, if so the rotor is trying to fire #6 plug and it's not properly timed.
I tried that. Nothing changes other than the cough goes away, but comes back when it set back to the original location.
So you're saying I need to replace new plugs just because they got wet? I pulled them all out to clean and check them, but should I dry out the cylinders too? I was surprised by the amount of fuel that came out of the 3 or 5 cylinder when I pulled the plug. I rebuilt the carburetor, but I suppose it might have flooded.
The plugs will be fine , just need to dry out, same with the cylinders. First concern would be how much gas is in the oil, pull the dipstick and smell the oil , if it smells of gas, drain oil and pull the filter and leave open, pull the spark plugs and give it a day to evaporate. You’ll probably have to have a look into your carb, needle and seat may need some attention if it’s flooding the engine that badly
Presuming the dist. is in correctly....have you checked the plug wires for correct firing order? Possibly, one of those motor gremlins snuck in and re-arranged them for you 18436572 CW
change the oil and filter - as said by wanderlust above An indication of how much fuel is in the oil may be to see if your dipstick is reading higher. .
@myergin , Setting timing with out engine running. Or timing light . Pull all plug wire of cap . Instal #1 plug wire on cap Bring # 1 piston up to 10-12 degs BTDC, mark on balancer to timing tab. Power up Unlight Have # 1 spark plug wire" END" with a Air gap 1/8 from ground / metal , Slowly turn distributor , to Zero in #1 Rotor to # 1 pole on cap. When Rotor gets close to #1 terminal on cap you will Hear Snap /ark & see spark , Lock distributor down, Now your timing will be 10 to 12 degs BTDC , Check & install all wires on cap & spark plug 's Fireing order Clock wise on cap spark plug gap .035 - .040 .020 to .030 gap on butterflies to bore """& DO NOT WELD WITH U -L Connected"""
I'm leaning more towards this being a "flooding" situation. When I pulled the plugs, a few of them literally "dripped" wet. Again, I know nothing about nothing, so I'm assuming this is TOO wet. Maybe it was just from me cranking on it for so long and dicking with the carb? Looked at the carb again and everything seems fine... float, needle, seat, all look normal. Maybe the Holley mechanical pump is overpowering the needle/seat in the 2 Jet, but then wouldn't the bowl overflow out the vent and not not into the idle circuit? Either way, I ordered a regulator and a fuel pressure gauge. Just a slight fuel odor in the oil. I pulled the plugs and I'm hoping to let everything dry out. I'll report back this weekend.
If you have strong enough spark, enough compression, and fuel, either you're flooding it or your timing is way out to lunch. As Blues mentioned, is your fuel pressure too much for your carb? If you have fuel in your oil at all, I'd change it. What are your compression numbers? Could be your pushrods are too long and valves aren't closing or your valves are sticking. These are all diagnostic steps to figure this out. That said, it does sound like it's leaning towards flooding.
I say it's dumping fuel out the over flow because of.... float too high.. or too much fuelpressure...... easy check.. look in the carb when you crank it over... theres so much fuel it doesn't atomize and squirts fuel enough that it drowns the plug...
fast easy check, put needle nose vise grip on the fuel line...only way to flood the cylinders is through the fuel line...float could be stuck wide open... eliminate the carb as a problem....bet if you let it sit and dry out it'll start... un hook the fuel line and fill the carb through the vent pipe it should start and run till it empties the bowl.... even if theres no spark, you can't fill the cyls with gas unless the fuel pressure is blowing past the needle and seat and just dumping way too much fuel...
With the plugs pulled you should crank the engine over to get any puddling gas out of the cylinders. Otherwise it might drain into the oil and create very thin oil viscosity! I'd certainly install the pressure regulator and gauge before trying anything later, but also consider a fix for the carb if pressure shows to be less than 6 lbs. when the gauge is installed.
If you have that much fuel in the cylinders, you might remove the air cleaner and look down the carburetor, with a wide open throttle, and see if there is fuel puddled in the intake. It's not going to want to start with an intake full of fuel and a cold engine.... you have to get it dried out....plugs out and throttle propped open and let it all evaporate off Troubleshooting at long distances gives you lots of rabbit holes to go down and since you said it was running, I'm leaning to overwhelmed with fuel...but I know nothing good luck
This has been my experience as well. I have had some success cleaning the plugs and heating the ends over a flame on a stove, but more success by just replacing them with new. After wasting a lot of time dicking around with washed out plugs then installing new and having hte engine fire right up it's worth it to me to avoid the wasted time and the aggravation and just replace them. Your choice.
The Jalopy Journal
