Gerry I am glad you got yours fixed, and I am not offended at all. I was just so easily fooled by the text of your last two posts that Ryland had got his fixed, I just had not paid that close attention that we had two very similar problems running in the same thread, I did not want this thread to lose focus until Ryland got some results. Just my way of bringing it to attention and giving it a bump up. Did not intend any offense either.
Sorry for my absence; I was forced to go to Hawaii with my family Im home for a week then I go to Minnesota for a week so we'll see how much I get done. If I could afford a new starter I would get one. I'm watching E-bay for Bendix drive assemblies and I will buy one soon as I really think that is my problem. Glad to hear you got yours going! Thanks, Ryland
Ryland, Here is one for sale on ebay. Hope you get yours running. If my family forced me to go to such nice places, maybe I would not all but live in my garage. Gerry http://www.ebay.ca/itm/NORS-1954-19...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item335f66064b
Quick update. Since I have been back I have gone through the starter again and I turned the large bolt 180* in the solenoid and I think that was my problem. It was really worn and I think it was only making intermittent contact. I also went through my 4bbl carb and got it in good working order and threw it on. I made a gas tank out of a old solvent jug and put a electric fuel pump from a '76 Toyota and ran a fuel line through the firewall so the tank is sitting on the passangers side. (This is only temporary) I checked compression and it was really low (down in the 50's on some cylinders and the highest was 70) so I put a shot of oil in the cylinders, turned it over and let it sit for a while and when I got back the compression was up in the 110's-120's. With a few pumps of the accel pump it started on its own and idled at a high idle (needs some adjusting) and it idled for a minute until I shut it off. I then tried to start it again but it wouldnt. I checked compression again in one cylinder and it was back down to the 50's. The plug was sooty black so it looks like its running rich but I think compression is why it wont start again, not fouled plugs. I could be wrong though. SO... Do you think if I add more oil and run it for a longer period of time the rings will un-stick and compression will come back up? Should I try some PB down the cylinders? Or do you think the motor is just plumb worn out? Thanks, Ryland
Now you know it CAN run so what you need to do is.... ...let it run. And run. And run some more. Then, let it run. Seriously, we are talking about a minimum of an hour at a good 100 to 1200 rpm just for starters. You need to get the entire block up to operating temperature and then let the heat and lubrication begin to get things unstuck. It might take hours of running/driving to get those rings unstuck and to get all of the carbon from the many failed starting attempts burnt off. It wants to run. Let it. It will all end up OK.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6CzhusZXkk Ill try again but the last few times I've tried starting it it will run for 10-30 seconds then die. Any ideas on why? I cant get it to start unless I add oil to the cylinders. Could it be burning out the oil and loosing compression to the point it would no longer run? Would running it at higher rpms help? Thanks, Ryland
Hate to say this, but the uneven cranking speed at the end of the video pretty much says it's time to rebuild the motor. That uneven speed means some dead cylinders. It should stay running though, it's either running out of gas or loosing spark.
Yes, run it at the highest rpm you can. At least 2000 to 2500. As F&J said, it is either running out of gas or losing ignition.
From what this engine has shown me before I think the uneven cranking is from some of the cylinders firing but but under such low compression that they aren't firing hard enough to run, just speed up the cranking a little. After I run it all the spark plugs become dark with soot so I think it is firing on all cylinders. Plym49: According to my Harbor Freight tachometer I have had this engine running at 3500rpms so running it at 2.5k shouldn't be a problem. Tomorrow I will give it a try running on part throttle. Thanks, Ryland
After a long struggle I replaced the rings in the engine. Now I have it all back together and it turns over REALLY slow with the plugs in and just slow with the plugs out. I realize the new rings will have more resistance than the old rings that were stuck flush in the ring glands and the new rings are making more compression but this seems a little extreme, especially with the plugs out. I replaced the battery under warranty and it made no difference in the cranking speed. I tried running jumper cables straight from the big post on the starter to the positive side of the batter to see if the big starter wire is bad but it made no difference. When I crank the engine the voltage across the battery drops from 13v to 10v is this an acceptable drop? I did not touch the main bearings so nothing changed there. I did have to remove all the pistons and I re-torqued them to the factory specs. I dowsed everything in 10-30W while re-assembling and down the spark holes before I turned her over. Do you think it is the new rings are causing the slow cranking? Thanks, Ryland
How hard was it to turn by ratchet/breaker bar, when you were putting in the last couple of pistons? It would be hard for you to tell if it was too tight, if you've never done this work before...and very hard for us to explain.
It was really easy to turn over. Until the last two pistons or so I was turning it over by hand with the flywheel. Ryland
It's hard to diagnose this without being there. Things I'd think are; Starter drawing too much, or a bad connection(s) somehere in the heavy battery cables. Next time you try to start it several times. Then go feel the cables, and any place that they are attached to something. If any are hot or very warm, that is resistance. You are then trading power for heat, which is not good.
Since you are probably going to have the plugs out again anyway,put a little light oilin each cylinder then crank the engine with plugs out.This will get some oil on the rings and help seal them giving you more compression and making the engine crank easier.Itsounds like you may have washed the lube from the cylinders from all the startup tries. p/s besure to crank the engine with plugs out to push out the excess oil or you may have more problems
The general rule of thumb for spinning over an assembled short block is 40 ft-lbs maximum. I use this "test" for anything I assemble to that point. Did you file the ring ends for a proper fit? Bob
Regardless of the old or new rings, there has always been a problem with the motor turning over fast enough. Yes, new rings have more drag, but I believe that whatever weak link that has been there all along vis-a-vis turning over the motor is still there. You have to go over it piece by piece, ruling out each in turn until you find it.
Today I have been going through all the connections and cleaning them. With all the connections cleaned there was an improvement in cranking speed I had a extra starter cable so I cleaned it up and doubled it up with the one that was on. That really sped it up. It is still cranking slower than it did before but I believe the rings are the cause. Eventually I would like to replace the starter but that will have to wait. Hopefully I will get it running today. Ryland
It lives! (Again) She started right up with no oil added to the cylinders. It was running a little rough with a few back fires out the exhaust but really smoothed out when I revved her up. It ran for several minutes before I shut it off. I then called my friend and he ran over and I started her again without pulling the plugs. The second start I did have to crank it over for quite awhile and got quite a few back fires out the carb and sputters before she started. I think when she was running the first time distributor must have moved as I don't have it tightened down all the way. I tried starting her a third time but even though she was trying it wouldn't go and then she started turning over real slow so I have up. But she is turning over quicker than she was and she lasted quite a while so I am quite happy about all that. More updates to come! Ryland
Got it started 3 times today with little fuss. The first run ended due to fouled plugs, I cleaned them and cranked the idle mix screws in a turn and ran her again and she did great. Ran for several minutes, held a nice idle. I got in the car and revved her with the gas pedal for the first time and put it into gear with the rear tires off the ground and watched them spin. Then came up to temp and sprayed water everywhere when the thermostat opened with the rad cap off. Scared the crap out of me. My first though was the fuel line had come off and was dumping gas into the fan. After that run the plugs were dark but not too bad. I will try turning the idle mix screws in a little bit. Lamplighter came over and helped me bleed the brakes which went pretty smoothly. Tomorrow I have a few more things to button up and I am going to try driving her for the first time. Ryland
I drove my Buick for the first time today. I bought it almost 2 years ago and today was my first drive. Just up and down the street but man did it feel good. Ill post a video later. Thanks you everyone for helping me get to this point. I couldn't have done it without you! Ryland
The Jalopy Journal
