Calling all 55-56 Pontiac owners, and anyone else helpful!

So should I just go try and roll it over while holding the gas pedal to the floor? How long should I do it? I don't want to burn out anything...can't test for spark in another plug because there is no one to help at the moment.

 

How long have you cranked it for at a time, may take a sec for the bowl to fill if you havnt turned the car in a few week. Then dumping to much fuel in the carb will flood it. Try two sprites of starter fluid (If "sprits" makes sense lol) you should get some combustion. Press the pedal as well to allow air flow.


Draining the brains of good
mechanics since '92

 

I was told not to crank for more than 45 second


Draining the brains of good
mechanics since '92

 

At a time then let it sit for a minute to prevent the starter from burning out.


Draining the brains of good
mechanics since '92

 

Longest I have cranked it was for about 10 or 15 seconds, I have fuel comingin , I sprayed a good amount of starter fluid in the carb I was told don't spray anymore. I smell gas after trying to start. I haven't cranked it for over 10 or 15 seconds out of fear of destroying something from cranking too long.

 

You need to eliminate spark....


Draining the brains of good
mechanics since '92

 

Once you can find out if you have spark at the plugs or not, you can continue troubleshoot


Draining the brains of good
mechanics since '92

 

I`ve watching this thread and waiting to see progress; but not anything new for a week or more...I`m guessing he left the ignition key on too long and burned the points...In his photo of the distributor W/O the cap...It looks like the black wire has been hot and melted...I`ve done this before, and I`ll probably do it again...It`s easy to do while trying to fix something else.

I would suggest a Pertronics ignitor for faster and more reliable starts, but as hard as it is to r&r the dizzy cap, That would be impossible at this time.

 

The rotor only goes onto the distributer in one position...Having it in the wrong position would make installing the distributer cap very difficult

 

as a result the timing could be anywhere

 

Probably difficult to see from so many posts, but I have checked my points, they are not burned or stuck, i cleaned them, i cleaned the rotor, I tested this morning proving that everything in my distributor cap is fine. It's either my timing, my plugs, or my plug wires. From what I've been able to do in the past few days, I have ruled it down to those three things.

 

I guess you see some spark. When cranking with center dist. wire to medal.
You must see and hear it snapping sound and good 3/8" to 1/2"
A little gasoline down carb when you see a good spark not until.
Always put air cleared back on in case of fire.

 

Lit up my whole engine bay, heard it, and I got shocked at same time.

 

When you are cranking it should spark 1/2"
When the last time it ran did it stall, and did you mix any sparkplug wires.
Check the spark again.

 

He mentioned he was shocked by the coil, Let us know when you see if you spark plug has spark...


Draining the brains of good
mechanics since '92

 

Okay I cranked, for about 15 to 20 seconds, and something popped and I saw smoke. Immediately stopped. Not sure if a backfire or something burst...and I'm a bit scared to be honest right now.

 

Dump little gas down carb and put air clearer back on and go for it 1/4 throttle.

 

key in start position
shifter in P or n
left foot on brake (just in case)
turn key to crank
pressing gas pedal sets or re-sets choke (when cold)
holding gas pedal all the way to floor opens choke and adds lots of gas
any pop or wheeze -keep cranking do not play with gas pedal until its running

if you have a second human that can do above things then "you should be looking into the carb .. be ready to cover a back fire (that does not suck into carb)with a rag or towel


get this far and report

 

Update:
I'm not messing with this anymore, that pop and smoke made me very cautious. My friend's uncle (mom's boyfriend actually told me to give him a call, he knows about me) is a cool guy who is my mechanic to do the welding and whatever else, and he said I can get it towed over tomorrow for cheap. So that's what I'm going to do. I'll let him look at it, and he'll explain and show me **in person**what has went wrong and what the deal is, how I can fix something if need be in the future, etc. Plus, I'll get my welding done as well. Car isn't registered so either way, I'm getting it towed. Not risking getting pulled over or an accident to get to the shop.
So, the starting issue can now be ignored. I already tried the things that people have told me today. Thanks everyone. Onwards to other things now. Stay tuned...

 

Pop and Smoke=combustion
Combustion=spark

This is good!
Bet she wants to start


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Yea, well i myself am scared to push her anymore until someone with experience sees her in person. I just want to do it carefully. Nothing wrong with wanting to be careful...right?

 

keep trying, pour gas into the carb, not starting fluid, a good shoot glass full of gas, then get in and hold the pedal to the floor and crank it over, anyone who comes there is going to just that if they know anything about cars.

 

Nothing wrong with waiting for help. Just curious, dd the pop sound anything like this?



That's my truck when I was facing a fuel delivery issue a few years back. The pops indicated I had spark.

 

I would say yes. I saw smoke right after I heard the burst.

 

Just two more questions (yeah right ) Are you putting the air cleaner back on every time you try to start it? Any chance it's super clogged?

 

The original oil bath filter is still on there, it was cleaned out by the previous owner recently before i got the car, and i also cleaned it out, as well as cleaning up the grease on the outside of it. I keep that on when trying to start, and I also tried to start a few times with it off. Mostly on though.

 

If you checked the spark again and was good 3/8 to 1/2",
I think if its going to start in a few hours try like you would have before.
If you can't get it going ,my guess after hours of no start , it has jumped timing and chain should be replaced.

 

will know by tomorrow or mid week what the problem was.
Anyways, so I was told this car is originally from Canada. Does anyone know in what ways a Canadian Pontiac was different from an American one, if any?
Recently also found out that my assumption that these clips behind the front seat are indeed to hold the seatbelts. This is good, now I just need to lift the back of my front seat up to feed the new seatbelts through, attach them down, put the back back on, and then deal with my seat covers. See my other thread regarding mexican throws and seat belts if interested. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=822978 I believe my throws are heavy enough to just cut a slit through, they shouldn't come apart. Will spray some upholstery protector as well, scotch I think they said.

 

Save your money for the tune up................ All of the rest will be wasted if it cannot be driven...as anyone on this board will tell you about cars that do not run and the value of them... No matter how much is invested in parts and good stuff with the car if it does not run its nearly worthless

 

I already have the items recently mentioned, and it will definitely run. Because it ran perfect a little over a month ago. When i get it towed tomorrow or Tuesday, I'm getting not only the starting issue examined, but my exhaust system welded on (currently in parts in the trunk) as well as a little panel work on the rear floor and in the trunk. Both closing up seams/holes, and cutting out rotted sections (not much surprisingly.) Also have to pop my windshield out to put some trim on. Then I just need to finish the interior, adjust the doors, finish the sound system(not a priority but I have all the things to do that) and I'm all set to drive. My frame is pretty good as well, just really surface rust. I'm going to undercoat the car myself before winter comes....