I have an A engine with Winfield intake and carb and a modern winfield head and FSI 6v igntion I had it running when I first bought it-started it on the ground and all was good. Now I have it in my frame and it won't do anything. I had the carb apart all looks clean and dandy. I checked spark and that looked good while cranking. It seems to pop just a touch as I let go of the starter, as the starter will sometimes overrun a touch. Normally I would say battery but I always try to start it with a boost box on it and It doesn't seem to have any struggle cranking. I'm too in the weeds to see what I'm missing. Won't pop off on starter spray or aerosol gasoline. I don't think it's a head gasket. I'm leaning towards an issue with the FSI module-but again I've seen spark. Of course there's a chance it's not sparking when it should but I never moved the distributor either. So anyone with experience with FSI have any thoughts? Could the module be firing but not at the correct time? To me I thought these would just be a hall effect type ignition system maybe I'm missing something though.
Although you are probably correct in suspecting the module, is there a possibility that you mis-wred something when you transferred it to the frame? It sounds suspiciously like a problem that used to occur in points systems that had ballast resistors that were by-passed during starting. The bypass didn't carry the current when the starter was energized, but when you let off, there was power on the regular circuit. It's a long shot because we are talking electronic ignition, but it sounds so familiar, I thought it might be worth mentioning. It may be obvious, but always suspect the last thing you changed.
Positive ground. I've went through the wiring a few times to ensure it matches the install directions and still don't get it. I've had cars that did this before but as you mentioned they were ballast resistant ignitions.
I should mention It uses the stock starter pedal, so the key only turns the ignition circuit on. I made sure the switch was working and there's continuity when/where there should be. I'm sure it's something I did. But...I didn't do that much.
make sure your power is going direct to the battery...also, I had exact same problem till I hooked the positive direct to the engine, then 2 engine grounds to the frame... when the volts get to under 5 it's weak at best,.. and nothing after 4.5... that why it pops when you let the starter load off and the volts spike... if you have float a motor mounts... problem gets worse...also... where the 2 wires go together at the fire wall... make sure that they're really clean.... what I did was cleaned a quarter size area then got a quarter size small hole washer before the two wires....she starts right up now... but wouldn't even pop with starting fluid till I cleaned up every thing...
I do have a zero gauge wire running directly to the trans as a ground. and the wires that run to the fire wall are against brand new raw steel. I will try as you suggest though. No float a motor mounts all stock type. The frame is heavily painted, which is why I have grounds wires running everywhere. More to do.
is the FS power wire, the one with the fuse going straight to the battery??? and what gap is the plugs???? do you see spark at the plug,... what carb???? are you sure on the timing...and are the plugs wet... I was dead sure I had a bad module.... but found a lot of other things now it runs... you need good clean grounds frame to engine and engine to body...
I had another thing that caused this...( I have 2 yards full of bangers..) what was happening was the float was too high and letting gas flood the engine.... when I took the #1 and put a plug to see it would spark... on another one, no choke... it would crank and crank and crank and not start.... finally got it to start... no accelerator pump...but that one would start with a fog of starting fluid... another thing I did to make one start was hooked jumper cable from battery to body...
Plug gap not sure. But when I ground the plugs blue spark, I put an inline spark tester also tested fine. Winfield...sb I think I don't remember which exact one. Never moved the timing before or after install. Ran fine before. I checked the float, I was worried it had sank that was fine too. There is no fuel pump connected, but it won't pop on ether or gas. I know I'll be annoyed when I figure it out-I just dont know what else to check, I also ran jumper cables to the block as a better ground just to see and nothing. I'll have to wire straight to the batter again and see what happens. Seems like going backwards.
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