So I have to drive the 53 since my pickup died. Now that I NEED it, the engine won't turn. I drove in this morning, no smoke, no leaks, running cool. Go out to leave and it won't start. won't even turn. I'm stuck downtown. No parts store for miles. I am on an incline, so I roll backward about 3 mph, drop it in first to free it up, whatever it is. Nothing! dead stop instantly. My friend is on his way with a spark plug socket, hopefully it isn't a bent rod, but just some moisture in the cylinder. I'm running on 3 hours sleep. Contemplating selling the damn thing. All of it, maybe buy a ferd or a mopar. Blasphemy, I know. I am at my wits end. What would YOU do? its just a cheap 305.
Check your battery cables, wiggle them, if they move that's probably your problem. And rolling a car backwards and then dropping in low gear, a forward gear, will STOP it immediately!!
x2 on checking the battery and cables, If you have a volt meter with you, put it on the battery and watch when you crank it. Does the voltage drop like the starter is getting juice and trying to turn?
Rolling backwards and dropping it in a forward gear is a big no-no; it would have to be in reverse. Does the motor turn by hand? If it turns by hand I would be on the bad cables/battery bandwagon.
Lower gear going backwards is the same as going foward and putting in reverse, just the reverse of it, right? I had a ford explorer that did nothing when I turned the key. I could not figure it out. Brought it to a shop and they changed the poss. battery cable. Told me it was corroded through the copper under the casing. Started fine all the other times I needed it.
i tried reverse, going backwards, thinking dead battery and then in first just to see. Thanks for remedial physics. if it won't turn rolling down a hill in gear, regardles of what gear, how exactly should i turn it by hand?
i'm not fully understanding your problem...is it that the starter won't turn the motor over , or is the motor locked up?
Sounds like it could be hydro locked. Maybe take out the plugs and crank it. Does it have an electric fuel pump?
nope, plain old mechanical. the spark plug socket is en route. I'm 99.9% sure it is hydrolocked, to what extent, and why, remains to be seen. So, anyone want a straight 53 club coupe with a clear ***le? It has a full tank of gas.
Was it raining out when you parked it? Is there a way for water to make its way into the carb, like a low spot at the wingnut thats right under the hood seam? I've seen that happen...
Try not to automaticly freak out an ***ume the worst. Just because it won't start doesn't mean you have to tow it to the junk yard.. Try the basic side of the road no tools troubleshooting first. Turn your headlights on. Are they on? If not, your battery is not powering the electrical system. You may have a loose connection or a dead battery. Do you have headlights untill you try to start teh motor then they go off?? If so, you most likely have a bad connection. If you are feeling MacGuyver, you can make a test light with a few feet of wire and your domelight bulb. A decent quickie mart or grocery store will usually have a real test light and some very basic tools, even new battery terminal ends. You might be suprised at the stuff they stock. Bottom line, don't freak out yet. Cover the basics first. Good luck, -Abone.
OK, it WAS hydrolocked. The AFB leaked out the p*** side venturi. We pulled the plugs, spun it free, cleared the cylinders, there it was, POURING gas into the plenum. So, what caused this? I put in a new fuel cell. This was the first big voyage, other than 2 blocks to fill the tank last night. before, I had a stock tank and no filler cap. now, I made a filler tube. so it had negative pressure built up in the cell. I'm thinking the negative pressure could have pulled back on the seat enough to allow blowing fuel out, air to **** in past it to the nearest point to pressure relief, the fuel inlet on the p***enger side. same pump, same feed line, same fuel filter as last week when it was fine. Some thing about the cell had to have ruined the needle & seat. RIGHT? Should I run a newer style pump with a built in return to bleed off pressure? **** I don't know. I'm exhausted.
Does it have a fiber float like a Q-jet? We used to always be replacing them as they would soak up gas as they got old.
I feel for you man, it never fails for me when something like this happens it's always when I'm running on no sleep at all. My 2 cents-get a rent a wreck for a couple days, won't cost you $100, and it'll give you some breathing room to get some rest and put your head in the right space to fix your car. That said, does your fuel cell have some kind of provision for venting? I just put in a mustang tank and I put in a small rubber fuel line off the fuel filler neck with a br*** fitting. My 'boat type' cheapie fuel cell? that was in the car when I bought it had a venting line as well, and that one liked to puke a *lot*, for some reason. My stock metal tank has never dumped gas. Hope that helps. Good luck man! I know it can't be very cool in KC today.
It vents out like a stock tank, I used a 90 chevy truck filler tube and an exhaust bend. I'm thinking rebuild the afb and leave the cap loose. see what happens.?
Happens to me a lo too. A lot of times when I try to take something that is ok and make it better, most of the time something bad happens and it or something else just gets all ****ed up. I am not sure if it is just me or just typical old car hot rodding part of the game. Somehow I think it is mostly just me not knowing what I am doing most of the time and no one really to help me figure **** out until I **** it up once or twice and have to learn it the hard way. Sounds like you are learning the advantages of a 'better' gas tank the hard way. I say if the old one isn't leaking, just clean it up and put it back in. How 'good' of a gas tank do you really need? A fuel cell might be a little 'too good' for your situation. Or maybe you need to vent it.
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