Car won't start! (UPDATE- RUNNING)

[Mitch//pa]

p.s. dont hold the coil wire at the end when performing this procedure

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

p.s. dont hold the coil wire at the end when performing this procedure

Man, you take the fun out of everything! LOL

Next you'll tell them not to hold the pencil by the metal clip at the end when doing a coil polarity check.

[bogdonj]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

p.s. dont hold the coil wire at the end when performing this procedure

yeah I get a solid blue spark coming out of the high tension wire when placed against the head nut.

[1931 flamingo]

Solid blue spark, good. Sounds like you've ck'd e/thing. Long shot, are the valves opening and closing? Do you have compression?
Paul in CT

[bogdonj]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

Solid blue spark, good. Sounds like you've ck'd e/thing. Long shot, are the valves opening and closing? Do you have compression?
Paul in CT

I better hope so. Brand new engine redone by a model a expert this summer. Compression has to be good because when I did the spark plug test and it pretty much blew the plug out of my hand.

[TK in LA]

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Have you double checked the intake gasket and the GAV? If you have spark and timing it has to be the air fuel ratio. Just my 2¢

[bogdonj]

Put in different points and tried to start it and then the starter went on me. All is does is just spin. Now currently taking it out and looking at it. This car must be cursed!!!!

How do you adjust the air fuel ratio? on the carb or the mixture inside the cab? I open it 1/4 turn when starting.

[Brian SATX]

When starting cold- spark all the way up, open the choke-CCW- about one turn, pull the throttle about 1/3 down, pull the choke out all the way and hit the starter while releasing the choke. Move spark aobut 1/2 the way down, Turn the choke back to about 1/4 open-CC- as it warms up..

[amodel25]

Try to start it with the gas cap removed.
amodel25

[Bruce Adams]

You say you get a spark at the points.
Do you get a spark at the plugs?
Check there too.
Distributor caps can malfunction, too.
BUT...
Do you get a number of ounces of gas out of the carburator's drain plug continuing to flow when the plug is removed?
I still wonder about whether the fuel line COULD be in too far, thus preventing full flow to the carb after what trickled in has been used in those few seconds you say the engine runs after starting.

[MikeK]

Cracked intake manifold or blown intake gasket at the block connection. Check with a mirror and flashlight all around and under.

[midgetracer]

I had a pickup recently that would'nt start even with a good spark from the coil. I thought it was not getting fuel so i choked it real seriously. It backfired very loud and blew the muffler apart. I found the culprit the next day. Seems the distributor bushings were wore out and the point gap was all over the place. I replaced the distributor with a rebuilt one and it ran sweet (although very loud until the muffler was replaced). It could be that it is really flooded after all this trying to get it started.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by bogdonj

This morning I went to start it up and it would start but only ran for acouple seconds then would die. tried again and it would start going and couldn't keep it going at all.
..lol

OK, back to the beginning car starts but will not continue to run.

You need 5 things to have an engine run;

1) Fuel
2) Air
3) compression
4) spark
5) All at the correct time

The fact that it starts tells me that something is disapearing once the engine starts. My first thought is fuel. I would use starter fluid and spray it in the carb as you start it. Second of two give it another shot and see if the car will run for more than a couple of seconds. I did this with an A that had no fuel in the tank and ran it for several minutes using just the starting spray. If it works it points to a fuel problem.

Next I would change the distributor cap it might be shorting in the cap.

Let us know what happens and we will continue to try to assist.

[Jazzjr]

Sounds to Me, with all your Tries, and everything seems OK. Pull the Spark Plugs out, they are Probaly Wet by now or Fouled. With the plugs out, remove the coil wire and turn the engine over, let her air dry out, or install different plugs. Even if the Engine is New, and everything is in order. Probaly just Loaded up, clean her out.

Remember the Old School trick == Get a bunch of friends to push You, coast down a hill and try starting it in second gear, Key on, easying out the Clutch and turning her over, or have it towed.
Id bet it just needs to be cleaned out!!

[Tom Wesenberg]

Long shot..............is the gas turned on??

Don't crank for more than 10 seconds. It just ruins the starter and battery.

If you pull the choke and crank for 3 seconds, do you get gas running out the carb? If yes, then you need to make sure the plugs have spark, and at the right time.

[pooch]

One trick i use on my bikes and cars is to plug a timing light into the coil wire and hang the light inside the cab or off the bars.

You can instantly see any problems with spark.

The car runs fine with the light hooked up, so you can go for a drive with it pulsing and detect easy.

[bogdonj]

thanks for all the help guys! took the starter apart and found the spring broken. Going to change it out tomorrow with a new one and try it again. I will keep you posted and let you know what causes this. Appreciate all the help!!!!

[pdora]

I don't know about anyone else, but I have been following this thread with mounting interest. Such drama!

Others know far more than I about these things, but I am learning just by following along. If this were a mystery book I would be tempted to skip to the end to see how it turns out.

There will be great rejoicing when this problem is finally resolved.

[Mitch//pa]

okay i dont think this was mentioned
could you have a bad batch of gasoline? possibly water in it? here is what i do to test the fuel
put some in a small clear jar and look for water in it. the gas will float on top of the water you will see a seperation of the two. good gas in the jar should look clear not cloudy. causes of cloudy are foreign substance, sugar etc.
then pour a little on a concrete floor and light it it should burn strong and after it goes out the wetness on the concrete should start drying up.

[Jason in TX]

If it runs for a little bit, it's not an electrical problem.

It's running out of fuel. Can you unhook your fuel line from the carb, put a bucket or cup there, and then turn on the gas and see if you have a strong flow. If not, you have a chunk of crud in the gas tank that has blocked fuel delivery to the carb.