Novice needs help!

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

I'm at wits end... I have no clue, I don't know what else I should do... I get good spark to one plug and wire. That's why I changed the wires. Well, still wouldn't start, so I swapped plugs to the good cylinder. Good spark. Swapped the whole plug and wire to another cap port, weak spark. Then checked it again later, this time the good spark is in the one that had weak spark, bad one is the one that had good spark... Replace cap? I mean, why not, I replaced everythin else, right???? I have done the ignition coil, points, condensor, rotor, plug wires, plugs are new this season... And don't forget the crap I changed in the fuel system... oh god, what to do? I did all this so I would save money on labor because money is tight, and now I think I have cost myself more money than if I had taken it to someone... I think I am going to call around tomorrow.

 

[Coors]

Re: Novice needs help!

We need to know if you pulled the distributor out of the engine.

 

[Coors]

Re: Novice needs help!

Calm down; it could be simple- did you pull the dist out?

 

[ziggy]

Re: Novice needs help!

i think ya need to back up and start fresh. yer parts are all new. i never saw an answer to the question about haveing points or not. i'm assumeing ya do. but ya need to look in yer book to find out what the fact is. one way or the other.

ya need, fuel, fire, compression to start yer engine. ya aint got one of them.

have ya done a compression test?

assuming you have points. have ya set the dwell. then the timeing. useing a dwell meter and a timeing light. i don't know yer specs, ya got the book. see what they are.

have you got fuel? fuel pumps put out a specific output,. mine is 3.5-4.5 psi. that's an example. you will find your specs for yer engine in your book. fuel systems can have many problems. ya can run a remote tank to see if any change, that elimates everything behind the fuel pump. for fuel issues. ie fuel water seperaters, antisiphone valve, fuel tank vent, fuel pick up tube inside the tank.


look in yer book and confirm that ya got the plug wires in the right place.

if ya really did pull the distributer, which it sounds like ya did, i think i'd bring #1 up to tdc on a compression stroke. get the timeing marks lined up, and then see where the rotor is pointing. it should be to #1 cyl.......as a side note. i think that you may be able to confirm the dist. is in correctly by setting dwell, then timeing, if yer off a tooth on the distibuter ya won't be able to get yer timeing set proper......
out of courisoity, what did you clean on the distributer once it was out? advance weights?

 

[Coors]

Re: Novice needs help!

Was the distributer pulled from the block, is my only question

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

Yes, I pulled the distributer. I followed the directions in my manual to a T. Pulled off the top plate, cleaned everything with solvent per instructions, lubed with distibutor grease, replaced in the exact position, rotor and all per my marks I made before removal. I have points on the distributor, and I set them to the specifications in my manual. I also replaced the condensor and rotor and the points. Plug wires are in the correct configuration. By removing the distibutor, what did I break? I am sure I broke something... And I can't seem to find any timing marks on my balancer, or any of the other pulleys, what am I looking for? I will have to look at my manual, but how do you do a compression test? This problem started last season before I winterized... So lost...

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

I have a breaker-point ignition if that helps at all. What am I missing? I am sure by now it is just something absolutely stupid...

 

[Coors]

Re: Novice needs help!

You have to find the timing mark, to see if the distributer is installed correctly.

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

The timing mark should be on one of my pulley's right? I couldn't find it on visual inspection, but then I might not know what I am looking for... I am taking it to a place on Monday, Simmons Marine near Portage Lakes, OH. Anyone ever been there? They had the cheapest quote to diagnose...