Starting fail
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,171
Likes: 335
From: Homewood Alabama
Take the #1 spark plug out. Plug the hole with your finger while you rotate the engine by hand(with ignition off and coil disconnected for safety). When the piston is coming up to top dead center you will feel air start to push past your finger. When the air stops, you are at top dead center.
Then look at the harmonic balancer and set it to 8 to 10 degrees advanced. After you have done both of the above, install the distributor as per instructions.
Then look at the harmonic balancer and set it to 8 to 10 degrees advanced. After you have done both of the above, install the distributor as per instructions.
Last edited by 65silververt; Aug 3, 2015 at 08:23 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,147
Army
If you did not bump the motor, rock the car while it was in gear or some other such action and properly marked the dizzy body and rotor from the way it was after the dyno run then you'd have to be a bunch off during the reinstall to not have the car start.....in which case follow the directions above. I'm growing suspicious of the points conversion.
Once you're convinced the plugs are routed properly and dizzy is in correctly I'd hold the ignition coil high tension lead near a ground while cranking motor - you should see a nice fat spark..
I don't know if that would hurt your Crane conversion but instead you can hook up a timing light to #1 and see if the light strobes while cranking...
Once you're convinced the plugs are routed properly and dizzy is in correctly I'd hold the ignition coil high tension lead near a ground while cranking motor - you should see a nice fat spark..
I don't know if that would hurt your Crane conversion but instead you can hook up a timing light to #1 and see if the light strobes while cranking...
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,171
Likes: 335
From: Homewood Alabama
I think it's the flux capacitor.
He needs to start with the basics. The white puff of smoke is making everybody immediately point to something that may not be a problem. A slight puff of smoke from a small carburetor cough could have drifted back towards the distributor and coil by the time he stepped out of the car and looked in the engine bay.
He needs to start with the basics. The white puff of smoke is making everybody immediately point to something that may not be a problem. A slight puff of smoke from a small carburetor cough could have drifted back towards the distributor and coil by the time he stepped out of the car and looked in the engine bay.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,147
Army
I moved past the smoke being electrical once he said the shielding was off.....
Its timing most prob.
Just for grins I'd still be tempted to pour a couple of ounces of gas down the carb throat and try cranking again WITH THE AIR CLEANER ON....
Its timing most prob.
Just for grins I'd still be tempted to pour a couple of ounces of gas down the carb throat and try cranking again WITH THE AIR CLEANER ON....
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,171
Likes: 335
From: Homewood Alabama
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,147
Army
You're no fun at all.
I've singed off my eyebrows, mustache and all the hair in my nostrils looking down a carb that backfired with a nice fireball many decades ago. (Hence the air cleaner recommendation!)
I've singed off my eyebrows, mustache and all the hair in my nostrils looking down a carb that backfired with a nice fireball many decades ago. (Hence the air cleaner recommendation!)
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 638
Likes: 110
From: Flakewood Wrench, FL
Take the #1 spark plug out. Plug the hole with your finger while you rotate the engine by hand(with ignition off and coil disconnected for safety). When the piston is coming up to top dead center you will feel air start to push past your finger. When the air stops, you are at top dead center.
Then look at the harmonic balancer and set it to 8 to 10 degrees advanced. After you have done both of the above, install the distributor as per instructions.
Then look at the harmonic balancer and set it to 8 to 10 degrees advanced. After you have done both of the above, install the distributor as per instructions.
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 638
Likes: 110
From: Flakewood Wrench, FL
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 638
Likes: 110
From: Flakewood Wrench, FL
I think it's the flux capacitor.
He needs to start with the basics. The white puff of smoke is making everybody immediately point to something that may not be a problem. A slight puff of smoke from a small carburetor cough could have drifted back towards the distributor and coil by the time he stepped out of the car and looked in the engine bay.
He needs to start with the basics. The white puff of smoke is making everybody immediately point to something that may not be a problem. A slight puff of smoke from a small carburetor cough could have drifted back towards the distributor and coil by the time he stepped out of the car and looked in the engine bay.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 839
Likes: 323
From: Maumelle Arkansas
In the center of the harmonic balancer there should be a large bolt. Find the socket that fits the bolt and turn it with your socket wrench.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
His profile indicates he has a 300 engine. No bolt unless someone added it.
If it's a manual transmission, put it in high gear and rock the car until the crank is where you want it.
Sometimes, you can grab the fan belt and turn the engine.
If it's a manual transmission, put it in high gear and rock the car until the crank is where you want it.
Sometimes, you can grab the fan belt and turn the engine.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,078
Likes: 101
From: Riverhead New York
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 638
Likes: 110
From: Flakewood Wrench, FL
I think it's the flux capacitor.
He needs to start with the basics. The white puff of smoke is making everybody immediately point to something that may not be a problem. A slight puff of smoke from a small carburetor cough could have drifted back towards the distributor and coil by the time he stepped out of the car and looked in the engine bay.
He needs to start with the basics. The white puff of smoke is making everybody immediately point to something that may not be a problem. A slight puff of smoke from a small carburetor cough could have drifted back towards the distributor and coil by the time he stepped out of the car and looked in the engine bay.
I checked the plug wires- they are new and where they belong
Took the dizzy cap off, disconnected the coil wire and started bumping the engine around to see if I'd get lucky with 0 TDC. After about 5 bumps, the wispy white smoke appeared again, same place-behind the diz above the bell and in front of the wiper motor. Disconnected the Neg cable. Checked for heat in obvious places and found none. Don't think the carb burped enough to form a vapor that could have been suspicious "wispy white smoke". Not going to attempt re-setting the dizzy until I find the source of the smoke. WTF is going on here?
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
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Put it back together then pull a plug out and keep it hooked up and ground the treads of the plug to something Then hold it with a pair of well insulated pliers and have some one try and start. If you have a spark in the plug you know you have fire. If you don't. Then you know where to look
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Flakewood Wrench, FL
Put it back together then pull a plug out and keep it hooked up and ground the treads of the plug to something Then hold it with a pair of well insulated pliers and have some one try and start. If you have a spark in the plug you know you have fire. If you don't. Then you know where to look
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,189
Likes: 9,476
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 638
Likes: 110
From: Flakewood Wrench, FL