Car isn't starting
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 248
Likes: 1
From: Apopka Florida
Car isn't starting
I replaced the fuel pump the other day and starter after that. both where shot. I fired it up last night and it purrrred. This moring I went to take it for a ride, no luck. The starter worked perfect and I checked the fuel pump, working perfect. The car without the air cleaner shot out a nice shot of gas through the carb. The car is turning over and I know gas is gettin in but no engine running. Any ideas as to how I screwed this up? Thanks
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
This is very weird...I seem to see this alot..."ran great, shut it off, doesn't run next go around"...I agree it sounds like ignition, but ya didn't touch the ignition parts...right? 
Very weird...see if ya got spark at the coil wire to start...then at the plug..
Very weird...see if ya got spark at the coil wire to start...then at the plug..
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,772
Likes: 694
From: Maryland
St. Jude Donor '05, '09, '15
Originally Posted by 73'454folendore
I replaced the fuel pump the other day and starter after that. both where shot. I fired it up last night and it purrrred. This moring I went to take it for a ride, no luck. The starter worked perfect and I checked the fuel pump, working perfect. The car without the air cleaner shot out a nice shot of gas through the carb. The car is turning over and I know gas is gettin in but no engine running. Any ideas as to how I screwed this up? Thanks
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 248
Likes: 1
From: Apopka Florida
Thanks for the info. I've checked all these ideas. This morning I went to crank it again. Its still turning over and after a couple of seconds the engine almost ignitites for a second then just keeps turning over then almost ignitites again. Its trying but something just aint working to get it that kick to get it going. Still trying though.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,772
Likes: 694
From: Maryland
St. Jude Donor '05, '09, '15
Originally Posted by 73'454folendore
Thanks for the info. I've checked all these ideas. This morning I went to crank it again. Its still turning over and after a couple of seconds the engine almost ignitites for a second then just keeps turning over then almost ignitites again. Its trying but something just aint working to get it that kick to get it going. Still trying though.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 10,362
Likes: 5
From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
Originally Posted by 73'454folendore
Points for now. next step to to change to the HEI
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,725
Likes: 5
From: Minnesota
Originally Posted by 71forKen
Maybe flooded now since trying to crank it and no ignition? Pull the plugs and see if they're fouled with gas.
Sounds flooded to me. You may want to take the plugs out and burn off the excess gas with a propane torch if it's flooded too badly.
Navigator
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
I'll third the fooding thing, check the choke plate, if it is fully closed you may try holing it open while cranking with the throttle full open.
I had a truck the the float sunk in and would always flood out. With the new pump etc, it may just flood it from the get go.
I had a truck the the float sunk in and would always flood out. With the new pump etc, it may just flood it from the get go.
Navigator
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Ah the good ole burn the points myth, more important is you would drain yor battery.
The points are just an on/off switch to energize and de-energize the windings of the coil. When the points open the magnetic field of the field windings colapses and created the spark.
This is much like an electric solenoid, except instead of the metal core which produces the magnetic force to operate whatever the solenoid is operating.
That being explained, the duration of contact or open, does not matter in the "burning" of points (much like relay contacts). If points "burn" it is usualy because they were already bad and needed changing. When points are somewhat bad, they are not making a "full" connection and resistance builds which can cause heat.
Dirt can cause an improper contact also and expidite the premature failure of the contact area with arc-ing at each open and close of the contact.
Coil replacement with High energy coils can exasperate the points also.
Points replacement is one of the cheaper ways to keep your engine running well
The points are just an on/off switch to energize and de-energize the windings of the coil. When the points open the magnetic field of the field windings colapses and created the spark.
This is much like an electric solenoid, except instead of the metal core which produces the magnetic force to operate whatever the solenoid is operating.
That being explained, the duration of contact or open, does not matter in the "burning" of points (much like relay contacts). If points "burn" it is usualy because they were already bad and needed changing. When points are somewhat bad, they are not making a "full" connection and resistance builds which can cause heat.
Dirt can cause an improper contact also and expidite the premature failure of the contact area with arc-ing at each open and close of the contact.
Coil replacement with High energy coils can exasperate the points also.
Points replacement is one of the cheaper ways to keep your engine running well
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
VERY GOOD, mag00!! I've tried to explain this theory to many friends, only to receive that "blank stare" back at me
Gotta copy that and forward
As far as the problem, I still find it hard to believe that it ran great, off, won't start...unless a fusy link or fuse popped during the re-start..I still stay with checking for spark on the coil wire at the distributor while cranking..that will tell if it's a flood problem or a spark problem...don't think I saw a reply on that...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,101
Likes: 3
From: Cruising somewhere in St. Louis, Missouri
happened twice with me on two different vettes.
I had to clean the contacts on the inside of the distributor cap and then it fired right up. some kind of build up in there.
jim
I had to clean the contacts on the inside of the distributor cap and then it fired right up. some kind of build up in there.
jim