post tune up HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 492
Likes: 31
From: NJ
post tune up HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dad and I changed plugs, distributor cap, rotor and points today. The car has a week battery but prior to doing all of the changeouts, we fired her up right away with the help of another car. Changed everything, put everything back together and even with the jump, it won't start.
We haven't set the points yet, but 'eyed' them in the same location as the ones we took out. We do have a dwell meter and timing light which we will use tomorrow. But how likely is it to not start after we changed the items and set the points 'eyed' to the same location as those that came out?
Any tips for us in the morning? The car is running straight 30 weight oil (previous owner ran it with this and I haven't changed to a different oil) and the garage is cold (45-50 degrees). She seems to flood real easily if she doesn't start up right away. Even with some starting fluid she didn't start after the tune-up.
Tips welcome. I'm new to this but my dad has some knowledge that is slowly coming back to him from 30+ years ago when he last had an engine like this.
We haven't set the points yet, but 'eyed' them in the same location as the ones we took out. We do have a dwell meter and timing light which we will use tomorrow. But how likely is it to not start after we changed the items and set the points 'eyed' to the same location as those that came out?
Any tips for us in the morning? The car is running straight 30 weight oil (previous owner ran it with this and I haven't changed to a different oil) and the garage is cold (45-50 degrees). She seems to flood real easily if she doesn't start up right away. Even with some starting fluid she didn't start after the tune-up.
Tips welcome. I'm new to this but my dad has some knowledge that is slowly coming back to him from 30+ years ago when he last had an engine like this.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 53,648
Likes: 878
From: Southern Cal Ca
St. Jude Donor '22
sset dwell first (easy with plugs out. can crank engine while dwell
meter reads, adjust points)
with plugs in use feeler gauge with points fully open and on the
highest part of lobe.
Eye ball don't cut it.
once dwell is set engine running set timing
once timing set adjuct air/fuel mix
finally adjust idle rpm
meter reads, adjust points)
with plugs in use feeler gauge with points fully open and on the
highest part of lobe.
Eye ball don't cut it.
once dwell is set engine running set timing
once timing set adjuct air/fuel mix
finally adjust idle rpm
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
If you don't get her fired up early tomorrow give me a call. I'll be glad to help out.
Set the points with a feeler gauge first then once it gets running you can set the dwell with the gauge. Did you loosen the dist and move it at all? Sound dumb but check all the plugs wires and make sure they are all on tight and on the right plugs. Simple things first.
The oil should be fine. I am running 20W 50 racing oil in mine. Just let it warm up before giving it some rpms.
Set the points with a feeler gauge first then once it gets running you can set the dwell with the gauge. Did you loosen the dist and move it at all? Sound dumb but check all the plugs wires and make sure they are all on tight and on the right plugs. Simple things first.
The oil should be fine. I am running 20W 50 racing oil in mine. Just let it warm up before giving it some rpms.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Once upon a time (yes, I know) points used to come out of the box close enough to start. Make sure your condenser and point lead are connected properly. If you do check the points with a feeler gauge ,not a bad idea, wipe the feeler gauge down really well with alcohol. A trace of oil on the gauge gets transferred to the new points and they are junk. Oil insulates real well and it will not come off points.
