Race Car won't start :(
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Race Car won't start :(
I haven't raced the '68 for a while but still used to start up the car once a month since racing the last time.. Last time that I had the car running was in January. Haven't been able to start it since.. Yesterday, I changed the plugs and checked for a spark and the spark was good and looked strong on all 8 cylinders.. There is fuel in the tank and fuel pressure looks good.. I really didn't change anything on the car since I had it running last time.. I really don't know what else I can try to make it start?? I got fuel, I got spark.. What else should I look for?
Team Owner
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From: In limbo
St. Jude Donor '13-'15, '17 thru '22
If you are sure you have spark, I would spray some starting fluid in the carb and see if I can get the engine to fire. If so, I would assume your carb is dried out and not getting fuel for some reason. If not, I would assume you are having some kind of spark problem.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Thread Starter
Team Owner
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
I'm pretty sure that the carb isn't dried out as I can see the fuel squirt into the carb when stepping on the gas.. As I said before, the spark seems strong.. (pulled each plug and crank the engine and the spark seemed very strong.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: In limbo
St. Jude Donor '13-'15, '17 thru '22
Hmmmmph. You are sure you have gas, and sure you have spark. The car started and ran fine a month ago, but now after sitting for a month it won't start. I have to admit, I'm feeling stumped.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
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From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I wouldn't use something 3 months old in a vented tank unless you added some kind of gas stabilizer. You loose all the lighter volital hydrocarbons
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Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
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From: Taylor Michigan
Dont make sense, changed the plugs and still will not fire. Holes and plugs must be wet with fuel is the most logical reason. I just fired my L88 with poring some gas down the carb and it was running almost before I could get the key back to the run position.
ps, last years gas too.
ps, last years gas too.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
battery is fully charged and cranking speed seems normal. The battery always sits on a charger and I actually tried starting it while (in addition to the fully charged battery) I also hooked up jump start cables from my running '92 Vette..
Thread Starter
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Last edited by GrandSportC3; Mar 25, 2009 at 01:19 PM.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
The gas in the car is a mix of 118 octane and 112 octane leaded (as I was running nitrous the last time out). On engine, I usually run 112 octane straight.. (leaded)
Racer
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 259
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From: Columbus Mn
Dristributer drive gear?
Years ago, I had the distributer drive roll pin in my 460 ford shear. It would grab enough to rotate the distributer so I had spark. I had fuel too. The timing was off. I'd set the timing cranking it over, but the timing kept moving. It would either crank and crank, or backfire through the carb.
Maybe check the timing, and also see if the rotor rotates smoothly.
That's all I got. Good luck.
Maybe check the timing, and also see if the rotor rotates smoothly.
That's all I got. Good luck.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 276
Likes: 1
From: Pistoia PT (ITALY)
If your plugs are dry..... try to put a glass of new gasoline in your carb and crank it!
Race gas from 9 month a go..... is a bit too old, for my opinion!
Any volatile is gone for shure.... and is the gas isn't evaporating in the intake it should be very hard to fire the cold engine.
Just my 2 cents...
Race gas from 9 month a go..... is a bit too old, for my opinion!
Any volatile is gone for shure.... and is the gas isn't evaporating in the intake it should be very hard to fire the cold engine.
Just my 2 cents...
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From: Taylor Michigan
Le Mans Master
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From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Pull the plugs and give the cylinders a small shot of oil. Crank it over with teh plugs out to spread the oil around, put the plugs back in and start it.
I'm going to guess you're using, (as I am) 1/16 low tension compression rings. They got a little too much gas and lost the seal with the cylinder wall.
I'm going to guess you're using, (as I am) 1/16 low tension compression rings. They got a little too much gas and lost the seal with the cylinder wall.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Years ago, I had the distributer drive roll pin in my 460 ford shear. It would grab enough to rotate the distributer so I had spark. I had fuel too. The timing was off. I'd set the timing cranking it over, but the timing kept moving. It would either crank and crank, or backfire through the carb.
Maybe check the timing, and also see if the rotor rotates smoothly.
That's all I got. Good luck.
Maybe check the timing, and also see if the rotor rotates smoothly.
That's all I got. Good luck.
I'll try to get some race gas on Saturday and might have a chance to work on the car on Sunday again...