Engine Troubles

[JordyKE]

Got my 3K into my 26 yesterday. Started it up, played around with the timing a bit.

 

THEN all of a f@$king sudden it decides not to go. AND is still not going i just checked the first spark plug and it's getting spark. I don't see why it just stopped going.

 

I'm terribly pissed off. Can anyone help ASAP.

 

Thanks.

[love ke70]

out of fuel?

blocked fuel line?

what sort of timing did you have it set at, at what rpms?

did it stop, or did you turn it off and then it woudlnt restart?

so it turns over but doesnt start, and you have spark.

all your vaccuum stuff right?

[JordyKE]

Not out of fuel, i highly doubt a blocked fuel line.

Don't laugh but i don't know what timing i had it set at :bash:

I turned it off then it wouldn't restart.

I've changed all the plugs now. Pints aren't welded together. I do have spark.

Vacuum stuff all hooked up.

 

I have a mate coming around after work with a timing light, hopefully we can get it going. I think i fiddled with the timing too much. And now it's all out whack and i can't get it back right to restart.

 

Before my mate comes around. What is a good timing for a stock 3K?

 

Thanks Andy.

[ke70dave]

about 10deg BTDC.

 

if you think you stuffed up the timing....just turn the dizzy one way and see if it gets better (sounds like it might start), if it doesnt, turn it the other way.

 

did you take the dizzy out?

 

if not it can't be that far out, just need to trial and error.

 

don't be afraid to get someone to turn over the car, and you spin the dizzy until it starts. done that a few times if i didn't have a light handy.

 

just don't hold the starter for more than about 5sec at a time, starters don't like that.

[altezzaclub]

no- just static time it first before you try starting it.

 

Watch the rockers under the oil filler cap while you turn the crank pulley up to the zero timing mark. You will either have cyl one or four firing.

 

Once you know which it is, turn the crank back 1/4 turn and watch the dizzy shaft as you come back up to zero deg. Make sure it is going to point the rotor at the right plug lead.

 

Put the crank pulley on 10deg BTDC, pull the HT lead out of the coil, turn the key on, then turn the dizzy until the points just open and you hear the spark crack. Dead easy and it will be within a degree or two of where it should be.

 

Then hook it up and try starting it.

[love ke70]

nice, thats a good description of static timing, altezzaclub, your just so old school its cool :blush: now if i ever need to quickly static time a old points motor i can :)

[JordyKE]

Alright.

So after hours and hours of frustration. We had finally figured it out.

 

We cancelled out everything possible, no fuel leaks, fuel was getting into the, coil was fine, battery was fine, wasn't flooded, sparks in all cylinders and from ignition coil to dizzy, no faulty leads. Not to mention timing set at 10deg BTDC.

 

Mate went home and we gave up. Then i messaged Dave (some of you might know him , TE278U is his username)

 

he came around had a fiddle, then figured it out. Turns out my Dizzy was in a few or maybe one tooth out so the spark was igniting as a guess on the de compression stroke. Stupid hey.

 

So we took it out aligned cylinder one at top dead. Placed the dizzy back in so it was vertical to the engine (if that makes sense).

Tightened her up. First click...... SHE STARTS.

 

 

Just so so so silly by me. I don't even remember taking out the dizzy. Who knows. Live you learn.

 

Cheers guys. (sorry for the essay).

[love ke70]

how was timing set at 10deg BTDC if your dizzy was out by a number of teeth?

[altezzaclub]

Watch the rockers under the oil filler cap while you turn the crank pulley up to the zero timing mark. You will either have cyl one or four firing.

 

Once you know which it is, turn the crank back 1/4 turn and watch the dizzy shaft as you come back up to zero deg. Make sure it is going to point the rotor at the right plug lead.

 

yep- that's what this means... You need to know which cyl is firing, which direction the rotor turns, and which cyl it is going to fire!

 

So, running like a rocket now Jordy?

[JordyKE]

how was timing set at 10deg BTDC if your dizzy was out by a number of teeth?

 

It was probably saying it was set at that when we were using the gun. But it was nothing near that. I'm not sure to be honest.

 

 

 

Not exactly running like a rocket, it's running a bit hot, in between half and full on the temperature dials. Which I'm not sure about.

 

i've got the timing set at about 10-15 deg BTDC probably about 12. Hmmmmm maybe it's the plugs, or the tuning. But it shouldn't be the tuning as it's never run hot ever.

[love ke70]

what gun is this? is it definately right?

your saying it was saying 10 on the gun before you turned it an unknown number of teeth, and now its saying 10 after turning it a number of teeth, somethings not adding up...

 

what rpm are you setting the timing at?

[JordyKE]

Running shithouse, impossible to drive. The dizzy must be in the wrong way.

 

I'm taking it to my mechanic on Monday and he can sort it out. I'm over working on it.

[altezzaclub]

Running hot is a sign or being retarded. Check it one more time... take off the vac advance hose, stick the timing light on the coil lead (so it reads all firings) and take a look at idle. There will be a difference of a few degrees between 1 and 4 (you won't see a mark for 2 & 3) but it should flash between 10 and 12deg.

 

Have someone give it a little accleration and it should move to 20deg advance quickly, and the max should be over 30, which I don't think you'll be able to read. Then while it is idling and you can read the advance with the light, hook the vac advance back up. It shouldn't make a difference at idle.

 

Was it running fine before you started on the timing? or was it playing up back then from something else like a carb air leak?