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I've had my 1950 3100 with a 6v 216 for 3 years.

In that time I've done plenty of work on it but it's been running and driving the whole time.

So 2 months ago it stalled on me after driving for about 30 minutes. Had never done that before. It was flooded. I ran the battery dead trying to get it started. The next day, on a full battery, it started right up and ran fine for a short drive around the neighborhood. Got home and parked it. Hasn't ran since.

Figured it was still flooding so since I was gonna open up the carb to check the float I figured I'd rebuild it.

I ordered a rebuild kit from mikes carbs, followed every online video I can find.

After getting the carb straightened out and then rebuilding the starter (had a bad commutator) and running new battery cables, it won't start. It will crank and crank but i can't even get a burp or a fart out of it, even with starting fluid.

So I think my timing is off. I've tried fiddling with it for weeks but still can't get it to fire.

I'm hoping there is someone near by (I'm 20 min south of Annapolis) that has a compression gauge, vacuum gauge and timing light and the experience to help me get my truck back on the road. I'm missing out on the prime driving season.

I'll gladly provide lunch and drinks. Hell I'll get crabs and beers for the victory lap down the driveway.


Any help is greatly appreciated.

I am not the engine guy. I am the guy that will stand around and heckle the engine guy and enjoy the experience. Let us see if the engine guy and his entourage pokes his nose in. It sounds like a good field trip / rescue detachment.
Welcome to the group.
Hambone

Thanks I'm no engine guy either. I'm learning as i go.

Sounds like a challenge for SWEET!
If I was closer, I would stand by Hambone and help him.

Don

You can borrow free tools from AUTO ZONE. Also from Advance Auto Parts
Harold

If you haven't messed with timing already I wouldn't suspect that being the difference between running one day and not the next.
Do check for spark at a spark plug wire.

I'd guess (without seeing the truck) at this point that insufficient current/voltage is available to the ignition while cranking. You did replace battery cables, but what size, are connections bright clean metal, and where are they connected, the ground in particular?
Best to run ground cable direct to one of the two starter mounting bolts unless you're dead set on being 100% original and if so this would be a good place to compromise at 99.5%.
I recommend 2/0 cable for these trucks and 6V. If you have 1/0 that should be fine, but 2/0 is a nice amount of overkill without being ridiculous.

If the above is the issue it should roll start nicely as is.

2 gauge cable, ground runs from neg terminal to a lug on the flywheel housing just above the starter where the braided ground lands. all connection points were sanded and bright and shiny before bolting them up Blue spark on all 6 plugs, gaps set to spec.

I tried setting timing per the manual. #1 at TDC on the compression stroke, rotor pointed at #1 wire. Points just barely opening, Octane setting set to zero Won't start. Swapped wires 180 out. Won't start.

Had my daughter hold down the starter and withe the octane setting bolt loose but tight enough to hold the dizzy in position i slowly advanced and the retard the Dizzy. Nothing. Still won't start. Change wires 180 and tried again, Nothing.

Each time there was gas in the manifold and a quick shot of ether in the carb. Key was on and choke was closed. Battery is fully charged. Tried everything above with half choke and no choke. Still nothing.

The only thing i haven't gotten into is timing with a light, timing on vacuum and a compression test. Because i don't have the tools and can't get it to run.

If he does not chime in send a PM to Hotrod Lincoln. Jerry help me through a similar problem but it has been 10 years or so. He had me run a wire from the starter but I don't remember to where.

2 gauge is much less copper than 2/0 cable. You want cables nearly 5/8” diameter outside the insulation.

I still suspect low voltage at the coil while cranking. Measure voltage at coil hot terminal to ground while cranking. Or use a separate battery to supply power to just the coil for testing purposes and see if it runs. You can even use a 12v battery for this test. Remove wire feeding coil from ignition switch at the coil end and connect your 12v battery to coil and a ground.

Each engine is different but I wouldn’t choke for more than a moment at a time.
You may have flooded it right of the bat. To reverse that crank with foot to the floor, no choke. Or wait.

You need to see if you have spark at a spark plug. Pull one plug, attach the spark plug wire to it and have a recent acquaintance hold it to bare metal while you crank the engine over. Don't have a friend hold the plug to the ground just in case he carelessly shocks himself and instantly becomes a former friend.
Carl

My Dad did that to me when I was really young!
He would shut off a running lawn mower by shorting the plug to the frame with his hand.
To this day, I can't stand to be shocked.

Don
Edit: He also tole me when he was a teenager back in the 30's.
The boys would see who could kill a running four cylinder Model T by shorting out the plugs with their fingers.
No wires removed, Just ground the plugs out with your fingers.

Grigg/We B Old you guys got me a lot closer than I've been in weeks. I ran a 12g wire from the positive battery terminal directly to the coil. Turned it over and it started belching and farting. WAY more response than I've gotten since i last drove it. So from that I'm taking that the new battery cables i installed are too thin and my timing is now off from me fiddling with it.

I got a buddy who builds hotrods that says he's got 6 feet of cable in his garage. So hopefully I can get it back on the road by this weekend.

Trey

Where do you live?

Churchton It's between Shady Side and Deale 20 min south of Annapolis and Edgewater

Sounds like the ”Engine whisperer” is now on the case. If it can be started, it will come alive!

Chris

I would check the condition of the points. The "No Fire" makes me think that the distributor is not grounding the coil. Inspect the condition of the contact on the points. I would just file them and set the gap and then see if I could get the engine to fire.

I swapped out the points and condenser. Then I had no spark. Put the old ones back in. Now I have spark. What gives

I need to find someone local who can come in here and start this darn thing. I'm missing out on the whole summer

Clean the brand new points. They often come with some type of crap on the contacts.
Another cause could be the wire between the coil and the distributor. The copper inside the wire can fatigue over time from the frequent movement of the distributor via the vacuum advance.

Thanks I'll check. But I'm getting good spark now but it's not kicking over. I'm getting to be at my wit's end

Fuel, fire, compression each at the right time. You say you have the fire. You’ve poured fuel down the carburetor, so you have fuel. That leaves compression and timing to check.

When I doubt, take a beer break so you don't get frustrated with it.

That's the problem. Too many beer breaks. Not enough figuring out

I'm too green to get this on my own

I wish I was closer to assist you.

Chris

Thanks. The thought is appreciated. You know who's not coming over to help? My brother the mechanic who's 45 minutes away.

Invite your brother over for a bachelor party for an imaginary friend. Once your brother shows up, just tell him that the wedding got called off.
Carl

So, it runs. I advanced the octane setting all the counter clockwise. After turning it over for about 3 minutes i heard it cough. Gave it a break and tried again. It coughed twice. Another couple breaks and a bunch of coughing and my truck came to life. Ran it for about a half hour and let it come up to temp and shut it down. an hour later after it had cooled it started right up. drove it around a bit, ran a few errands and it continued to start right up.

Thanks everyone for all your help on this.

Here is a summary of my work. Truck was flooding

-Rebuilt the carb. Then it wouldn't start
-Changed out the battery cable to 2 gauge cables (too small)
-Rebuilt the starter
-Changed the battery cables to 2/0 gauge along with new connectors. Everything soldered and crimped
-Bought and installed a new starter from Napa
-Changed spark plugs and points setting them to manufacturer's specs
-Fiddled with the timing and octane setting
-Truck started

Thanks again guys. See you out on the road