The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Restart issues

I just put my rebuilt 216 (modified with a 235 crank) engine back in the truck and am having issues getting it to fire up. Have checked timing multiple times and the best we have gotten is a kickback when one cylinder fires prematurely and the latest thing is a single loud pop out the exhaust (no exhaust pipe yet.)
I'm suspicious of the starter drawing the voltage down too low to fire the ignition. Had some issues with the coil wire too close to the distributor cap clip. Still the original 6 volt system and the battery is fully charged at 6.2V. Thinking of isolating the battery from the starter and cranking with a 12V battery so the ignition gets a full 6V.
Any input from the Stovebolt Collective?

So RTFI applies here. I was setting the initial timing with the pointer on the BB on the flywheel instead of the U/C mark. Will go back and check timing again this afternoon.

Race Tuned Fuel Injection?

Radiographic Testing Film Interpretation?

What does RTFI mean?

Kinda like BFH

My Dad's version of RTFI was "When all else fails look in the trash for the instructions".

"We don't need no stinking instructions"

Oh, WAIT!!!

Ok.

My dad always said "Read the manual!"

6.2 volts seems pretty low to me.
Are you sure that you had the number one piston at the top the cylinder on the compression stroke when you dropped in the distributor?
Needle on the ball is where you need to be in order to start and run. The other marks on the flywheel are for checking static valve train specs.
I'm thinking that you already know all of this.
I am just kindly suggesting that you double check some things.

Thanks Carl,
Fully charged 6V is 6.3-6.4V, so I'm a little low, but had been cranking a bit.
The book says set static timing on the U/C mark on the flywheel when installing the distributor (page 12-29) with #1 at TDC compression, and use the ball with a timing light when running (page 6-19.)
Why it wasn't in the same place in the manual? Would have been easier to find.

I'll be double checking things when I retry. Will also measure cranking voltage at the coil to rule out a dragging starter.

"Needle on the ball- - - - -both #1 valves closed"! The ball comes up twice- - - -once at the top of the compression stroke of #1 cylinder, and again one turn later with #6 on compression. Watch the #6 valves as you rotate the engine- - - -when the exhaust valve closes fully and the intake starts to open- - - - -install the distributor with the rotor pointing toward the #1 spark plug wire on the distributor cap!
Jerry

That's not what the service manual says. It says to use the U/C mark for static timing while installing the distributor.

The few degrees of difference between the BB and UIC won't keep the engine from starting. Something else is wrong. Check distributor for 153624 rotating clockwise. Also check for #1 firing when both valves closed like Jerry says. Could be you are 180 degrees out on the distributor like Jerry implies.

Yup, sounds like it's off 180 degrees

When I did my start up last year, I set the pointer on the BB. With spark plugs removed, I blew air into #1 to make sure it was sealed up. Then I was sure I had it at TDC. #6 air just blew through. On my recent struggle with my start up, my condenser ended up being bad.

I guess I've been doing it wrong for 65+ years, then. Never failed to start. U/C is used for valve adjusting.
Jerry

It was 180 off. Fixed that and made one start attempt, but needed to recharge the battery. Firing order was confirmed correct. I may install Jon G's condenser and see whether that makes a difference. It was running previously with the same condenser, but that doesn't mean it hasn't gone bad.

Can you use #6 plug wire to time it? Is my thinking bonkers?

Yes.

#6 piston is exactly the same place on the crankshaft degree wise as is #1. #6 spark plug should fire every other turn of the crankshaft alternating with #1. You shouldn't be able to tell the difference with a timing light.

He who has never dropped a distributor in 180 degrees out hasn't been doing it long enough.

My wiring expertise (or lack there of) probably caused me to burn out my condenser. Sure glad I had spare.

Well, it's running. I did put Jon G's condenser in, but no joy. It would try, but refuse to continue running. So I triple-checked the firing order and discovered that dyslexia had gotten me. Plug wires for #2 and #4 were switched. Once that was fixed, it fired up and ran nicely.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Sometimes it takes a village (of stovebolters.)

Kevin, Congratulations! Come to find out, at a late stage of life, I'm dyslexic. I feel your pain, once that little fact was explained a very few years ago, all I could say was....Yelp. On firing orders, anytime a friend asks for help getting a rig running right after they've worked on it, first thing I do is pull all the plug wires from the distributor cap, pull number 1 plug, find TDC, and following the firing order wire the cap. There's always lots of conversation on how they've already done that. Occasionally it really is the firing order that was mysteriously out of wack. Would love to see your rig and see the modded 216 in action.

RonR

I plead guilty dropping in the distributor 180-out and using #6 for timing.

He who has never crossed spark plug wires right after dropping a distributor in 180 degrees out hasn't been doing it long enough as well. smile

It is amazing how few cylinders a Stovebolt will run on. I also “know a guy” who has managed to cross up plug wires.

It was amazing the difference in non-starting with the crosses wires and after correcting. It fired up and ran immediately, but couldn't quite make it when the wires were crossed.

I usually just forget that I put the rotor in my pocket while I'm changing points and then wonder why the engine won't start.

Yep. I put mine on the cover by the radiator. When I walked around the front to see why it wasn't starting, I noticed the rotor on the ground. I was glad in didn't crack.

Bolters, please keep this thread on topic and stovebolt related!

After this thread left the Stovebolt world, I removed several posts that were not stovebolt related and removed text from others that referred to non Stovebolt engines.