The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop now it won't start

I got my 50 3100 started, it ran pretty well, but it clicked a little more than I liked, so I puller the rocker arm cover and discover 2 bent push rods. Bought all new pushrods, and when I installed them, one of them fell a lot lower. I pulled the side cover to find one of the lifters had come apart. Guess what, they were hyd lifters. So I replaced all of them, adjusted the rocker arms per stovebolt.com instructions, but the engine will not start. I attached a timing light so I know it's firing. I rolled the FW around several times and watched the r arms move. I know the rotor is pointing toward #1 when the FW marks are in the bell housing hole. I see two marks on the flywheel, I thought I saw a small ball, but I can't seem to find in now. I do see the two Marks with the rotor looking about a 2:00 looking at the dist from passenger fender. I'm working by myself so it is hard to be the three places, dist, flywheel, and in the cab pushing starter.

Hey, the good news is the casting #s indicate a 54 235 engine, but the head must be off a 216 cause the VC bolts on through the center rather than on the outer edge.

I pretty sure I have fuel, I have fire, so I hope I have compression. What do you recommend?

well, quick and easy to check compression is to have someone bar engine over and put a finger over the spark plug hole if you don't have a compression gauge. If it pushes on your finger then that's at least a start....

Smell fuel in carb? Gettin gas ok?

Do you get a spark on the plug that's out when you bar engine over when the cylinder pressurizes?

I have not checked compression, and I do have a comp. gauge. Of the two (2) marks on the FW, which is TDC? I assume the last one to show, but you know what can happen when you assume.

Thanks for your feed back, and I try to check compression.

Your 235 would have come with the 2 bolt valve cover from the factory. The timing mark is a small bb, it is the size and shape of a bb. You should have a triangle, thats TDC shortly after that you will see the bb. I had to spray carb cleaner on the flywheel as I turned it over (easier w plugs out), finally rubbed the flywheel with a rag soaked in laquer thinner a bunch of times to find TDC. If it has hydralic lifters it must be a car motor.

Took a while to find mine. The BB is high up on the flywheel and is hidden behind the pointer when timing is set.

When you find it, clean the area and put some white paint on the flywheel to mark, sure makes setting the timing next time easier.

I found the BB, and when it shows, the rotor is pointing straight toward the block. So. . .is this where I want the #1 SP wire? Or...do I put the #1 wire where the rotor will be when the other timing marks are in the hole? Is the BB location just to give you some advanced timing?

it could be 180 out - it has to be making compression when it gets to where its pointing, then you can set the wires.

You COULD put the #1 spark plug wire where the rotor is pointing. This actually isn't a problem at all.

But really, the distributor is 180 degrees off. If it were me, I'd pull the distributor and rotate the shaft so that at TDC, the rotor points away from the block.

Finding that elusive BB is a big part of the battle...

OK, now if I find the BB, the rotor only rotates at 1/2 the RPM of the crankshaft, right? So I need to check the valves to see where I am, right?
Intake, Compression, Power, Exhaust. Ingnition happens at power, right?. Intake valve opens at Intake, both valves closed on compression and power, and exhaust valve open on exhaust. I think that is where I am, but I'll double check to see where the rotor is at POWER. Again, does rotor need be at #1 SP wire at BB or TDC? or will it matter?

I think you have to adjust the hydraulic lifters after they get a bit of oil in them, otherwise they will collapse and you will get no clearance or compression. I would adjust them so they are slightly loose like solids until you get it to start and then let the oil pressure come up for a minute or two and fill the lifters, then readjust. It will clatter quite a bit but will be fine.

I misstated this before, sorry. The rotor should be pointing at #1 when the bb is aligned. To be more precise, the points should be just opening - with rotor toward #1 - with the bb aligned. Remember the rotor rotates CW when you set the 'just opening' location. This should get you pretty close - enough for the motor to run so you can set the final timing with a timing light.

Also, I understand that the spark happens at the end of the compression stroke (with a bit of compression to go). Supposedly, the explosion takes a little of time to oommmph - thus the extra travel before the power stroke.

I just swapped my distributor out for a differant one (Vette dual point breaker in stock body) last week, and the BB/point just opening was very close and got the engine started on the first crank. You may have to set the idle a bit high to get it to run until you get the timing set right but it should fire.

Got it started. Problem was, I was looking at the BB on the manifold side of the engine, not the distrubutor side. DAH! I did'nt notice the hole, actually looked for one, but the starter and lever kind of sheilded it until I got a bright light on it. I was about 90 degrees off by using the wrong side of the block. What is the hole on the manifold side for anyway?

Lifters and rocker arms nice & quiet. I listened to them with a stethoscope, and they seemed to be uniform, so I buttoned it up and set timing with the light. Kind of hard to see with the coil right in the line of sight. May want to invest in a manual; where is the best place to get a manual?

Now I'm working on getting it to stop. Bled the LF wheel, tried to bleed others with vacuum set up, but could not get fluid to ever show up. Was able to pump up brake petal and took short test drive. Only LF wheel seem to be braking, so I guess I'll have to get some help & bleed the old way. Then next step is to haul to muffler shop. NO Pipes from manifold yet. Soon Though!