The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Sad, sad story

The distributor is geared to the camshaft which is geared to the crank. The cams spins 1/2 the speed of the crank (2 to 1). So the distributor will be right every other rotation. This is why you have to be sure you are #1 compression stroke, if you hit the exhaust stroke, #6 is trying to fire.

To double check, get the crank close to the pointer, pull #1 plug and hold your finger over the hole while turning (with a wrench) the engine. If you are on the compression stroke, you will feel the compression, exhaust stroke, you won't feel anything.

Can you confirm the plugs are firing? pull a wire and ground out a extra plug to the block with the wire attached, does it fire?

How about getting fuel into the engine? have you tried a small cap of fuel dumped into the intake, (two or three spoons full)?

With the cap off the distributor, you should feel the mechanical advance moving when twisting the rotor, this is normal.

Not to insult or anything, but are you sure its wire in the correct order and direction? The vacuum advance points in the direction of rotation. Think of the mounting end of the advance unit as the arrow head, and the hose end as the feathers on a arrow. The arrow points the way of rotation!

Joe

Rotated rotor 180 and it ran for maybe a second. I need to reposition my gas so it is above the pump, but that was huge success. Thanks all for your help. Its 720 degrees of crank shaft rotation.

I have checked the wires several times and yes, I am sure the distributor is in the correct location. The vacuum advance is pointing to the drivers side front. I did what the manual said to do. As for direction, the rotor rotates clockwise and the numbers go 1,8,4,3,6,5,7,2

When I look in the shop manual they have number one near the 12 o'clock position but some diagrams on the net have the #1 point on the cap the next position over, that did confuses me.

The plugs are firing, I have a tester and I held one to test it. The fuel getting into the engine is currently the issue. I got the motor to run twice for a second or two. I did not go any further.
When I first started I had a 1 gallon container under the fuel pump, with a filter and line into the container. In the beginning, when the engine ran it would pull gas from the container through a filter and into the pump. I have another OEM filter in front of the carb. I could see the OEM filter getting full of fuel. Recently however, I had not seen any gas being pulled beyond the first filter. The pump is a new delco pump. I figure two things

1) Bernoulies (sp?) principles tell me the gas container outlet should be above the pump.

2) My efforts probably have not been healthy for the pump, probably ran dry for a while.


So I decided to rig something above the pump. Good excuse to come back to it tomorrow with the understanding, that I had accomplished something today.

Back when I won alcoholic of the year(1999, took the gold), this was a reason to drink. But recently I could not even get a good showing in the competition, so I will just enjoy some forward progress until tomorrow, when my saw horse gas location is complete. Putting the gas tank on a saw horse which puts everything above the pump. The exit of the container though, is still above the actual gas.

Input would be appreciated.

The pump should be able to suck it that far. I run engines on a test stand using only plastic fuel tanks on the ground. Remove the filter at the tank and leave the stock one, one is plenty.

Not sure what carb you have, but it might be time to pull the top off and check the float for proper operation.

Speaking of fuel and tanks, try a 5 gallon jug, you will use up one gallon pretty quick just filling the fuel system.

When you wire up a distributor, it doesn't matter where the rotor or vacuum unit is pointing as long as you start with #1 wire at the hole where the rotor is pointing, go the right direction, and in the right order. The idea of pointing the rotor at the driver is so you will always know where number one is. Place the vacuum advance in the most open area so you have room to rotate the distributor both directions when it come time to set the timing. When you get it right, the wires should exit the cap and run out to the plugs in a orderly manner, a few will cross each other but most will be about right.

It ran for a second, so you are all most there!

Update, I did get it to run for a second or 2, but no longer. I ensured that I was getting fuel and I am. I did notice that there was too much fuel, so I took the top off and double checked the float measurements. Yes they were wrong so I changed them per the book.
The carb is the Rochester 2G. I am trying to understand why clearly it is firing, sufficiently to actually raise the temp of the exhaust pipe but will not stay running. I did rebuild the carb so I am assuming for the moment that the mistake is probably there. Any thoughts on what should be checked. I did the rebuild per the instructions that came with the kit and also per the shop manual.

Again this is a Rochester 2G on 283.

" When I look in the shop manual they have number one near the 12 o'clock position but some diagrams on the net have the #1 point on the cap the next position over, that did confuses me."

The terminal for the # 1 wire should be closer to # 8 cylinder than # 7 on a 283 points-type ignition.

If you can get it to fire, turn the distributor one way or the other and see if it improves. You might have it to far retarted. This will let it run but very poorly. To far acvanced and it will kick back against the starter or out the carburetor. To advance it, turn towards the vacuum advance hose outlet, to retard turn towards the vacuum advance mounting point.

Joe