The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 292 in 63 c60 won't start

From the time I got this truck near a month ago til now
it's yet to start. I've replaced near everything electrical except fuse box and wiring harness, ie distributor, cap and coil, plugs and wires, points and battery. Cleaned and rebuilt the carb. Reset the timing as well. All to no avail. The motor
turns over but that's all it does, until it runs my new battery down I've tried starting fluid and gas down the carb. It spits and sputters occasionally but that's about it.... I'm at my wits end.... I'm wondering if the problem pertains maybe to fuel pump ? I checked it and it seemed ok, but I'm no expert... I may just replace it and see... It's wearing me out though !! Any idea's anybody ? Thanks in advance

How did you check the fuel pump? The method that was recommended to me was to disconnect the line at the carb and hold it over a coffee can or something while someone else cranks the engine. You should get good strong pulses of gasoline coming out. There is probably an amount it should produce with X number of cranks (or pulses)but I don't know what that is. Are you getting a spark?

We took it off and examined best we could... The plunger seemed to have good
action so we assumed it was ok. We did also do the crank test, having a friend
hold finger over hose while we cranked it... Fuel shot out of the hose
with pretty good pressure, so we at least thought all that meant it was ok. We
don't smell gas though while trying to start, even manually
Working the fuel linkage. Maybe that tells us something ?

Your timing chain may be worn. It might be just enough out of time to not start. Unforuntately, the only way you can check it is by pulling the timing chain cover.

Chris

Ok, sounds like that's next on the check-list of things to do.
Thanks, I'll let y'all know

Where are you in Madison county? I'm just north of you, up in Tennessee near I-65 exit 14. Drop me a PM or an email, and I'll see if I can help you get it going.

Edit: A 292 doesn't have a timing chain- - - -it's got gears, and if the distributor is turning at all, it's very unlikely the cam timing is wrong.

Jerry

Hy bigchevvvy, 292s have timing gears not a chain. Remove your distributor cap and crank the engine just to make sure the rotor is turning, if it's turning then the cam is turning. Have you done a compression check on it? It may have some stuck valves from bad gas, or just from sitting, verify that you have it timed correctly, hope that helps.

Thanks guys cor all the cool advice... It has a good spark, took the cap off and bumped the ignition and the dist shaft turns perfectly. A knowledgable friend did a thing or two and says I got real good compression. That's whats baffling us, along with all the other things that seem so right, yet still no success. My phone number is 256.776.8430. I live just outside Huntsville.

Well, to get it to fire, you have got to have the right fuel air mix, good compression, and a hot spark at the right time.


First of all, make sure you are using NEW GAS.

Then I would do the following;

Get a compression tester, Pull all the plugs and test each cylinder. Do this yourself and have your buddy work the starter. Write the values down for each cylinder.

Pull the boot back from your plug wires and make sure each wire has a good hot spark off the block.

Check the timing by static timing the engine, remove the plug from number one cylinder and make sure the piston is at TDC when it is supposed to be. I put a piece of plastic covered wire through the plug hole 'til it touches the top and rock the engine back and forth to find TDC.

Pull the air cleaner and look down into the carb and work the throttle. You should see/hear/smell gas.

If all this checks out, I would look for vacuum leaks at the manifold and at the vacuum advance. If this checks out, borrow a known good carb and try it again.

By the way, sometimes stupid stuff happens like a batch of bad spark plugs. I had a similar situation to yours in my '51 burb a few years ago. It stopped running and starting well, and I found the vacuum advance was bad. Replaced it, and took the opportunity to replace the points/condenser and plugs. I could not get it to start and run for the life of me. Finally (months later) I though, what the hey, lets try new plugs.

Started right up on the first crank.

Kurt

Kurt, thanks for the great reply here. I appreciate it.... I will look into it as you have said and start the process of elimination all over again. I will let you know. Thanks again

Troy

Hey, your welcome.

Few other things, - you might want to make sure the distributor is in the right way, no telling what the PO might have done, and also check that the plug wires are on right,

153624.

Kurt

Done all that.. New distributor, cap, wires, etc....
Had a very knowledgeable guy do it all that should be good. Maybe we need to revisit everything now... I'm not sure about anything anymore.... I think I'd like to drive it into the sunset, but I can't cause I can't get it started :0

Even knowledgable guys will accidentally swap plug wires around once in a blue moon.

Sorry 'bout the suggestion to check the timing chain...I forgot that the 292 used gears.

Another thing to check...could the engine not be properly grounded? If you don't already have one, run a cable from the battery to the engine block.

Chris