The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop OFFENHAUSER ISSUES

hey guys,
tried firing up my rebuilt 1958 235 last night and wasnt able to get her to fire. I have just put a new offenhauser dual intake manifold on designed for 2 single barrel B carbs. I don't know why but i'm not getting enough fuel in either carb. I even deleted the fuel filter and am still not getting enough! my pump is new, and worked before. Any idea why i'm not getting enough fuel?

you should always use a known working carb setup when you first start an engine. Get it broke in then change your intake. You should have had it fired up within 4 or 5 revolutions.

Have the carbs been rebuilt? You might want to check the floats/needle valves for proper adjustment. If the needle valve can't open, no feul will be able to get in.
That said, I'm more inclined to beleive that you might actually have an ignition issue. It sounds like the base timing is off, perhaps too far retarded. It's not unusual for that problem to be blamed on a "lack of feul".

Will it fire for a moment if you prime the carbs? If it does it's fuel, if not ignition.

Put a couple of tablespoons of fuel in each carb, maybe even three and try to start it up. If it starts for a moment and dies, try again until you either get it to run or it just won't continue to run. Then, you will know if you have a fuel problem or not. If it won't continue to run after three attempts, most likely you have a fuel problem.

first of all put the filter back on, that isn't your problem unless it is completely crudded up, in which case you need a new one anyway. How old is your gas tank? did you suck up a little tiny piece of rust that got stuck in the valves in the fuel pump, it doesn't take much. I have had a piece of rust the size of the period at the end of this sentence shut me down. If your tank is old and rusty, you would do well to put a filter on the suction side of the pump, one of the clear kind you can see if it is all full of crud. If you tank is all rusty, you need to either get it at least cleaned out, if not sealed. I would recommend getting a new one if it is rusty, it will save you a lot of grief, and a new one costs about the same as cleaning and sealing. Did you open the valve on the fuel tank? did you fill the carburetor bowls before you tried to start it? what indicator are you using to determine you aren't getting fuel, does gas squirt out when you open the throttle? What carburetors are you using? Are you even getting spark? Is the timing right? It doesn't matter if you have spark if it is at the wrong time. Have you ever had this engine running? Because one of your earlier posts is regarding no oiling to the rockers, I am assuming you know this because you were priming the oil pump by hand, if you haven't resolved the oiling issue, I don't believe I would continue to try and start it. I also think your problem is more ignition related, do you have the right rotor for the cap? (or vice versa, this bit me once )There is short and tall caps, the short ones were apparently the quite old version, and did not come on 58 engines, however the short rotor may have been sold to you on accident. And a short rotor and tall cap won't work. Did you remember to put the rotor back in? How did you set your initial timing? Whatever the case it would be nice to get some feedback from you as to how things are going, a kind of "debriefing" so to speak, you are obviously learning, and if we get good feedback, maybe we can all learn something. (well me anyway)