Still trying to get it started

[38Buick 80C]

I am still trying to get me 38 started. Here is where I am at.

Starter works

Fuel pump works

Spark to distributor and to plugs,

Carb accelerator pump squirts fuel

If I squirt a whole lot of starting fluid down the carb I can get it to spin quickly for a sec. Fairly frequently I get a light back fire back through the carb. Once I get a back fire out the exhaust.

I've been playing with adjusting the distributor advance and retard.

Long story short is I cannot get it to start.

My feeling is it is fuel related since I can only get a backfire or the motor spinning quickly with the use of starting fluid. without it I just have a spinning motor. I did rebuild the carb myself.

Oh and just to complicate things I found out I put the flywheel on wrong so the mark on the flywheel does not correspond to TDC.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

[Guest WEB 38]

check color of the spark at the spark plugs should be blue if yellow change the condenser. just a thought, a to low voltage spark. Had this on a 41 Bill web 38

[38Buick 80C]

Earlier I held the wire off the plug to check for spark, would your statement hold true in that case to as I recall it may have been yellowish.

I do have a new condenser in the distributor along with new points, coil, etc and I had the distributor rebuilt as well.

Thanks for responding Bill

Brian

[JohnD1956]

Manually bring the car to TDC. You can do this by watching the valves while manually roating the engine, and when both valves on # 1 are closed then look through the spark plug hole to see when the piston crests.

At that point, check your distributor to make sure the points are on a high cam and open. Adjust as needed. Then check that the rotor is pointing to the # 1 wire. If not, rotate the wires on the cap.

[Guest WEB 38]

Brain, is the spark a 3-16 to a 1-4 in? that should start it, also check your firing order make sure you are going counter clockwise 16258374 make sure you have #1 correct. Bill WEB 38

[sfair]

I would recommend that you trash can the ether. You are risking engine damage, fire, singed eyebrows, or worse. Ether is for 50 year old Cummins diesels with no compression, not your vehicle.

If it won't start on gasoline, it has a problem that has to be rectified.

[Guest OLBUICKS]

I would do a compression check on all cylinders, I don't think you have a fuel problem, the either should have started the engine...

[Larry Schramm]

But do not use ether on current diesels or you will get bent rods instantly

[sfair]

But do not use ether on current diesels or you will get bent rods instantly

That should tell you something....

[1940_Buick]

The fact that it starts for a moment with either tells you you've probably got good enough spark to start. The backfire tells you that the problem is likely to be timing. I'd agree with what's already been said... check the firing order, and then get it to TDC by watching the valves and piston through the spark plug hole, then check the rotor position.

[38Buick 80C]

OK firing order rechecked completely removed and reinstalled distributor and points open at or just before TDC on number one cylinder; result....same...no firing yet. I had enough for tonight will try again tomorrow.

Oh noticed a puddle of gas on the floor (overflow from carb/intake) screwed the idle screws to close and then backed off a half turn. where should the be set at?

Thanks for the input keep it coming.

[Guest kaycee]

Pull the valve cover off with the coil wire OFF and check valve/ pushrod operation while cranking, after removing and checking all the plugs to see if they're wet or dry. It'll give you a little better idea . Just be prepared with an extinguisher if you have any gas around and leaking.

It's also a possibility that it jumped time. I'm assuming that the firing order is correct and distributor not 180 degrees off and plug wires are in the right order.

kaycee

[Guest kaycee]

Another comment: Being that you bolted the flywheel on in the wrong position, when you're watching valve operation bring # one piston up top on the compression stroke ( right after the intake valve has closed) to make sure of tdc , and then set your distributor for number one to fire.

kaycee

[Guest OLBUICKS]

Also if the engine has leaked alot of fuel on top of the pistons if could have washed the oil off the rings causing low compression..

[BUKE]

Just a quick note I changed distributor of my 40 century when I went to the back my brother who was helping me spun the engine over to get the rotor to point towards a number one wire( wrong) drove me crazy but an easy fix. I pulled out number one plug put my finger in the whole I felt the pressure from the piston coming up I stopped cranking them put the distributor back in with the rotor faces close as I could to the number one plug wire. After pulling my hair out and fired up and down the road I went.. I hope this helps.

Frank

have a great Buick DAY

[JohnD1956]

OK firing order rechecked completely removed and reinstalled distributor and points open at or just before TDC on number one cylinder; result....same...no firing yet. I had enough for tonight will try again tomorrow.

Oh noticed a puddle of gas on the floor (overflow from carb/intake) screwed the idle screws to close and then backed off a half turn. where should the be set at?

Thanks for the input keep it coming.

Assuming you have access to a compressor, I'd pull each plug and then blow out the cylinders to remove excess fuel. I'd also blow off the plug end and wire brush em, resetting the gap at .17 before reinstallation. Note, be careful of fuel sprayback by holding a shop towel over the air hose and plug opening.

Also, just for my own sanity, I'd check the negative coil wire where it goes through the distributor AND I'd also move all the wires inside the distributor to make sure none were touching any metal ( if possible).

[JohnD1956]

One more thing, if you are flooding I'd prop the choke butterfly open with a screwdriver and then crank it over to try and unload the excess gas.

NAturally I'd also check the engine oil to see if it was too contaminated with gas and should be changed.