Car wont start

[Digdugjake]

A few months ago i was driving and my car just shut off. I had just replaced the alternator and put it back together and was headed to work. It would not restart and had to get it towed home. Now i have replaced the timing chain and put everything back together and it wont start. When it died the alt light came on briefly. I need this car while the other is getting some body work done in a couple weeks.

 

[Vinnie]

Does it crank?

 

[delawarebill]

does it have the points in or changed to electronic dizzy ?? no matter what u gotta check for voltage..

 

[will e]

A bit more description of what it is or not doing would help. Does it sound like it 'wants' to catch? Are you getting any backfires?

Did you set the initial timing with a timing light? Are you SURE you were on TDC of the compression stroke when you aligned your rotor to the #1 plug wire?

 

[Digdugjake]

It does crank. It has points. It was at tdc on compression. It just wont run. I could not set the timing with a light because it had the wrong chain in it before and now i don't want to kill my starter by cranking forever to time it.

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[nailpounder]

points condenser might be bad

 

[Digdugjake]

Would that have been caused by running on an alternator alone?

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[Don C]

Check the voltage on the positive terminal of the coil when the points are open and when they are closed. Make sure the gap in the points is correct. Make sure the coil is grounded and the coil bracket is tight.

Are you getting fuel to the carburetor?

 

[cjstaci]

Assuming the work you have done is correct, Start with the basics. Are you getting fuel in the carb? If so, are you getting spark? Pull a spark plug, ground the threaded area and crank it over. If no spark is present then take a volt meter or a test light and check for power to + side of the coil. If you have power at the coil, then check to see if you are getting power across the points. If not, then you may have a bad condenser or coil.

If you don't have power at the + side of the coil, then you have a ignition switch or wiring problem.

If you have spark at the spark plug, then you may not have installed the distributor correctly or, since you changed the timing chain, that could possibly be incorrectly timed.

Check the easiest and most inexpensive things first.

I hope this helps.

Staci

 

[cjstaci]

One other thing, When you crank it, does it sound like it wants to start? does it back fire? if so, these are indications the distributor timing is off, and then you need to bring it back to TDC at the end of the compression stroke and verify that the rotor is positioned at or just before the number one spark plug wire on the cap.

Staci

 

[Digdugjake]

I havent checked voltage yet. I will do so when i get home.

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[will e]

If you are concerned about the starter go ahead and pull all of the other spark plugs except #1 when you check the timing. This will also confirm if you are getting 'spark'.

Do you have a dwell meter? If not, go buy one, they are cheap and pretty much a must have if you are running points.

 

[Digdugjake]

Dont have a dwell meter but will get one on friday when i get paid.

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[Digdugjake]

Check the voltage on the positive terminal of the coil when the points are open and when they are closed. Make sure the gap in the points is correct. Make sure the coil is grounded and the coil bracket is tight.

Are you getting fuel to the carburetor?

What should the voltage be open and closed? That way i know what's good and what's bad.

 

[cjstaci]

With the points closed, put one lead on one side of the points and the other lead on the other side, it should show power. At the coil, with the engine off and key on and points open you should see battery voltage, with the points closed, voltage should drop to 8v, +/-2v.

 

[Jim and Jutta]

I wondering what made you decide to change the timing chain after it died on you, was there some type of indication the timing chain was the issue?

 

[Digdugjake]

I was planning on changing it because it has a lot of slack on either side.

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[will e]

Please don't take this the wrong way. I don't know how much experience you have. Generally I would avoid doing a 'major' activity like replacing a timing chain in this situation. You have introduced additional possible failures and it will make trouble shooting that much more difficult. In the future, unless you have reason to believe a specific part like the timing chain is causing the no-start, you will want to find the no start cause first. Just my 2 cents from my own personal experiences.

 

[Digdugjake]

Please don't take this the wrong way. I don't know how much experience you have. Generally I would avoid doing a 'major' activity like replacing a timing chain in this situation. You have introduced additional possible failures and it will make trouble shooting that much more difficult. In the future, unless you have reason to believe a specific part like the timing chain is causing the no-start, you will want to find the no start cause first. Just my 2 cents from my own personal experiences.

That makes sense but i would have to constantly adjust the dizzy to start it every day.