Bought truck and did not start only when gas poured in carb and ran ok then. Stopped and had to redo steps again. So I overhauled carb and truck does not start...only just "puffs" afew times when turning over.
Cranks
Has gas
Has spark to the spark plugs
Any ideas or tips?
Thank you for all suggestions.

 

Ok. Idle was on low. Needs adjustment. Now on to backfire when starting up.

 

Check that engine timing is correct #1 cylinder at TDC compression stroke - distributor rotor points to #1 spark plug wire. Make sure plug wires correct firing order. Anything is possible with previous owner. Backfire through carb? ... is some form of timing error. It may be timing chain has skipped. Erratic ignition would explain regular backfire.

 

Tedster9...thank you for answering back. I got the truck running after starting it on 1/2 choke. Then, I was timing it with a vacuum gauge (read 18) and I could not advance the timing anymore. So a mechanic friend of mine told me to re-stab the dizzy. I did do this and broke the negative wire to the underside of the distributor. I replaced it and needless to say, no spark from the coil now. I have hot coming from the ignition switch and ground from the negative side of coil to the distributor, but I can not get any spark now. Changed the coil with no luck. Maybe my ground is a fault? Maybe I am 180 degrees off of #1? Condenser, points, ??? I just can't figure it out after spending 5 hours on it yesterday. No fire from the coil..... Any suggestions?

 

So the engine will pull 18" Hg at idle spec. That sounds pretty good.

Let's back up a little bit, before you pulled the dizzy had you first lined up #1 cylinder to TDC on compression stroke, rotor pointed to where?

Throwing parts at it is not the way to go, coils are easily tested with an ohm-meter! I bet half of all the ignition coil sales aren't necessary. Try a different condenser, a known good one, vintage one from back in the day. The latest ones are all junk apparently.

 

Tedster9....I placed the piston at TDC (saw the piston through the spark plug #1 hole with a flash light) and rotor was on the #1 distributor spark plug wire which I carefully placed the distributor back in. But, the negative bottom of the distributor broke off and I replaced it. Then, no fire out of the coil (which I thought I needed a new one). But, it did not make a difference. Still no fire out of the coil. I will try anything and your idea of changing the condenser. If not the condenser, which way to go next?

 

Can you post pictures? Reasonably focused ones? I'm not sure what you're getting at.

There is the negative coil wire, that travels through the distributor, and is connected to the points. Is that the one that broke? You said you replaced it.

There is also an uninsulated ground wire that connects inside the distributor body to the breaker plate. Make sure that is OK.

Can't help but notice at least it ran before you worked on it. This is not a dig on you, just an observation. Been there myself.

Do you have a test light? You know, kind of like a screwdriver, with a wire and alligator clip?

 

Excellent flow sheet!!! LMAO!!! 1st pic is bottom of my distributor where I replace the wire (was it supposed to be insulated?). 2nd pic if of my distributor inside and guess what I just found? this loose ground wire. But where does it go? I have ground to everything in the dizzy. Rotor is chipped also. I did not see that yesterday.

 

Having trouble uploading pics....

 

 

 

Still not sure what you mean, but it sounds like you're making progress. Send the pics if you want and I will post them here.

 

Tedster9....I think and thought a lot about is wire being grounded to the bottom of the distributor from the coil. I am going to bypass this and see what happens. I will post any results.

 

Slimer and I thank you again for all your help! Keep em on the road! Chris

 

Yes, found the problem. Wire from bottom of distributor broke off and I replaced it not knowing I was grounding the new wire to the bottom of the distributor and not where it was suppose to be grounded with the condenser inside the distributor. Hope this makes sense!