New engine won't start--timing problems?
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 106
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From: Bucks County, PA
New engine won't start--timing problems?
Finally got the rebuilt 460 all ready to fire up, and it won't! @#%&
Getting plenty of gas--accelerator pump squirts, smell gas, etc. Even primed it.
Hot spark when testing, using exposed spark plug or spark gauge. Double checked wiring sequence. Double checked it's got both valves closed at 0 degrees. Eyeballed where rotor is at 0 degrees and rotated dist. until a post lined up, made that one cyl. 1. Even tried moving dist. advance and retart a bit, but no help. It turns over nicely, but doesn't try to catch. Only a few backfire type burps. I'm out of ideas. Could it be 180 degrees off, or off enough to keep it from firing? Sure seems like a timing problem. This is the first engine I have completely rebuilt, and I'm stumped. (Engine looks good, though, with MSD billet dist., Edel. manifold, 750 carb., chromed alt., Edel air cleaner, Ford blue block, etc. Just gotta get her to fire.) Thank you once again. This forum rocks!
Getting plenty of gas--accelerator pump squirts, smell gas, etc. Even primed it.
Hot spark when testing, using exposed spark plug or spark gauge. Double checked wiring sequence. Double checked it's got both valves closed at 0 degrees. Eyeballed where rotor is at 0 degrees and rotated dist. until a post lined up, made that one cyl. 1. Even tried moving dist. advance and retart a bit, but no help. It turns over nicely, but doesn't try to catch. Only a few backfire type burps. I'm out of ideas. Could it be 180 degrees off, or off enough to keep it from firing? Sure seems like a timing problem. This is the first engine I have completely rebuilt, and I'm stumped. (Engine looks good, though, with MSD billet dist., Edel. manifold, 750 carb., chromed alt., Edel air cleaner, Ford blue block, etc. Just gotta get her to fire.) Thank you once again. This forum rocks!
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 1,899
Likes: 1
From: Cullman Alabama
There are some things you can do to re-check the timing. Use the thinnest piece of celophane in the points. When you crank it around slowly, at 10 BTDC that Celophane should get loose. At 12 BTDC it should fall out. (Both #1 valves up.)
Did you turn the oil pump with an electric drill motor to circulate oil throughout the engine?
Sure you got all the bearings done correctly? None of them too tight?
In some cases, where the cylinder walls are new, rings have a lot of resistance, you need to oil the heck out of the Cylinders to get the engine to turn over easy enough so the battery has energy enough to fire the plugs with a hot enough spark to start it off. (aint that a mouthfull)
I have used a seperate battery to fire the ignition, and the truck battery to turn the engine over. That works. You have to know how to rewire the ignition to get that done though.
On a 460 that Vacuam advance cylinder is supposed to be pointing straight ahead, toward the fan.
Did you turn the oil pump with an electric drill motor to circulate oil throughout the engine?
Sure you got all the bearings done correctly? None of them too tight?
In some cases, where the cylinder walls are new, rings have a lot of resistance, you need to oil the heck out of the Cylinders to get the engine to turn over easy enough so the battery has energy enough to fire the plugs with a hot enough spark to start it off. (aint that a mouthfull)
I have used a seperate battery to fire the ignition, and the truck battery to turn the engine over. That works. You have to know how to rewire the ignition to get that done though.
On a 460 that Vacuam advance cylinder is supposed to be pointing straight ahead, toward the fan.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 22,436
Likes: 17
From: Louisville,Ky.
It could be 180 out. Pull #1 plug, unhook the 12v wires to the coil, bump the motor over with your finger over the plug hole until it tries to blow it off of the hole. check the rotor position, if it is nowhere near #1 then turn the motor until it lines up with the timing mark again. The crank turns twice to one turn of the dizzy.
Reinstall the plug and coil wires and rewire the cap. Advance the timing just a little before starting, and don't forget to properly break in the camshaft. Don't let it idle for 20 min run time. You can shut it off and restart it, but don't let it idle. keep it up about 2000rpm. If not, the cam will go flat prematurely.
Jimmy
Reinstall the plug and coil wires and rewire the cap. Advance the timing just a little before starting, and don't forget to properly break in the camshaft. Don't let it idle for 20 min run time. You can shut it off and restart it, but don't let it idle. keep it up about 2000rpm. If not, the cam will go flat prematurely.
Jimmy
