It ran... now it doesn't?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 964
Likes: 1
From: Roseburg, OR
It ran... now it doesn't?
I finally fired my rebuilt 400 the other day, messed with the timing a little, got it to run not-bad (no cooling system or alternator hooked up yet, so I only ran it for a few seconds). It was kind of rough and didn't want to rev, but I figured, first start, cold engine, can't expect too much.
Today I went to kick it over one more time and could hardly get it to fire. It bucked a few times, then backfired through the open headers... I've never heard an engine make that sound. It sounded -and maybe I'm saying this because it was so depressing- like an animal dying. A pop and then a low, depressing howl. Tried it a couple more times and only got little pops.
I had been messing with the radiator and belts before I tried to start it today, so by the time I got around to trying to start it, and it didn't start, I didn't sink a lot of time in to it.
Things I know: the distributor drive is fine and it doesn't appear to have jumped time (Balancer says Zero when rotor points at number 1 plug wire, and I used a brand new Edelbrock double-roller timing set.) At least 8 pushrods are nice and straight (pulled the driver's side valve cover). The oil is clean and doesn't have any signs of metal particles. Oil pressure is around 65 when cranking, and went up to about 70 when it was running yesterday.
I'm thinking that I might have a weak coil (edit: I think it's the original '75 Duraskark coil), and a weak battery from the cranking I did yesterday (didn't charge it last night and still don't have alternator hooked up). It seemed to crank fairly strong today, but when I put the charger on it tonight, the amp needle on the charger shot up to 10 and moved down really really slowly.
So basically... someone reassure me or give me some pointers, please?
Today I went to kick it over one more time and could hardly get it to fire. It bucked a few times, then backfired through the open headers... I've never heard an engine make that sound. It sounded -and maybe I'm saying this because it was so depressing- like an animal dying. A pop and then a low, depressing howl. Tried it a couple more times and only got little pops.
I had been messing with the radiator and belts before I tried to start it today, so by the time I got around to trying to start it, and it didn't start, I didn't sink a lot of time in to it.
Things I know: the distributor drive is fine and it doesn't appear to have jumped time (Balancer says Zero when rotor points at number 1 plug wire, and I used a brand new Edelbrock double-roller timing set.) At least 8 pushrods are nice and straight (pulled the driver's side valve cover). The oil is clean and doesn't have any signs of metal particles. Oil pressure is around 65 when cranking, and went up to about 70 when it was running yesterday.
I'm thinking that I might have a weak coil (edit: I think it's the original '75 Duraskark coil), and a weak battery from the cranking I did yesterday (didn't charge it last night and still don't have alternator hooked up). It seemed to crank fairly strong today, but when I put the charger on it tonight, the amp needle on the charger shot up to 10 and moved down really really slowly.
So basically... someone reassure me or give me some pointers, please?
Last edited by go_racing84; Apr 26, 2005 at 12:18 AM.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 5
From: Delaware
It takes three things. Fuel, air (not too much or too little of each) and spark at the right time. Check all three. operate the accelerator pump and look for a squirt of fuel, check your plugs for fouling, check for a good fat spark, and check your firing order. That is two of the three, but you could have a vacuum leak, or your valves adjusted too tight.
