Tried to start my '53 F100 with a 255 Mercury flathead (12 volt conversion) in it. Ran a tempororary fuel line from a funnel down to the carb, kept new gas in it. No joy at all after many minutes of cranking until starter got a bit hot then stopped. Tried a bit of ether, still no joy. Got one tremendous backfire at one point during timing and point gap adjustments, had a couple other weak backfires up through the carb. Have 12VDC at the input of the ballast resistor, 7.5 VDC at the output. Tried with and without the ballast resistor. My settings:

1. Set dot on timing wheel directly opposite pointer for #1 TDC
2. From passenger side of wheel well, looking at distributor, rotor is pointing about 5 o'clock, that's where #1 is marked on the distributor cap.
3. Idle screws backed out about 1.25 turns each.
4. Maximum point gap about matchbook cardboard width
5. Engine rotation is clockwise as viewed from front of truck
6. Distributor rotation is clockwise as viewed from passenger wheel well.

Tried varying the timing by rotating the distributor, some a bit better than others but nothing close to firing. The truck was running two years ago and turns over pretty well. Used probably a pint of gas trying to start it, no gasoline flooded engine smell, gas seemed to be going through it.

Seems like an ignition problem. Are my assumptions above correct? The manual might seem to indicate that #1 TDC on compression is near 11 o'clock.

Have I put the distributor back on wrong? Comments, help?

-Scott

 

We had this discussion recently and consensus (and ford shop manual) was that 5 o'clock is where #1 tdc should be.

Go over the basics. Do you have spark at the plugs? Sounds like you do. And does it occur when the pointer is at or near the bump? Check with a timing light.

Otherwise, I've had to pull start (tow in High gear, second if it doesn't get going) a 52 recently that set for about 10 years. By the second mile it finally was running on its own. Pretty common to do this.

Other caution, when you do get it running, change the power valve in the carb. When it backfired it more than likely blew your powervalve and it'll drain the fuel bowl down the cylinders past the ring into the crankcase and dilute the oil each time you stop.

 

Can you get power valves for a Holley 94 at NAPA, or will I need to go to Carpenter's, etc.

-Scott

 

You can get them at NAPA or order online from Speedway. Everybody sells Holley powervalves - same ones they used for years.

 

That's actually a fairly wide points opening; are you sure they're closing completely? The fact you're seeing a drop thru the ballaast seems to indicate so. Test for spark like MT suggested. You do have the rotor in, don't you? (not being smart, it's happened... )

Whatever you do, in a situation like this, keep the air cleaner completely on -- or a backfire could start a fire!

Most likely, you are 180 degrees off on the timing. Having the dot lined up with the TDC pointer just means it's on TDC, but it could be on exhaust or compression.

 

Any Speed Shop should have a good supply, all Holley Carbs used the same type. Just be sure you get the same size as the one that's in the carb now. There should be a number usually around 6 on the rim of the hex.

 

Check the rotor rotation with the cap off, do you have the wires on correctly for the rotation. Seen this happen more than once.