So here is where I am at: flathead 6
New parts:
Ignition switch
Solenoid
Points and plugs and dist cap
Coil
Battery 6 volt pos ground
Fuel pump
Rebuilt carb - single barrel

Compression check all about 60
Timing seems to be correct

About a month ago got it started and running, but need to fix brakes before I take it out!. So have brakes fixed and now can't get it started.

It does crank real slow and has done this from the beginning. When I pull the plugs, it cranks real fast, seems ok to me. But when I put the plugs back in, again a real slow crank.

I do have a blue spark at the plugs, but to me it seems weak? Does not seem to really pop. I have not replaced the plug wires, they look fairly new.

I know that it is getting fuel. I am at a loss and appreciate all input.

Thanks, Bud

 

Slow cranking and weak spark. She may be flooded.
Maybe take out all the plugs and dry them. And run
some fine sand paper through the points to bring in
a hotter spark. I always run some paper through the
points after this to remove any filings or sand.
Set the point gap at the thickness of a match book
and it should run enough to read a dwell meter.

 

You should never use abrasives to dress points. If any grit is left in the pores of the tungsten (and it will be) it fuses into a glass-like substance. They made little super-hard super-fine files back in the day for points, I'm sure someone still sells them. If you are getting a blue spark at all, I doubt points are the problem.

You say you're sure it's getting fuel; how do you know? Pour a couple ounces of gas down the throat, put the air cleaner back on to prevent fire if it backfires, then open the choke and throttle. Crank away. If it pops then, you aren't getting fuel where it's needed.

 

If you haven't touched the timing and it was running before and you have spark that should part should be working. You don't have a whole lot of compression at 60 as it should really be around 100 but it should still start. The slow cranking when you put the plugs back in tells me you have either smaller starter wires installed than they should be or you have a bad connection. Crank it for 5 seconds or so then feel the battery connections, solenoid connections, starter connection and ground connections. There should be a ground connection (originally from the battery to the firewall and from the firewall to the head IIRC) . If any of those connections are hot take it apart there and clean it up really well. Also many times the ground connection from the firewall to the head is missing. Mine was and I just ran a dedicated ground connection from the ground strap at the firewall all the way down to the starter. Even though mine is still 6 volt it spins pretty close to 12 volt speeds. If that ground wire is missing replace it before going any further. Also make sure the battery is fully charged as it may be possible for it to supply enough current to spin the relatively unloaded motor with the plugs out but does have enough charge to spin it properly with the plugs installed. Remember 6 volt wiring, especially starter wiring needs to be able to handle twice as much current as their 12 volt counter parts so they will need to be physically about 4 times larger...

As far as gas is concerned take the air cleaner off and look down the throat of the carb. If you work the accelerator a couple of times from the idle setting to wide open while looking down the throat of the carb you should see a good stream of fuel shoot straight down. If you don't see that then you don't have fuel to the carb (or your accelerator pump is bad).

 

Did you put a new condenser in when you did your tune up?
I recently tuned up my 49 226 and drove it about 12 miles. A couple days later I tried to start it and it barely ran, checked fuel etc. Checked points they were set ok but had a weak spark, put the 30 year old condenser back in and it started and ran great.
The new condensers are junk, if you have your old one put it in and see it will start then.

 

Here's my latest experience I've had with my 226. It was running fine. Parked it for about a month and it would start. Spun over great, had a pretty decent blue spark, about 3/8" of an inch. I went through and changed spark plugs, points, condenser, rotor and cap. Still wouldn't start. I could see gas squirting into the carb. I would come close to starting but still wouldn't. I even jump started with a 12 volt truck. I was in a pinch for time and was under a lot of stress at work and knew it had to be something simple but I just couldn't think of anything else and was getting upset. Fortunately the brain trust of FTE came to the rescue. Duane and Craig, along with my neighbor, came over, scratched their heads for about a half hour and suggested taking a compression test. 3 cylinders read, I think, 60#, the other 3 read 80#. Someone came up with the brilliant idea of trying to pull start it to try to overcome the low compression. We pulled it about 50 feet, popped the clutch and it started up. I left it idle for about 10 minutes and it has started every time ever since. I suspect the rings compressed while parked and once they got heated up they expanded and upped the compression. It's an old engine but it still runs pretty good. It should be rebuilt but not right now.

 

you mentioned weak spark and I just went through that myself (I cracked my rotor and super glued it to get home)... you have a short in the ignition somewhere or a bad coil. (mine was shorting through the super glue) I reread your posts and used the search for "rotor"... you don't mention rotor so that is my first bet. If everything is right you should have a bright hot spark that will singe your hair from across the garage.
did you keep your old cap, etc - all the old stuff..
check your coil, swap back to the old cap, - etc check all the high volt stuff from coil to plug and see if you can find the weakling.

 

and I will add a x2 on the new condesor chinese junk comment. try going back to the old one if you got it.

 

OK . . . Good ideas from everyone. But let's go back to "don't ask me how I know this" basics. Have you checked to make sure that your plug wires are on the cap in the right order? I say that because you said that you checked the timing so you must have fire from the coil, cap, condenser, rotor, etc. if you have gas coming out of the carb as suggested above then i would check and double check to see that the plug wires are on the cap in the right order. I'm on the road and not near my main computer so maybe someone can post a picture of the correct order? I know that there are some good ones out there. If #1 is in the wrong location don't forget to check your timing again.

Good luck,

 

Re-reading your initial post, if you have only 60 psi on all cylinders, and did the test with all plugs out, your engine is on its last legs. That amounts to a compression ratio of about 4:1. That is really marginal.

 

this one is tripple ingrained in my head since I had such a duh moment on it during truckstock trivia :P
Firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4
1 should be pointed 180 degrees away from the alignment tab, 90 degrees from either clip, rotation is clockwise looking down at the distributor.
There is a casting seam and the oiler pip also where 1 is.

every 226 cap I have seen has the numbers molded into em.

 

Thank you all!!!
I am still struggling with getting this cranky engine to easily start. I have got it started once and ran for about 5 minutes. The one thing that really made a difference was re-installing the original positive side battery cable. I had replaced it cuz I thought it looked worn. I did put the condenser back in and made sure the plugs and points are set tighter. I am concerned about the compression being so, I am going to run the compression tests again.
I will have a chance to work on it this weekend. Again, thank you all. I hope to give more news later

 

Again thank you all for your input I wanted to give an update because it might help someone else. I have installed a rebuilt carburetor which did help but also the timing was a little off, but got that adjusted and now it starts every time it's still a little sluggish, but I can drive it in and out of the garage. So now I really need to start on the metal work. Little by little. Thanks again. Bud