HELP PLEASE! Engine Trouble

[cadillac_al]

If the spark plugs got soaking wet they may never work again.

[quentin hill]

Thanks everyone, I rechecked everything but the one thing that I haven't tried that I have is what 67 chevelle stated below. This is exacly what I have going to the distributer, what is the "ing" terminal? I am no electrician, so if I run a new wire to the fuseblock I can eliminate the one to the starter?

If you have just one wire from the starter to the distributor , it will do this ,, most run a wire from the ing terminal on the fuseblock to the distributor .

[68gmsee]

Re. ing: He meant ignition. A straight 12vdc wire from firewall to HEI distributor. These older trucks had a resistive wire to drop the voltage down and HEI needs full 12vdc.

You've answered the question about the truck running "after" the carb rebuild, but did it ever run before the rebuild?

In other words, was the carb rebuild the only thing that happened before it quit running.

[quentin hill]

Thank you 68gmsee, Yes sir it ran fine before the rebuild, the motor has also been recently rebuilt it only has about 1000miles on it. Everything seems to point to that wire!

[68gmsee]

Originally Posted by quentin hill

Thank you 68gmsee, Yes sir it ran fine before the rebuild, the motor has also been recently rebuilt it only has about 1000miles on it. Everything seems to point to that wire!

Just to make sure I read it right.

Are you are saying it ran fine for about 1000 miles then you had the carb rebuilt and right after the rebuild it stopped running. Correct?

If correct above, HEI does need full 12VDC but the wire may not be your problem. I'd check it anyway (a search will show you a lot of info on it).

As mentioned above, excessive flooding could be the problem.

HEI placement to make sure it's not 180 out. Remove the distributor cap, place the #1 piston at top of travel and in the compression stroke (both valves closed). HEI rotor should be pointing to #1 tower on the cap and harmonic balancer should be at "0" or TDC mark.

[quentin hill]

No sir it has about a 1000 miles on the motor and then just stopped, I thought it was a carb issues so I had it rebuilt and then it still wouldn't start not even with ether. The rotor to # 1 piston relation is correct

[davepl]

Originally Posted by quentin hill

No sir it has about a 1000 miles on the motor and then just stopped, I thought it was a carb issues so I had it rebuilt and then it still wouldn't start not even with ether. The rotor to # 1 piston relation is correct

Remember it could still be 180 degrees out unless you actually checked that you're on the compression stroke. It'll line up on the 0 mark twice each distributor rotation, and only one of those is correct.

Just to put it another way: you can have the timing mark at 0 on the balancer, rotor pointing at post #1, and STILL be 180F out. That's why you have to remove a plug, rotate the motor with your finger over (not in) the spark plug hole, and wait for compression to build behind your finger. Then advance the little bit left to line it up at 0, and THAT is top dead center.

[68gmsee]

[QUOTE=quentin hill;8011597]No sir it has about a 1000 miles on the motor and then just stopped, I thought it was a carb issues so I had it rebuilt and then it still wouldn't start not even with ether. The rotor to # 1 piston relation is correct[/QUOTE

On an engine with good compression, spark on all cylinders and timing is correct, just a small amount of gasoline poured into the throat of the carb should allow it to run for a short period. In your case, since it's been hard to diagnose, you may have to go back and check everything from the beginning.

Make sure you have good compression, spark on "all" cylinders (I use a timing light clamped on each wire so I can see if they're firing) and double check firing order.

[garyd1961]

Originally Posted by cadillac_al

If the spark plugs got soaking wet they may never work again.

I've seen this before, more than once.

[68gmsee]

Originally Posted by cadillac_al

If the spark plugs got soaking wet they may never work again.

Originally Posted by garyd1961

I've seen this before, more than once.

Agree. I've had that happen many times also.

[saxart]

Originally Posted by 68gmsee

Agree. I've had that happen many times also.

I'm confused... How does gasoline soaking spark plugs "ruin" them?

[cadillac_al]

Originally Posted by saxart

I'm confused... How does gasoline soaking spark plugs "ruin" them?

I don't quite know the how but I've seen it happen. When my 76 Seville had fuel injection problems it would drown the plugs with gas and they would not fire. One time I had a brand new set of plugs and drowned them in less than 2 minutes. I didn't want to throw them away so I put them in my good running Cutlass. The Cutlass would not start with the wet plugs. I put the old plugs back in the Cutlass, took it for a ride and got it nice and hot. Then I swapped out the plugs and put the wet ones back in the Cutlass. It barely started and spit and sputtered and misfired for a couple miles before it cleared out. I was able to save that new set of plugs but it was a hassle. If the plugs had any miles on them at all, it wouldn't be worth it to go through the hassle of swapping plugs in a hot engine.

[68gmsee]

It's not always that excessive fuel will ruin a spark plug but it may cause misfiring. My guess is the fouling causes the spark to jump the gap to ground. In most cases where the spark plug is new and clean it can be dried out an reused, however, the cause of the fouling has to be eliminated first.

If the spark plug already has oil or carbon buildup on top of the fuel soaking, it's best to replace them.

From http://www.briskusa.com/basic_theory...plug_operation

Fouling

Will occur when spark plug tip temperature is insufficient to burn off carbon, fuel, oil or other deposits
Will cause spark to leach to metal shell...no spark across plug gap will cause a misfire
Wet-fouled spark plugs must be changed...spark plugs will not fire.

[68gmsee]

I think what confused a lot of us is the fact that you mentioned the truck ran find before it stopped.

However, if the truck was using the original resistor wire or if the wire was bad that would cause it not to have good spark also.

[garyd1961]

Originally Posted by saxart

I'm confused... How does gasoline soaking spark plugs "ruin" them?

I don't know what causes it but I have seen cars that wouldn't start after flooding even after sitting for a couple days. Change the plugs and they fire right up and run normal. I had an old mechanic friend to show me this when I was a teenager and I didn't believe either until I saw it.