Engine won't start

[mightydodge]

OK, I'm ready to ask for help. I can't get my engine to start, or even try to start no matter what I do. I've been doing a frame up restoration on a 1968 D-100 with a slant six in it. The latest is we sat aroung tonight and tested to ensure the positive lead to the coil was hot, which it is. We checked and the spark plug wires are getting power, which they are, and we checked the timing and it's right on TDC. We've been pouring gas in the top of the carborator so we know it's at least getting enough fuel to try to start but I can't even get a sputter. HELP!!!!!

[LC]

hi from LC i have a 71 225 it quit on me in my own driveway loked at everything you did i found points were burned and not gapped to .018 hope this helps LC

[cowboy]

Do As lc said double check the point's & your spark plug's for a good & continuse fire , also double check the baltis restorser

[oneowner71]

I'm not a slant 6 guy, but is it possible you are 180 off on your timing? I suppose there is this chance with a 6 like there is with an 8. Did you check for spark at the plugs (the old screwdriver to ground trick), and if so, what color was the spark? That will help tell you if you are getting enough power to the plugs.

[LC]

To Mighty Dodge
Hi from LC...Did you get your leaning tower of power started yet? See you received some other replies. If you need specific Dodge info from Dodge Truck Service Manuals, I have those. Email if any help is needed. LC from PA

[Russ]

The distributor has a drive gear, not a flat on the end of the shaft like a V8 Mopar. It could still be out of time but not necessarily 180 degrees. I would guess that the condensor is the problem. If it were just out of time you would still get some popping and/or backfiring at least. You will have some fire with a bad condensor but not enough to fire the plugs under compression. Also, be sure it's not flooded from the gas being poured into the carb. Also, don't forget that you should have full battery voltage on the coil while you are starting the engine, but only about 6-8 volts when the engine is running, or not running with the points closed.

[69D300]

Your truck have a ballast resistor on it? My 69 D300 has played this game with me before, and I replaced it and bam, it fired right up. I've also encountered the same problem with my 'Cuda as well. You mentioned that you were doing a frame up resto, so I assume all the parts are new. I've had experiences with new ballasts being bad as well. Its a cheap item to replace.

[Goodboy]

How long has the engine been sitting. If it been quite a while there is an old trick my father told me about. Take out your spark plugs and give a good squirt of motor oil into each cylinder. Put your plugs back and give it a try again. It can't hurt anything and it just might work.

[mightydodge]

Thanks for all the posts; appreciate the help! OK, checked the distributor once again and she's right on the money. Put my finger in the hole for number one cylinder just to make sure I was on the compression stroke. Checked fuel and it's flowing to the carborator and into the intake manifold with no problem. Took out the number one spark plug and there was fuel on it so I know fuel is getting into the cylinders (Note: since I know fuel is coming in through the carb now, I haven't been pouring any fuel into the carb). Next I checked the spark in the plugs. The color of the spark is white-blue but rather small. When looking at the electrode the spark occurs on the outer most part of the post/electrode and is maybe 1/3 the size of the top of the post. Could this be my problem?

[Jeffc]

Are you sure that the dist is turning?
Coil hooked up right? + to + - to -
Coil has good ground to engine?
Engine has good ground to battery?
Have you tried to jump it from anouther car/truck?
If ballast was bad it would want to fire
when the key is on 'start' and quit when
switched to run.
When you checked timing are you sure that
both valves were closed (valve cover off)?
Fresh fuel?
Right spark plugs?? there are early and late
plugs and there reach is differant.....
Autolite 65 is right for a early head slant (one with
spark plug tubes)

[mightydodge]

Checked everything you said but I think I'm missing a wire. I don't have a ground from my coil. Positive wire from ballast to positive terminal. Negative terminal running to the distributor. Coil Wire running to the distributor cap. I don't have any other wires running from my coil. Distributor is turning well, engine has good ground, checked valves, checked plugs, and checked fuel. All good.

[Jeffc]

Mounting of coil is the ground for the coil, so if
your using the mounting bracket that is your ground
point.
Note: it helps that this bracket not painted
as the paint can cause poor ground.

If coil is mounted to other than the engine,
then you need to be sure that it has good ground
were ever it is mounted (some folks like to
mount it to a fender or fire wall).

Have you swapped in a differant coil?

IF you can see raw fuel it may be flooded.....
a drop of motor oil in each cylinder might
not be a bad thing with fresh rings....
Hold wide open, no pumping peddle and crank......

[mightydodge]

I have added a drop of oil in each cylinder already. I took off the coil and sanded off some paint to ensure that there is a good ground between the coil and the bracket. Have tried starting with holding the pedal down and with not touching the pedal at all, giving time for the engine to dry out if potentially flooded. Engine is still not even trying to start.

[mightydodge]

Oh, have also tried a different coil... no effect.

[Jeffc]

Have you given it a shot of engine start fluid?
Kind of hate to use the stuff, but it will tell the tail if it fires with it..... if it
fires and dies- then it has to be a fuel supply issue...
No fire it has to be electical or timming....

You seem to have all the needed things for it to fire......

when at TDC were does the rotor point?
to the engine or to the vacumm pod on dist?

[mightydodge]

Tried the starting fluid and not even a sputter. Also changed the points and condenser again, no good. Rechecked all my gaps and timing, all right on the money. Changed the fuel pump, fuel filter, and coil again; no good. Still getting fuel on the spark plugs so I know there is fuel in the cylinders and that the valves are working properly. Also rechecked for spark from the plugs; spark is still good. Here's an idea... I didn't even mess with it for four days because I was so frustrated. Then I went out, put the choke on full, didn't touch the gas and turned the key. She tried to start for about a second or two and then went right back to just cranking. Could it be possible that the carborator is stuck and is just pouring straight gas into the intake and flooding the engine?

[mightydodge]

Oh.. at TDC the rotor points to the vacuum pod on the distributor. Right under the number one wire post.

[Jeffc]

Could it be possible that the carborator is stuck and is just pouring straight gas into the intake and flooding the engine?

Yes, very possable, gas that is not vaporized will
not fire. It can also wipe all the oil off the
the cylinder walls and score the walls.

What carb are you using, Holley or Carter?
Has it any signs of ever being rebuilt (reman stickers)?

Have you always used the choke to start it?
I find that most of the year a pump of fuel,
without choke, will start my mopar engines
most of the time (even when pretty cold).
Never want to use the choke when a engine
has been flooded (all you do is make it
richer when its already too rich).

You might try this:
Pull your plugs one more time, clean them
with carb cleaner then re-install,
pull the fuel line off carb, get a long fuel line
hose and a can to catch the fuel (line long enough
to go outside the engine bay to the can), crank
engine over, then give it a drip or two of fuel
in the carb by hand (or a shot of engine start), crank again-- bet it fires and runs till out of juice.

One other thing, take a sample of the fuel and
put it in a glass jar, what does it look like?
All one nice gold color? or does it look funny?

[mightydodge]

I'm using the original Carter BBS that came with my truck when I bought it. I know that it's been rebuilt 3 times, the last time being in 2001 right before 9/11 and me leaving for the army. It sat until 2006 when I got back and started working on my truck again.

I've always used a choke to start the engine. I was taught to pull the choke all the way out and then push it back in slowly until the engine started. Usually started very easily with only a little choke still out. I give that a try tomorrow and I'll leave the plugs out for a while to help dry out the engine.

I also had a friend over tonight and had him crank while I looked down into the carb. Couldn't see any fuel while he crank. He pumped the accelerator and I saw a stream of fuel as the accelerator lever moved. He then held the accelerator down and cranked but no fuel. Only can see fuel when pumping and always a stream.

Fuel filter on my truck is clear and the fuel is a nice gold color. However, it's never gotten past half full. I've been cranking for so long now it should be topped off; the it always did when my truck was running. This was one of the original reasons I started looking at the carb. Just seemed like either the carb wouldn't let fuel in or that as soon as the fuel was at a high enough level in the filter to go to the carb it all went in and never had a chance to fill.

[Jeffc]

It is quite possable the carb is plugged up inside.
You may need to take it apart and kit it at the
very least. Setting with fuel in it without running
the engine can cause all kinds of things to stick
or plug up inside.

Pumping the throttle should shoot a stream down
the carb. More you pump the more streams.
That stream gives the engine a 'boost' of
fuel when your taking off.
When the engine is cranking, running or not,
there should be only a dribble of fuel and
when running you may not see it at all because
it atomizes in the air stream entering the carb.

How much fresh fuel is in the tank vs the old fuel
that may have been in there? was the tank drained
or low when fresh was added?
Any gas smell in engine oil? pull stick and smell....