YF Carb-engine not starting

The engine has been running fine until yesterday when it wouldn’t start. When I move the throttle lever it squirts fuel into the bowl I also poured some gas into the carb to see if it would start, I’m getting good spark to the plugs yet when I pull the plugs there dry.

I have what appears to be a bad gasket between the carb body and the body flange that’s been leaking. I understand my carb needs a rebuild but what can I do to get the engine running so I can move it back home. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Well, I guess I left myself open when I said "Any advice would be appreciated"

 

Yes, all I need to do is pull the choke out without touching the gas pedal and it starts right up. The spark looks strong at the plug but I haven’t checked the points but I will.

I have cranked the engine over enough where I feel the plugs shouldn’t be dry but they are??

Edit: The engine did start with the choke out then when I pushed in the choke the engine stalled and hasn’t started since.

 

Try starting fluid. If it fires on that then you should have enough spark. Then you may not be getting enough fuel. Pull the fuel line off the carb, point it at a friend and crank to see if anything comes out. I wouldn't touch the timing until you rule out everything else.

 

I think that the engine thinks it is out of gas. I was using the 3B around the place today and it did exactly what you describe. Luckily I had the gas can in the back and was refueled and putting along in no time.

Now, I didn't say you are out of gas, but the engine 'thinks' so.

If you pop the top off of the carburetor you can check the level of gas in the carb.

Taking the top off of the carb is a piece of cake. I did it so many times when trying to figure out why it was flooding -- I can do it in my sleep!! Nightmares??

If the bowl in the carb is dry or near dry then you have a fuel delivery problem.....

If you have a clear bowl on the fuel pump you can look there too. If there is a froth or lots of bubbles, then you are getting air into the fuel line which would halt fuel flow..

I once set my daughter's car on fire (totalled) using starting fluid. I still use it, but only as a very very last resort.

 

I know its a long shot but try holding the gas pedal to the floor when you try to start it but dont use the choke you might have to much fuel in the intake but not enough to flood out the plugs:? :? One other thing you could try is to pull the plugs and squirt a little gas down in the cylinders.

 

Last nights results:

With the thought of spark at the plug initially, recent tune-up and having no one around to turn the engine over while I checked for spark I focused on fuel. I pulled the top off the carb as Kamel suggested and found half the bowl filled with fuel minus the float.

After a while I found a helping hand to crank the engine over as I checked voltage at the coil which read good at 9.23 cranking. Next I checked the points as Glenn mentioned and I was surprised to see that there was no spark, even more so that the distributor shaft wasn’t moving. Something had to happen to the shaft sometime between Monday when I had spark and last night.

I haven’t pulled the distributor yet but I did notice the oil pressure was good while cranking so I’m guessing the timing chain and gears are fine.

The shaft may have frozen shearing the pin I will check it tonight. Your thoughts?

 

Good suggestion Brian I will check it out. The engine in question is an L-226, the oil pump drives the main shaft which drives the timing gear.

 

Is the carb loose and sucking air at the base?

 

The carb base is a good fit no leaking there. I believe the trouble is in the distributor, distributor tube or its adaptor. I will have an answer after work. Hopefully it’s the distributor or the tube and not the adaptor.

 

I thought that you weren't getting fuel to the spark plugs??

 

That’s correct, but the bigger problem now is the distributor.


Last night I found a few problems that snow balled from lack of maintenance by the PO. After removing the distributor I found the bearing to be in bad shape binding on the shaft and keeping it from moving freely, I believe a few drops of oil in the distributor at every engine oil change could have prevented this from happening.

I believe the heat from the bearing warped the distributor adaptor tab causing it to ride high on one side resulting in a bad fit between the distributor shaft and tube.

I had an extra engine with a distributor to borrow but it was in bad shape (too many years outdoors without a cap) so I dismantled both distributors to make one good one.

At round 1:30am I had it all together and all I needed to do was set the gap at .020 which I did, then I figured I would check the other high spots….not good .015, .023 ….yes, the shaft from the donor distributor had a very slight bend to it. I thought it best to stop there and start fresh tomorrow night.

This isn’t my DD so I’m really enjoying working on this engine and I can’t think of a better way to learn then just getting out there and doing it. One of the things I’ve learned is if your timing scale marks are so badly rusted you can’t see them and there is a chamber keeping you from feeling the piston at TDC with a screw driver you can position the distributor tube in such a way that it allows you to find TDC.

 

As I mentioned last night the donor shaft was bent and I was getting different readings when I tried setting the points. Tonight I took apart the distributor again and used a long socket to straighten the shaft as best I could. I then set the distributor tube in the engine with the narrow side facing left then installed the distributor. I turned the key and it fired right up!! It ran ruff for about 4 min but once warmed up I took it for a spin and ran very good although a bit advanced I’m leaving well enough a lone.

Why the dry plugs in the beginning? I don’t have an answer but the failed distributor was evident once I removed it.

1st pic shows the aluminum adaptor and you can see where the tab is slightly bent from heat, also take note of the bottom of the adaptor where it was exposed.

2nd The tube on the right shows the shinny surface where the shaft's tabs rode over the tube without engaging.

3rd You can see the shaft’s right tab worn down more so then the left because of the bent adaptor tab.

 

what an outstanding attitude. you will need it when trying to decypher what the engineers intended in old jeeps..=) that and this web site.

congrats bud.