Not turn the car over much (still driveway ornament) of late, but started to look at it again recently. Ignition/starter goes but I get a skittery sound from the engine trying to start. Have loosened the distributor and turned it clockwise and get the best response all the way as far left as I can turn it, which is the skittery performance. Going counter clock wise turning the distributor i get no starting at all. Fuel and plugs good. Oil is good.Any thoughts?

 

Are you 100% sure that the distributor went back in the right place?

Sounds like you have all the ingredients there for it to run, but having it run badly in one extreme and not at all at the other sounds a lot like the distributor is not located correctly when mated with its gear. Only the opinion of a home mechanic/tinkerer.

 

I'm with Steve.

I would be removing #1 spark plug, and that is the rear spark plug, rotate the engine by hand, NOT the starter, with your thumb over the plug hole, and when you feel the "push" of the compression, STOP. Get a length of wire (an opened up wire coathanger works for me), poke it down the hole, and "feel" the piston top. Continue rotating the engine by hand CAREFULLY, and when that wire stops rising, that piston is at TDC (Top Dead Centre) on the Compression stroke.

Now remove the distributor cap, and note where the rotor tip is pointing.That is #1 spark plug wire. Then 5 3 6 2 4 in an AntiClockwise direction, will have you done.

That WILL get it started, and then SMALL movements of the distributor will get it in the sweet spot.

 

Yup, orientation is durn near every thing.


Just finished a task on my daughter's 2001 VW Passat. Neat little OHC V6. Hidden by hideous black plastic engine bay covers???


But, slick, the coil pack of three double ended coils mounted on a rack had the connection order on the mount frame. I focused immensely to make d... sure the right HT lead went to the proper cylinder !!


I got it right !!! It fired right up and sounds OK.


It is departing later via flat bed to the dealer. Daughter negotiated it as a trade in on a much newer and "simpler" Nissan hatch back sedan.


Son opines "out of the skillet into the pot" Business associates not impressed with either !!!


Carl

 

I should clarify that the distributor has never been removed in entirety, only the base bolt loosened to allow adjustment, does that impact on any of the advice given above or not?

 

Not removed by you, but do you know the history of the car?

I guess a more relevant question is if you havent moved it, has it ever run properly since you have had it? If it has been running OK at some stage and is now doing this it might lead the chase elsewhere.

I have stopped being amazed at the stupid stuff that has been perpetrated on old cars. Sometimes you look at stuff and think Jeez! what where they thinking? especially when they go to all kinds of extra effort to screw simple things up :-)

 

The car has not run perfectly in the time I have had it, it's mainly off road. But it has operated enough to be driven and run for some time on the spot which it now is not.

I was having the issues that i was only getting 1200rpm at full throltle, never solved that. Altho I have noticed that after attempts to turn over i get over flow down the out pipe from the right hand carbie and none from the left.

 

OK.

I always go back to basics. Start at the beginning, work methodically, and finish when you finish.

Dont worry about "what was".

Do the timing, and what I suggested is a very basic timing procedure to get it running, then fine tune the timing later on.

The HT leads and spark plugs are another thing that make starting/running difficult.

Age of fuel is another thing over looked in older, left standing, cars.

 

No fuel should come out of the overflow on the carbs. Clean or replace the needle valve.
In fact servicing the carbs may help with the problems you have or have had.

 

Definitely. Steve and Grant are on it. To the beginning, get the ignition right. Only, if the issue still exists, move on to fueling.


Think and proceed with care. It usually works !!


My present challenge is to getting about 15 gallons of fuel out of my Jeep's tank that has no drain and refuses to accept a siphon hose !!


The lumped Jaguar purrs








Carl