Engine won't startt. Getting spark and starting fluid doesn't help....

[MannyDantyla]

I was hoping to avoid a dumb thread like this, but I'm totally stuck....

I washed the old engine bay yesterday to get as much grim and dirt out as possible. I used engine degreaser and a brush, then washed it away with a hose. The air cleaner was on and keeping water out of the carb and tried to not get it too wet, but I didn't worry much about it because I'm replacing the air filter.

I started the truck and it started just fine. Then the RPMs slowly went down until it stalled. I couldn't get it to start again. Now I run the starter and it cranks but it's not even trying to start at all, not even a stumble. Exactly as if I ran out of gas. So I flipped to the other gas tank, but it still wouldn't start.

Here's what I checked, in order

1. First thing I did was check for spark. Of the two spark plugs I checked, both are providing spark. So I don't think ignition was the problem. Also, the plugs were completely dry.
2. Next, I sprayed a little starting fluid into the carb. Engine did not start, sounded exactly the same.
3. I thought maybe the distributor cap got wet and the firing sequence is now off. I opened it up and it looked bone dry. I sprayed some WD40 in there just be safe. Afterwards, engine would still not start. Starting fluid did not help.
4. The guy at O'Reilly's said that a little water could have gotten into the carb and that it doesn't take much. And what I need to do is hold the throttle all the way open and crank the engine for at least 10 seconds. So I tried that, it didn't work. Now my battery is nearly dead.

Help!

 

[Skweegle89]

I guess it depends on how much water went in, but it seems more likely that you knocked something loose with the water pressure. It should have kicked off with the starting fluid and at least tried to start.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MannyDantyla]

What could possibly have been knocked loose? What would cause the engine to not run?

This engine (chevy 350 truck engine, late 70s or early 80s I think) doesn't have hardly any sensors. The guy who put it in basically only installed what was needed to get the engine to run, i.e. no A/C, no dash indicator lights, etc.

I checked the sensor for the electronic choke, cleaned up the connection. I'm looking at these wiring diagrams... what about the carb fuel solenoid!?

 

[firebane]

If you didn't cover the distributor, alternator or carb it can lead to bad bad things.

 

[Skweegle89]

How good of a spark were you getting? A nice blue spark is ideal. Pull the rest of your plugs and see what kind of spark you have.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MannyDantyla]

found it

I think I found the problem!

I rechecked the distributor, there's definitely water in it. There was a pool of water right here:

You must be registered for see images

I'm sprayed it with a can of duster, now I'm letting it air out. It's little cold here, just above freezing... maybe I'll put a hair dryer on it.

I'll let you guys know if it fixed the problem.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

I bet that water in the distributor was the problem.

 

[89Suburban]

 

[MannyDantyla]

Ok so...

Truck will still not start.

The whole HEI distributor module has been disassembled and dried with a hair dryer. It's bone dry. The spark tester tool shows a good consistent spark on several wires. The firing order couldn't have been screwed up because I never removed the plugs from the distro cap, and I don't see how timing could have gone off so far to affect the engine this badly.

I asked my roommate the help me with a can of starter fluid. This time, instead spraying a few squirts then running to the cab to crank it, I had him squirt while I had the engine already cranking.

It fired!! for less than a second, then died, roommate squirted more in while I continued to crank the engine. Then it backfired and the carb caught on fire. I may have overreacted when I grabbed a fire extinguisher and gave a quick blast which immediately extinguished the tiny fire, but now there's dust from the extinguisher all up inside the carb.

The saga continues...

------

So then ignition is good and fuel is bad.

Any ideas? There's two tanks. Both have fuel in them and both have been tried. Mechanical fuel pump. I haven't look real closely at all the fuel lines for cracks, but there's no fuel leeks. The carberator is an Edelbrock Quadrajet, and looking at the online manual I don't think their's a fuel cutoff solenoid (?). All the vacuum lines look good. Damn.....

lol

 

[MannyDantyla]

It was an ABC powder extenguisher. And from what I've read, those are the worst kind on car engines. So I better take the carb of and clean it out, instead of just try to use a vacuum to suck it all out like I was going to try. But then I'll be able to check gas flow to the carb.

Wow I'm f*$king everything up

 

[rich weyand]

Did you take the distributor out of the engine to dry it out? It sounds like you are 180* out on the distributor.

As you should know, there are two times in one distributor rotation (two crankshaft rotations) when #1 piston is at TDC, but only one of them is the firing position. No run + occasional backfire out through the carb is exactly what you will get when you are 180* out.

You can check the valve position with the valve covers off. The correct firing position is the TDC position when both valves are closed.

The simpler way to check is to unplug power from the distributor and remove the spark plug on #1, then hold your thumb on the spark plug hole while someone cranks the engine over. The correct firing position is the TDC position where the engine pushes your thumb off the hole as it comes up on the compression stroke.

BTW, the two TDC center positions of the #1 piston occur when the keyway on the crankshaft pulley is in line with the piston rod, at 45* clockwise from straight up (1:30 on a clock face) as you look at the front of the engine.

 

[MannyDantyla]

there's not a whole lot and maybe it could be vacuumed out, but you can see the exaust powder in this pic, it's all the white stuff.

You must be registered for see images attach

Did you take the distributor out of the engine to dry it out? It sounds like you are 180* out on the distributor.

As you should know, there are two times in one distributor rotation (two crankshaft rotations) when #1 piston is at TDC, but only one of them is the firing position. No run + occasional backfire out through the carb is exactly what you will get when you are 180* out.

You can check the valve position with the valve covers off. The correct firing position is the TDC position when both valves are closed.

The simpler way to check is to unplug power from the distributor and remove the spark plug on #1, then hold your thumb on the spark plug hole while someone cranks the engine over. The correct firing position is the TDC position where the engine pushes your thumb off the hole as it comes up on the compression stroke.

BTW, the two TDC center positions of the #1 piston occur when the keyway on the crankshaft pulley is in line with the piston rod, at 45* clockwise from straight up (1:30 on a clock face) as you look at the front of the engine.

I thought of that... but I never took the distributor off. I took the cap off, and that was put back on exactly in the same position it cam off because there is like a groove and tongue that keeps it in place.

 

[Lastwords]

I would take the carb off the intake and look in. If any of the dust gets into the motor it's shot. It will be like taking sand paper to the cylinders. Check the fuel lines going to the pump. They may not leak but if the pump draws air it won't draw fuel. Had it happen on my 78.

 

[350runner]

Step one remove carb. Vacuum intake and carb also blow any extra dust and such

Sent from the dust in front of you!

 

[MannyDantyla]

I would take the carb off the intake and look in. If any of the dust gets into the motor it's shot. It will be like taking sand paper to the cylinders. Check the fuel lines going to the pump. They may not leak but if the pump draws air it won't draw fuel. Had it happen on my 78.

Yeah, that could be it, thank you. I look forward to getting the carb off and also seeing how much gas flows out of the fuel line that goes to it.

And i'll be careful with the engine, not sure if it would actually destroy the cylinders but would not be good on them for sure.