You've got at least a bit of spark or she wouldn't have responded to
the Starting Fluid. Now it is important to ensure that it's coming at
the right time. Use this method:
"With the timing mark on the crankshaft pulley aligned with the proper
timing indicator (pointer) on the timing chain cover, loosen the
distributor clamp bolt so the distributor may be rotated. Then, hook up
a test light between the coil terminal which goes to the distributor
and a good ground. Turn the ignition switch to the �run� position to
provide power for the light. Then, rotate the distributor to the left
(counter clockwise) about 25 degrees. The light should not be
illuminated at this point. Move the distributor to the right
(clockwise) until the light comes on. You have now statically timed
your engine. It should be capable of starting and running at this
point. However, there is an even more accurate way to time your
engine�dynamic timing."
which I cribbed from:
http://www.custompistols.com/cars/articles/ignition_timing.htm
off a Google search. Dynamic timing (with a timing light) is also
step-by-stepped there.
As to the rotor position (the "points to" end if the rotor is that with
the embedded metal electrode of course), if it is pointing into the
hemisphere toward the rear of the engine, you've found TDC, but it is
Top Dead Center on the exhaust stroke. The vibration damper (with the
single mark) must be rotated one more full revolution, equivalent to
1/2 revolution of the distributor, to bring the engine to TDC on the
compression stroke, which is what you're looking for.
Time the engine only after you have found the proper TDC.
With the timing thus set, you have optimized the chances of the
ignition being successful. If you also have good (fresh) gas in the
carburetor bowl (check that the accelerator pumps squirt good streams
of liquid gasoline into the carburetor throats with a fast, full
depression of the throttle pedal), the engine should start (possibly
needing the help of Starting Fluid the first few times) and should run
at least as well as before the whole thing started. If it doesn't, look
at what's changed and at things that could have been broken or
dislodged, as has been described in others' messages and diagnosed from
"the book" (btw, I had erroneously assumed that you had the Dodge
Service Manual rather than a Haynes. Some of my references must thus
have seemed odd. :-)
Be aware also of the possibility of new parts being faulty, it happens
more and more often these days. That's why re-trying with the old parts
is such a common (good) suggestion. Overall, the guiding principle is
that, among the requirements which you can influence, three things are
needed for an engine to run: fuel, spark, and correct timing of the
spark. If all three aren't present, nothing doing.
The situation you have encountered is probably the most frustrating and
difficult of the reasonably common roadblocks faced by a shadetree
mechanic working on older style technology. I've been through it a time
or three over the decades, once rather recently. The apparent "Twilight
Zone" symptoms always (!!) end up having a rational, logical
explanation, usually obscured by imperfect communication if more than
one person is involved.
--
Regards,
Bill Combs
ttursine@ earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~ttursine
--
Never test the depth of
the water with both feet.
====================================================
On Dec 31, 2004, at 4:00 PM, Robert Sheaffer wrote:
> Let me begin by defining the "marked position" as where the wire for
> cylinder 1 would go, if the mark on the new distributor cap is
> correct. This appears to agree with the illustration in the Haynes
> manual, although because the distributor can be rotated a bit there is
> some possible ambiguity in the diagram between two adjacent locations.
>
> If Top Dead Center is where the white markings on the engine flywheel
> are at the very top of their rotation, then I think I have found it.
> It appears to be when the contact on the rotor is 180 degrees opposite
> the marked position (Mark+4). However, when the wires are moved to
> make that Cyl 1, in the proper order, it doesn't start. Nor does
> Mark+5. If you recall, I said earlier that I'd tried all 8 possible
> positions for Cyl 1, still no start.
>
> What is odd, however, is that earlier today when Cyl 1 was in the
> marked position, I squirted some starter fluid into the carburetor,
> and it actually turned over just a bit. In fact, the engine ran
> (poorly) for a second or two, but died. That's the closest I've come
> to getting it started since this disaster.
>
> So, what do I conclude from this? The fuel pump (or something) failed
> independently exactly when I started messing with the distributor cap?
> Remember that the engine was running quite well before this. It has
> actually been reliable transportation, I've driven the RV thousands of
> miles and it's never left me stranded. The gas is not suspect, it was
> just purchased a few days ago. I drove it 100 miles on that tank, no
> problems.
>
> My hypothesis now is: Put the wires back to the Marked position, leave
> them there. Look for possible unrelated problem (however unlikely this
> sounds).
>
> Robert
>
> Dodge Sportsman 1974, 360 V-8 engine, 2 barrel carb.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar.
Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/z1TolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/classicrv/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
