<VV> Engine start troubleshooting help

[Dave Thompson]

Rod,

My first thought is that the pump is defective.

Disconnect the output (engine end) of the pump, at the pump. Put a suitable
catch container there and run the pump. You should get a good stream of gas
out of the pump. 

If all tests OK, Reconnect the pump. 

Disconnect the fuel line from the tank at the engine. Put an extension hose
on it dropped into a suitable container and test the pump again. This is to
verify that the body fuel line is not clogged. 

If all tests OK,

While cranking, Carefully remove one plug wire from the distributor cap.
Hold it close to the terminal and see if it sparks. If not, Check for power
at the + of the coil. 

Do you have an electronic ignition system? If so, verify that the gap is
correct between the control unit and the "ring" on the distributor cam
shaft. If all is good but still no spark, change out to points. I returned
MANY defective Pertronix electronic ignition systems. 

If you are running points, check that the dwell is correct. I had a cheap
set of points wear the rubbing block down one time.

I learned to use my dwell meter and run points on both my Corvairs now.

 

Keep us posted,

 

Dave Thompson 

 

From: rod murray [mailto:rmurray8996 at gmail.com] 
Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2012 5:57 PM
To: CORVAIR
Cc: Roger Becker; John Sweet; Dave Thompson; Mike Fiscus;
marty24 at comcast.net
Subject: Engine start troubleshooting help

 

Following a recent vapor lock incident, i set after swapping electric fuel
pumps today...here's general sequence...
- drove the car to fixit location, put front wheels up on wheel ramps...note
car started fine as always...
- pulled pos cable from battery 
- replaced pump...triple-checked for proper install 
- reconnected battery cable
- put some gas in the carbs to help get it started
- tried to start, heard the pump, but no crank...headlights dim, and
practically gone when I tried starting (did that to check batt
status)...hmmm, dead battery?  How did that happen?
- checked carbs, confirmed jets are shooting gas...good there.   
- charged battery, retried starting...cranking fine again, but still won't
start...
- I checked for spark from coil to distributor...nothing...
- i checked the infamous engine death wire connection on drivers side of
engine compartment....checked for spark again, still nothing...

What else should I check?  Did i kill the coil somehow?  Is there an inline
fuse somewhere that could be involved?  This must be something simple (that
i did) since it started up fine this at beginning of this sequence...

Suggestions appreciated...thx

-rod
WPCC
'66 monza 140 convt...needs some backroads top down lovin'! 

-- 
Rod
"Reloaded in da 'burgh"
412-719-3449