new engine just wont start

In my econoline i have a freshly rebuilt 200292 inline six. Its bored .30 over with flat top pistons. It has a clay smith cam that has been set to 4 degrees of advance. I have modified the intake log and turned it into a tri-power setup. I made sure the engine was on the compression stroke and set the timing at TDC. The engine just turns over. It acted like it wanted to start a time or two..but other than that it refuses to start. All the carbs are brand new. Any suggestions? I plan on replacing the stock coil tomorrow with a hotter accell coil.

don't bother with a new coil that's not the problem
4 degrees is not enough set it to 16 and try again, you can leave the distributer clamp a little loose and adjust it as you crank to see if it responds at a different setting.

Check for the basics, You need gas,compression, and fire. If the carbs are new, gas is probably not the problem, but you can allways pour a little in just to be sure. Compression? Pull #1 spark plug, put your finger in hole and crank over, if it blows your finger out you have compression. Fire? While you have the spark plug out, connect it to the wire and ground it out, crank the engine over and see if it fires. If those three things are working, then it has to be timing. I hope this helps.

I have compression, fuel and fire. I figure its a timing issue. I have always been told if you advance the cam your timing window gets a lot smaller. Im sure i just have to find that sweet spot....and the im running half gas...110 octane airplane fuel to start it up with....no gasohol..lol

To get a better static timing to start with, pull #1 plug and the cap (noting where #1 wire is at) put your finger in the hole, crank and watch where the rotor is when your finger gets blown out. That is where #1 wire should be when you put cap back on. This should get you close enough to start.

It looks like we found the problem. The timing seems to be floating. We kept advancing the distributor until we heard the engine want to to turn over..so we kept advancing the distributor until we bumped the block with the vacuum. So we rotated the plug wires 1 place all thethe way aroundto and backed the distributor up. Engine almost started but was still a little off. After a few tries the engine quit trying to start. We started advancing the distributor some more. Got it back to trying to start, then we lost it again. It seems like the distributor is our problem. What do you guys think?

i'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY "FLOATING". uNLESS THE VAC ADVANCE IS DISCONECTED AND THE BREAKER PLATE IS MOVING. mAKE SURE THE TIMING ORDER IS CORECT-153624.

Who rebuilt the engine? Could be the timing chain is off a tooth or two. Dist 180 Deg off?

Are the lifters pumped up?

likely 180 degrees out
go thru all the tdc # 1 again & verify its showing #1 on the crank timing area?? then look @ the rotor v/s #1 plug wire position/?

I agree it sounds like your distributor is 180 degrees off.....
Kurt

The distributor is not 180 off. The motor is trying to start but wont. Yesterday i reset the timing and took out the 4 degrees of advance. And double checked that with the timing marks lined up on the timing gears that the distributor was on the #1 firing position. I didnt get a chance to try and fire the engine after i put everything back together...i will see if i can get it crank today when i get home.

I did 180 the distributor just to test that idea before i redid the timing. And as soon as i did it started backfiring thru the Carb.

backfiring through the carb means you are close. sounds like it is a little retarded now. I ould still try the finger in #1 plug hole, watch the rotor as you crank the motor, when your finger gets blown out, the rotor should be pointing to where #1 wire should be.

make sure after u did the above -u look @ the crank timing to verify its close to tdc or just before a few degrees on the balancer & tab.

check point gap and firing order clockwise or counter clockwise

Well....we seem to have in narrowed down to not enough voltage at the distributor. So i have an HEI distributor on the way from classic inlines. Thats should take care of the problem.

Glad to hear you got it figured out

Hey Kage,

Curious to see how the HEI fits in the Doghouse. I have one in my Falcon and wow what a difference it made.

George

I agree, back firing says you have spark and fuel.
This is how I set the dizzy and has never failed in 40 some odd years,, LOL..... Pull the valve cover off, I never do, but its easier. Pull #1 plug and use a straw to read the piston height through the plug hole.
Turn the engine over and watch the exhaust valve close and then continue turning it over until the intake valve has opened and now is closing/closed while watching the straw in the plug hole. When the straw stops moving and then starts to drop you are at TDC. Check your timing marks on your dampener and they should also read TDC if no advance on the camshaft. Mark #1 on your dizzy, point the rotor a half a tooth ahead of where it should line up with the mark. Then while turning the motor over, the dizzy should drop into place moving that half a tooth when it fully drops because of the gears meshing. This should give you the exact TDC point to have the rotor pointing at. As usual always set the dizzy so that you can move it back and forth without the vacuum advance hitting the doghouse or the block. When running it should be pointing straight back letting you be able to adjust it.
Old Skool