Help, Won't Start

[Richard2]

1973 2L Berlina with Webers. I had the head off to do the valve gasket, guides and seals. The cams were measured as 11mm 290 deg/252deg @ .050". Inlet valve lash is set at .015", exhaust at .018".

When I took it apart, I didn't check to see what the valve lash was set at. The cam timing marks lined up with the marks on the bearing caps when the crank was on the "P" mark.

It won't start, fires out the exhaust once in a while when trying to start and blows gas out #3 & #4 every revolution.

While sitting here typing with 2 fingers ( I've doubled my speed since using 1), I think I figured out what's wrong...distributor is off 180 deg. You can tell I haven't done this for a while and am a little green...and (blush) red faced.

[Andrew]

You weren't kidding about the posting. How's it going?
Andrew

[Richard2]

This morning I decided to pull the cam cover and check the timing marks once again. I found 2 timing marks on each cam. No wonder it's blowing out the intake! I know I have the intake set at the wrong mark, but what about the exhaust? Do all cams on these cars have 2 timing marks?

More importantly, how do I tell if the exhaust is set on the right mark?

[Andrew]

The cams are interchangeable from exhaust to intake, so there are marks for both. Yes it's a common mistake.

Here's the setup:
1. Engine at TDC #1 (P mark on pulley).
2. Cam timing marks lined up, with each #1 lobe pointing horizontally outwards (that is, away from each other).
3. Look down #1 spark plug hole to make sure you can't see an open valve.
4. Pointer on dist near #1 wire.
Should be in the ballpark enough to run.
Andrew

[Andrew]

You should be able to fix this by turning the engine over 360 degress, at which point the cam lobes should be outwards, and then moving the dist body so it's pointing at #1 instead of #4. Easier than moving the cams.

Andrew

[Richard2]

Ok, thanks. When I rotate the intake cam to get it in the right location the valves won't hit each other will they? ie: if the exhaust valves aren't moving with some open, when I turn the intake cam and an intake is open at the same time as the exhaust, will they touch?

[Andrew]

It shouldn't, but I'd turn it slowly by hand with the plugs out. As a four-stroke engine, the crank turns twice as fast as the cams, so even when correctly timed, you have one stroke where the cams are pointing outward (valves closed) and the sparkpluf fires (downward start of power stroke) and another stroke when the cams are pointing inward (intake valve opening) with the intake open (downward start of intake stroke). You're just moving the dist from 4 to 1 to change which stroke as which, but it's all mechanically the same to the engine.

I know it can be a mind-f*ck, especially on your own engine when you're worried about your valves and pistons hitting. But you've been turning it over already without mechanical mayhem, right?

If it's too scary, set the crank so all the pistons are halfway down their bores (P mark 90 degrees from timing pointer; two on the way down and two on the way up), disconnect the cams, turn the cams to the proper orientation, and slowly bring the crank around to the right orientation, again being sensitive to any mecnanical contact. Once everything's lined up, hook the cams back up and set their timing, then make sure the dist is on #1.

Andrew

[Richard2]

Ok, I got the timing reset and it started right up, Thanks for all the tips Andrew
When I was warming it up to retorque, I adjusted the dist timing to 3deg. The idle screw on the carbs is very sensitive and doesn't seem to idle at the same speed with the screw in the same place. The advance seems to start to kick in around 1000rpm...is that normal?
I'll hook up the speedo cable back to the dash and put the hood on and go for a drive. However, right now its 11:30am and I haven't had breakfast.

[Andrew]

Advance weights, springs, pivots in dist could be worn. Hard to say. And who knows how good the idle circuit is, or the tuning, on the carbs.

Andrew

[Richard2]

We went for a 1.5 hr drive. Its running rough. When I got home I pulled plug wires off one at a time. #1 isn't firing, so either it's not getting gas or spark. It seemed to work my timing light, so I'm guessing its not getting gas.

[acurtiss]

Did you check the plug? Voltage in the wire doesn't necessarily mean you're getting spark at the plug, and of course a wet plug will confirm that gas is at least getting to it.

[Richard2]

The car really looks so much better than when I first bought it.