Ready to test engine start

[pvienneau]

Hey all, planning to start engine in frame soon. Can you guys give me some minimum wiring for starting and hopefully shutting down?

THX

[mr48chev]

Well. an absolute minimum is having the battery hooked to the starter solenoid and ground on the block and using a piece of wire to connect from the + post of the battery to the + post on the coil or the bat pin on the hei if it has an hei.

Then you jump across the posts on the starter with a screwdriver to crank the engine.
This video is starting a 500 Cad with that minimal hookup.


The next step up would be to use a push button starter switch to crank the engine over and put a toggle switch in the line between the battery and the coil so you could flip the switch rather than pull the wire off the battery.

[_Ogre]

big wire to starter and ground on block from battery
small 12v+ wire to coil
screwdriver between starter terminals to start it
pull small 12v+ wire to coil off to kill it

[pvienneau]

All day spent trying to get spark with no luck. Had to stop for day and will work at getting spark before trying to start again.

[mr48chev]

Ok, what are we working on and what ignition setup does it have? Once we have that we can give some solid ideas on how to make it work.

[_Ogre]

p's truck is totally stock if i recall, not sure if 12 or 6 volt
no spark at all?
coil - goes to points + to switch

[mr48chev]

I'm believing that he is using a jumper wire from the battery to the coil as I did on that Cad 500.

The inside of your distributor looks like this:

Looking at the actual contacts on the points you can see that they have about a .016 gap between them. Now notice that the rubbing block on the point's moving arm is on one of the high points of the distributor cam. That is how you have it when you adjust the points or check to see that they are adjusted correctly.

If the points are open when the rubbing block is on the flat of the cam the points are open all the time and open wider when the distributor turns.

Also note how the lead from the condenser and the spring for the points are connected to the stud that goes through the insulated block in the side of the housing. Sometimes a guy gets the end of the condenser lead in the wrong place or gets it turned so it is making contact with the distributor plate grounding things out.

Make sure you have put the rotor back in the distributor before you put the cap on. It sounds silly but I've checked out more than one vehicle that wouldn't start that the rotor was either missing on or broken.

[pvienneau]

Hi Guys, yes, I'm doing a ground up resto on a 49 AD Standard keeping it as close to original look as possible. I have the engine in and tried starting it last week end. No luck no spark. I have all new parts in the distro. I followed all directions on setting the TDC from distro and gapped plugs. Wired a switch and connected a new battery. I have not gapped the points. See picture of the distro.

Thanks

[pvienneau]

THanks a ton Mr. 48 I worked on the points and now have spark from wires to plugs now. Gas and starter fluid in carb and she definitely wants to start but no luck. Need to work on next step. Getting carb right.

[pvienneau]

Truck is stock 49 with 50 block and 51 top. I put a switch between starter and coil. See picture. Long cable from battery + to starter solenoid. Short cable from battery - to frame. Coil - to side Distributor post. Next I will work on Carb, and get a brake line from pump to Jerry Jug. Any suggestions and or experience is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Pat

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by pvienneau

I have not gapped the points.

i would check the gap first. just roll the distributor until your points are on a peak and use feeler gauges to set the gap. coil is hooked up right as you have coil- going to the points.

once you have spark you can move onto the fuel system.

i forgot you have the foot starter, that makes it easy peasy to hook up for a test run.
should run the way you have it wired.

[pvienneau]

Yes, the gap of the points was off and I made it .018, the points were a bit off center and zI fixed that by seating the points down all the way in the dist, and I filed the points and voila spark. Now its on to fuel.

Thanks

Pat

[OrrieG]

With spark to the plugs is it firing at all or just spinning a little faster like it wants to start? REcheck you timing TDC on compression to #1 plug. 1 tooth off or 180 degrees out can make a difference. If the carb has been sitting the accelerator pump can dry out and not seal, look and see if you are getting a squirt in the carb when you hit the throttle. And this all assumes the valves are adjusted close to right, you checked compression, etc.

[gag1025]

We always use an external starter which can be purchased at most car part stores.

[pvienneau]

OrrieG, spark is at all 6 plugs. I guess it spins a little faster. I plan to check and set TDC again. I'm thinking its carb related, I did rebuild the carb so maybe its a bad carb. The gas is definitely getting pumped to the carb. I also have a compression tester available to use.

THanks

Pat

[pvienneau]

gag1025, why the external starter? I will go pick one up but is it specific to the vehicle?

Pat

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by gag1025

We always use an external starter which can be purchased at most car part stores.

Do you mean a remote start button? I've never had a Chevy six but it looks like the starter switch is enclosed so I'm not sure you could use one on this engine.

[_Ogre]

you already have the foot starter, that's as basic as it gets.
get it started yet?

you should be able to start it with a pinch of gas in a bottle
pour it in and crank it, now that you have spark
just watch for a backfire

[pvienneau]

I have the engine in the frame and using the bar on the bell housing to push start the 6. Its very simple to start this engine in the frame as it is. I have not got it started yet. I will keep ya'all posted.

Pat

[solidaxel]

Did you set the valves, how much clearance, distributor timing No 1 and top dead center on compression stroke, where is the rotor pointing, correct firing order on plug wires?

[gag1025]

Russell Ashley

Do you mean a remote start button? I've never had a Chevy six but it looks like the starter switch is enclosed so I'm not sure you could use one on this engine.

Yes. Like the ones in these link. It will work regardless of the type of switch on the vehicle.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...er=273359_0_0_

Amazon.com: Actron CP7854 Heavy-Duty Remote...

[Russell Ashley]

From looking at the picture, the starter switch looks to be fully enclosed. It doesn't appear to me that you could use a remote start button like the one you referred to since you can't get to the contacts to hook the remote switch to. I never had a Chevy six thought so can't speak from experience.

[_Ogre]

no solenoid and no bendix to engage the starter on a foot starter
the starter is engaged by pressing down on the starter pedal, which also mechanically engages the starter motor
thus no way to hook a remote start on it.

[pvienneau]

HI guys, thanks for the help. Now the current issue is the compression. Can't seem to get it past 30. Engine been sitting since 2001, the last time it ran. My mechanic friend says put some oil in spark plug holes and get a 12 volt battery on it making sure everything electric is disconnected but the starter. What do you guys suggest?

[Nordic]

When you do your compression test, all spark plugs out? Throttle wide open? at least 3 compression cycles? Are all cylinders at 30 lbs?