Re: Fuel path

Posted by Hal (WA) on August 02, 2008 at 21:00:49 from (208.81.157.90):

In Reply to: Fuel path posted by wallacedw on August 01, 2008 at 16:48:56:

I read through all the posts and have a couple of questions: How long has it been since this engine has run?; and while you are turning it over, do you have spark at the spark plug? If it hasn't run for many years, you probably want to check things as follows.

To run, an engine needs compression, the right amount of fuel/air mix, and ignition at the right time. I have seen engines run with remarkably low compression, lousy mixtures and poor spark, but you have to have some of all three.

The old Chrysler flatheads didn't have very good fuel pumps. If the vehicle has not been run for a long time, there may be a lot of crud in the gas tank and line. The rubber line between the steel gas line and the pump could have gone bad and be plugged or sucking air. Or the fuel pump could be bad. I would disconnect the fuel line from the carb and crank the engine over after first removing the coil wire from the coil. If it doesn't pump anything, the above problems may have occurred, or very unlikely, the camshaft is not turning for some reason. And you did put a couple of gallons of new gas in the tank before you ever tried to get it to start, I hope?

If you do not have spark at the spark plug, I would suggest checking for spark with the coil wire: hold the end of the coil wire that fits in the distributor near the block and have someone try to start the engine. If it doesn't spark brightly, you either have no power to the coil or a problem with the points. If there is no power to the coil when the ignition switch is on, you need to find out why. If there is power to the coil, then opening and closing the points with a screwdriver should produce sparks from the coil wire. If it doesn't, try shorting out the points, so contact is made that way. If that doesn't work, I would suspect the coil and/or condenser. If the distributor shaft is not turning when the engine is cranking, there is a problem with the distributor gear or else the camshaft is not turning.

I think I would do a quick compression test, which is especially easy on the flathead 6. If the engine has been sitting for a long time, the cylinder walls may be dry. This should show up by having low compression readings, like 50 lbs or so. Or the rings may be stuck in the piston grooves. I would try putting about a teaspoon of oil down every spark plug hole, and then retesting each cylinder with the compression tester. The readings should improve a bunch. If you have cylinders with 0 or almost no compression, the valves are probably stuck open. If so, you will probably need to remove the cylinder head to get them loose. I think I would try some penetrating oil first, spraying it liberally on the valve heads with a tube through the spark plug holes. You might get lucky!

If an engine would turn over, I have usually been able to get them to run. Sometimes it has required pulling the rig with another vehicle. Warning: make sure that the brakes work before you try that. And if your Dodge happens to have fluid drive, you have to go pretty fast for it to work--otherwise the fluid coupling will just slip rather than turning the engine.

I think if I had established that there was good spark and decent compression, I would probably see if the engine would start by pouring a little bit of gas (maybe a couple of tablespoons) down the carb throat, and then trying to start it. Close the choke and open the throttle. After a few cranks, it should start firing and might start running. Beware of a backfire! It is a good idea to have a fire extinguisher close by when doing this.

But any way you go, you need compression, fuel and spark for the engine to run. Good luck!

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