Slant six not starting.
OK, BASICS---you need three things to run an engine:
Compression, (enough)
Ignition (good hot spark and at the right time)
Fuel---at the least, starting fluid.
Compression---Did you say ?? 50 ??
First, if you have not, check the valve lash, make sure you have some. For a "rough idea" you can actually adjust valves "by eye" and "by feel" That is, make sure the cam lobe is rotated to the rear side, and that the valve lash is "too loose" as opposed to "too tight."
If you think the head gasket is not leaking, low compression can be caused by excessive engine wear, bad rings or sitting "dried out" for long time.
Even if the engine is worn, squirting some heavy--40-50wt --oil into the cylinders can help
IGNITION:
DO NOT trust your timing marks. Dampers can slip, so do this: Make yourself or buy a piston "positive stop"
You can hacksaw the crimp off an old plug, drive out the ceramic, tap the nose for a bolt, and rig it with a lock nut to adjust. Length is not critical, but it must hit the piston "at some point."
With the stop in no1, gently rotate the engine until it stops. Make a temporary mark on the balancer under TDC on the timing tab. Do the same thing opposite rotation. Now you will have two marks some distance apart. True TDC will be halfway between, and that's where the original mark on the wheel should be.
Now "put your finger in" no1, bump until you feel a "blow out" while watching the marks. You should see the marks "coming up" and rotate the engine until, say, 10BTC or so.
Now look at what tower the rotor is pointing, and that should be no1. Move plug wires as needed, and check for proper points opening/ closing, and that you have a good condenser. Spark "won't happen" without a good condenser.
If you really want to get "tricky" you can time the engine "static" AKA VW beetle. What you do is, with the engine at the firing point, loosen the dist with a 12V test lamp from the neg. dist. terminal to ground. Rotate the dist. against shaft rotation, until the points just open, indicated by the light. Once you learn this, you can do so while just watching the points for a spark, or holding the coil wire to the block while slowly moving the dist. housing.. Key must be in "run" of course.
You should be able to crank the engine and check for a good hot spark.
FUEL
Make sure the plugs are in good shape and dry. Any question, test them as above while cranking. Button everything up and if nothing else, use starting fluid.
OK, BASICS---you need three things to run an engine:
Compression, (enough)
Ignition (good hot spark and at the right time)
Fuel---at the least, starting fluid.
Compression---Did you say ?? 50 ??
First, if you have not, check the valve lash, make sure you have some. For a "rough idea" you can actually adjust valves "by eye" and "by feel" That is, make sure the cam lobe is rotated to the rear side, and that the valve lash is "too loose" as opposed to "too tight."
If you think the head gasket is not leaking, low compression can be caused by excessive engine wear, bad rings or sitting "dried out" for long time.
Even if the engine is worn, squirting some heavy--40-50wt --oil into the cylinders can help
IGNITION:
DO NOT trust your timing marks. Dampers can slip, so do this: Make yourself or buy a piston "positive stop"
You can hacksaw the crimp off an old plug, drive out the ceramic, tap the nose for a bolt, and rig it with a lock nut to adjust. Length is not critical, but it must hit the piston "at some point."
With the stop in no1, gently rotate the engine until it stops. Make a temporary mark on the balancer under TDC on the timing tab. Do the same thing opposite rotation. Now you will have two marks some distance apart. True TDC will be halfway between, and that's where the original mark on the wheel should be.
Now "put your finger in" no1, bump until you feel a "blow out" while watching the marks. You should see the marks "coming up" and rotate the engine until, say, 10BTC or so.
Now look at what tower the rotor is pointing, and that should be no1. Move plug wires as needed, and check for proper points opening/ closing, and that you have a good condenser. Spark "won't happen" without a good condenser.
If you really want to get "tricky" you can time the engine "static" AKA VW beetle. What you do is, with the engine at the firing point, loosen the dist with a 12V test lamp from the neg. dist. terminal to ground. Rotate the dist. against shaft rotation, until the points just open, indicated by the light. Once you learn this, you can do so while just watching the points for a spark, or holding the coil wire to the block while slowly moving the dist. housing.. Key must be in "run" of course.
You should be able to crank the engine and check for a good hot spark.
FUEL
Make sure the plugs are in good shape and dry. Any question, test them as above while cranking. Button everything up and if nothing else, use starting fluid.
