Anyone from Springfield Mo area? Need help with slant

[bblock383]

Was wondering if anyone from the Springfield Mo area knew about slant sixes that could help troubleshoot my engine not starting?

Brand new rebuilt engine never ran but more than 30 seconds. Engine has 0 vac when starting but engine never starts but tries to. Completely sucks a battery dry every time which I assume is from the engine still being tight since it's never ran long enough to loosen it up. I've got spark and fuel and I'm getting good compression within spec (125-135).

Leak down test was done and it didn't leak so I can assume the valves and rings are doing their job. Here's another odd thing is that every once in a blue moon the car will fire right up. The first time it ran for a few seconds and then acted like someone just turned the key off. Last time it ran and idled perfect for 30 seconds or so and as soon as the throttle was touched it quit and hasn't started since.

I recently took the manifold off and replaced the stock gaskets with REMFLEX gaskets to ensure a leak proof seal to the head, between the manifold and to seal the exhaust flange. Didn't help still no vac at starting. When it ran the last time it was checked for vac leaks and the only leak was from the egr which was fixed other than that none were found. The valves have been done and redone several times.

Engine is 225 with peanut plug head with 40 over pistons and a comp cams 264s. All manifold are ported and head was gasket matched. Has super six setup also with hei setup. I'm at a loss here since everything seems fine. Voltage drops once you try to start it a few times but I've ran a jumper to the coil from the battery to try and ensure full voltage and didn't help. All parts are new except the distributor which is reman. We got number 1 cylinder up and pointed the rotor at it and distributor is has been turned every way it can be but still doesn't start. Anyone got any ideas??

 

[66Dvert]

Was wondering if anyone from the Springfield Mo area knew about slant sixes that could help troubleshoot my engine not starting?

Brand new rebuilt engine never ran but more than 30 seconds. Engine has 0 vac when starting but engine never starts but tries to. Completely sucks a battery dry every time which I assume is from the engine still being tight since it's never ran long enough to loosen it up. I've got spark and fuel and I'm getting good compression within spec (125-135).

Leak down test was done and it didn't leak so I can assume the valves and rings are doing their job. Here's another odd thing is that every once in a blue moon the car will fire right up. The first time it ran for a few seconds and then acted like someone just turned the key off. Last time it ran and idled perfect for 30 seconds or so and as soon as the throttle was touched it quit and hasn't started since.

I recently took the manifold off and replaced the stock gaskets with REMFLEX gaskets to ensure a leak proof seal to the head, between the manifold and to seal the exhaust flange. Didn't help still no vac at starting. When it ran the last time it was checked for vac leaks and the only leak was from the egr which was fixed other than that none were found. The valves have been done and redone several times.

Engine is 225 with peanut plug head with 40 over pistons and a comp cams 264s. All manifold are ported and head was gasket matched. Has super six setup also with hei setup. I'm at a loss here since everything seems fine. Voltage drops once you try to start it a few times but I've ran a jumper to the coil from the battery to try and ensure full voltage and didn't help. All parts are new except the distributor which is reman. We got number 1 cylinder up and pointed the rotor at it and distributor is has been turned every way it can be but still doesn't start. Anyone got any ideas??

did the car run with the hei setup before you rebuilt it?
did you take the wires off?
1. if so then the wiring to the hei could be on backwards and cause a no start or run really crappy condition.

2. if it's new with the rebuild then easiest thing to do is temporarily add back in the mopar ecu and wiring (or points distributor,(easier if you got it)) and go from there

3. did you verify timing TDC manually and not by looking at the damper. but by finding TDC on piston and making sure the cam is in sync with the crank. making sure the valves are closed when they are supposed to be.
if it's off a tooth or so you'll never get it running right or for long.oh and bad vacuum too!
4. maybe you can pop the distributor out put the cap back on(turn key on after this) and pull a plug wire and lay it on the valve cover. using you hand spin the distributor and see what kind of spark your getting. you should be getting a NICE fat blue spark with hei if not the go back to the wiring diagram and make sure it correct. if it is correct wiring goto #1


hmm that all I got right at this moment.
but do these basic's first and then go from there.

 

[bblock383]

Ya the hei system was there before the rebuild and the module is new and the diagram was checked several times to make sure the right wires went to the right prongs on the module. Also yes we used a piston stop to find tdc. The cam was never degreed since at the time we had no idea it needed offset washer or have the timing set modified to degree it properly. I've thought of this maybe being the problem but I wouldn't think it would try hard to start if it was way off or the fact that on 2 occasions it did run miraculously and that the compression is at correct spec. My thought originally was that the valves were not opening and closing at the right times with the combustion process but I'm not sure what to think at this point. But can I have a huge vacuum leak and yet have perfect compression with no leaks in a leak down test? The exhaust and intake have been sealed with Remflex gaskets so I know I've got a good seal now so the other places left would be rings and valves leaking but those have tested fine. The spark was tested and yes it had a blue spark but it wasn't a huge or anything so heat wise I'd say we are on but the size of the spark may leave some to be desired. The coil is an accel coil so it should put out some good voltage.

 

[66Dvert]

Ya the hei system was there before the rebuild and the module is new and the diagram was checked several times to make sure the right wires went to the right prongs on the module. Also yes we used a piston stop to find tdc. The cam was never degreed since at the time we had no idea it needed offset washer or have the timing set modified to degree it properly. I've thought of this maybe being the problem but I wouldn't think it would try hard to start if it was way off or the fact that on 2 occasions it did run miraculously and that the compression is at correct spec. My thought originally was that the valves were not opening and closing at the right times with the combustion process but I'm not sure what to think at this point. But can I have a huge vacuum leak and yet have perfect compression with no leaks in a leak down test? The exhaust and intake have been sealed with Remflex gaskets so I know I've got a good seal now so the other places left would be rings and valves leaking but those have tested fine. The spark was tested and yes it had a blue spark but it wasn't a huge or anything so heat wise I'd say we are on but the size of the spark may leave some to be desired. The coil is an accel coil so it should put out some good voltage.

hmm dang I was hoping the wires were reversed. since it would try to run or run badly with them reversed. ahhhh well on to the compression.
vacuum and compression are 2 different beasts. you can have GREAT compression and a massive vacuum leak. an example is if you take all the plugs out and open the carb fully that allows you to spin the engine over and check compression but gives you a low vacuum (carb fully open) or like a big cam with lot's of lope. lousy vacuum but good compression. I'd check the TDC and make sure the valves are closed when they are supposed to be. truthfully though i have seen a slant with a really bad timing chain (jumped one tooth) run and do it rather well even as far as using a saline drip clip on a tube coming from a gas can into the throat of a carb, so I'd look into the distributor that is after I verify the TDC and valve opening.
sorry I'm so little help.
I always go back to basic's myself to try and diagnose these things.
1 gas, 2 spark, 3 timing, 4 voltage at coil.
usually it's somewhere in the timing or a weak/bad part. new doesn't mean good anymore.

 

[bblock383]

I'm wondering after talking with my father if the plugs are getting full voltage or not. The Ide comes from the way the spark was while testing. Yes it was blue but wasn't large or anything impressive. So seems like the heat is there but doesn't seem to have enough juice. So them the question is what could cause the voltage to not be sufficient to turn an engine over and how would I go about checking how much voltage is hitting the plugs or is there a way?