Stumped NO MORE!!! :-)

Thanks! I'll letcha'll know tomorrow. Rotor does point to #1 position, so I'm stymied.

For fun I might just pull the dist. and put it 180* off. Might get lucky . Not sure what else to do!

 

Hippo: In your 1st post you did not mention that you had the + from the starter (batt) going thru a ballast resistor. If you didn't, you could have fried the points or condensor. They are anly supposed to have 9 v or something like that going to the coil.

Check your points and condensor.

 

it should still crank up and sound normal being 180 out... just won't pull anything.

 

If you have it wired up right, it's pulling a full 12V through the coil during starting anyway.

 

Won't Start

On odd-fire Buick V6s

1) Number one Dist Spark plug wire on the CAP MUST go to Number One Cylinder. (Other wise the timing will be off 50 degrees

2) Timing Chain Failure is common--- they slip out due to the cam thrust moving as much as 1/4 inch and distroy the timing chain and cam gear teeth -- as often as 30K miles. This throws off both Valve timing and Spark timing..

 

I still get good spark, so that means the points are good, right? :?

I did have a ballast resistor originally, but when that didn't work I ditched it. Might have had it wired wrong--It went from +batt to ballast to +coil. Isn't that right? Smoke came from the ballast after a couple minutes. That baby was hot!

I guess timing chain is ok. Rotor rotates fine and I set timing while cranking. Not sure what else to do?!?

 

Wow! You "Smoked" the ballast?

I really don't think that there is any + or - side of the resistor. It "resists" either way. Just will need a new ballast to keep the points good.

To check your timing chain, put a socket on the crank and turn back and forth while observing the movement of the rotor. A "little" slop is acceptable.

 

To get timing in ballpark (assuming timing chain and dist/wires are setup proper) turn motor to 5 degress before TDC on #1. Take off dist. cap and rotor (dwell/point gap is O.K. right? If not gap points or set dwell before starting out). Put a rolling paper between point contacts (only works good with new/smooth point contacts) then turn dist. until the paper can just be pulled free from the contacts, tighten down dist. hold down. You should be within a couple degrees of 5 before TDC.

This works when you fry the points out in the woods too. File the contacts down flat w/sandpaper (you got some in the toolbox don't you?) then gap w/matchbook cover before using "rolling paper" trick above

 

tony thats a pretty cool trick...i will have to remember that

 

Believe it or not, my Mom showed me the "match book" trick back in the '60's. R)

 

I had the same issue... It was as simple as having the firing order wrong... If needed, send me an email and I can send you a pic of the correct order...

My guess would be firing order or 180 degrees off TDC.

Good luck

 

i'm going to say it's a timing problem somewhere. i've had mine running for a week 180 out one time and finally opened the hood to see why it wasn't pulling as good as it should... never let "friends" touch the cj. if he's only trying to get it to crank it'll crank and idle right nice at 180 out. a compression test would tell ya if the cam shaft was in time with the crank... judging by what you've done that might be the problem.

just for fun, have you held the plugs against the block while cranking to see if it's actually firing at the plug? i know you've been shocked real hard, but if you're carefull and don't ground yourself out it won't hurt at all... trust me, i've had the joys of that shock myself. if that'll fire and you're spraying starting fluid down things it should fire up one way or another... unless there's a timing problem.

 

I am sure most of you are thinking..... "why is this here?"

But something as simple as this could keep it from running.... Verify you have your new Dist wired correctly.

All you gurus out there, let me know if i drew this correctly. I did it from memory..... :?

 

Looks pretty good to me. On mine #1 is about where your #2 is. Doesn't make any difference as long as the rotor is pointed there too and it's at TDC on #1 cyl.

 

Hey thanks '69 CJ5. You did that on your 'puter?? I saw something like this in a Chilton's manual, so I know it's wired correctly. Steve: no I've never heard this run before. Not sure how to check on the timing chain? Would a skipped tooth or two cause it to not start at all?

Thanks for all the tips. Keep 'em comin! I'll be tinkering on it again tomorrow night.

 

Steve it sounds like it turns over as it normally should. The only time it's erratic was when I was messin' with the timing. Once I musta had the dist. turned too far (advanced?) because when I got the occasional fire/explosion out the carb, it caused the pistons to stop for a split sec and then it resumed cranking.

It cranks as if the lead coil wire is pulled--over and over but doesn't "catch". :evil: I'm going out to fiddle with it now. I'm hoping that a couple days off has given me a clear head to figure out what I've done wrong. I'm sure it's something DFO.