CTCarguy Posted June 6, 2011 Report Posted June 6, 2011 (edited) Hi All: I am at my wits end trying to figure out what is wrong with my D12. I just had a valve job done and other than a little miss, it was running pretty good and then it quit on a hill. I thought I may have run out of gas so I put more gas in. Still would try to start but not run. Checked the fuel flow to the carb and it was zero. Rebuilt the fuel pump and it was running but rough.checked the fule line and it was clear, drained the gas and put fresh in. I had already bought wires, points, cap and rotor to do a tune up. (I'm sure you all knew but I found out the "universal" wire sets will not work - too much resistance for 6v. with anything but solid core. ) Marked the rotor/distributor, took it out and put in fresh points and gapped it to .020 on the bench. I checked the vacuum advance and it was toast. I got a new one and tested it before installing. Now the engine runs like it is out of time but I have checked and rechecked the firing order, the rotor position, the plug wires and everything else I can think of. It's getting fuel and I checked and #1 is firing at TDC but the light is irregular which could be the engine rpm variation or something else. I did a compression test and blow by test when the valve job was done. Could it be the coil? My neighbor said it sounded like a Harley idling. It is not drivable as the engine is breaking up all the time and pushing some oil smoke. The plugs are black as in a rich mixture. I have spent 3 days trying to solve this and I think it is electrical. Tomorrow I will get a coil. What else could it be? Sorry for being long winded but I am frustrated. Larry in CT Edited June 6, 2011 by CTCarguy Quote
yourpc48 Posted June 6, 2011 Report Posted June 6, 2011 If your firing order is correct, and your timing is correct, and your exhaust isnt plugged. You could have a carb problem too. Make sure there is fire. If you do, there is a vacuum actuated metering rod in the carb and if the vacuum to it gets plugged off (dont know how but you never know) or the piston gets stuck this would make it run rich and foul the plugs. Sticky needle and seat might flood the engine too. If it was running well and then worked ok after the fuel pump something may have gotten stuck in the needle and seat for the float. Good luck. Quote
greg g Posted June 6, 2011 Report Posted June 6, 2011 have you assured proper quantity of fuel flow??? Did you check for a vacuum leak downstream of the carb? Did you try putting a vacuum gauge on it to see what the gauge shows. Quote
CTCarguy Posted June 6, 2011 Author Report Posted June 6, 2011 After 4 days of pulling what little hair I have, the car runs fine. The value of this forum is again validated. While searching on coil problems I fell upon a message regarding NAPA point sets. It seemed others have had the same problem. Inside the box is what looks a little like a condenser holder but it is really a spring that must be installed on the inside of the copper spring from the points. The tension is greatly increased and I guess it keeps the contacts tight and reduces bouncing. That bouncing made my engine run terribly. Add the spring and it is fine. Thanks to all for your input and special thanks to the forum members. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted June 6, 2011 Report Posted June 6, 2011 When I put my points in, I saw that spring at the last minute and said, "What the heck is that thing?" I was getting ready to go without it. Quote
greg g Posted June 6, 2011 Report Posted June 6, 2011 so once again a fuel problem turned out to be electically based. Quote
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