VCCA Home Forums Thread Like Summary - almost ready to start it... after 50+ years...... PROBLEMS

OK... I need your advice ... about how to time this 1934 master, without cranking it with the starter or turning the engine over.... New wiring, rebuilt carb, New gas tank & battery.... All clean down to shiny metal connections... new, good ground straps.... the motor turned over, almost fired... Getting gas & spark.... but sounds like the starter is dragging a little, as it cranks..... The distributor was PULLED, to turn the new gear drive oil pump with a drill... to get the oil flowing first..... I marked the distributor when I pulled it ... with the rotor position..... But I probably got it back in wrong..... I Think the timing is off..... I CAN'T crank it... to put a timing light on it.... and I pulled the plug out of # 1 cylinder... and poked a screwdriver down the hole to see if I could feel the piston coming to TDC... BUT couldn't touch the piston top..... Oh well..... How do I time it... without running it..?? Even with the 6 volt battery charger on it... it will not crank over the motor..... the starter was cranking it over for about a minute... while I pulled the choke... and tapped the gas ..it did fire a few times.. NOW .. even with the battery all charged up (6.73 volts).. and the charger on it... the starter will not turn..... the solenoid just clicks.. but won't turn the starter...
So... It was cranking fine but sounded slow and just stopped.... would it help to get the timing as close to right as possible.. to eliminate the drag it would place on the starter... or should I pull the starter off (keeping the wires connected)..... and the try to hit the starter button and spin the starter ... while off ??

Take the plugs out and trun it over (key offf) the cylinders may be filled with gas.....let it sit oover night and dry out.
Then retard the timing and try it.
Check - timing ball in hole, both valves closed on #1 cylinder and @1 spark plug wire going into cap at 4'00 position and rotor pointing a that 1 Cyl.

Today I followed Toni & Rusty's directions on static timing of the engine..... this time I think I got it right.... because the engine fired and ran for a few seconds..... it was smooth and didn't back fire.... It is cool here 65 degrees... I did not use the choke, but set the throttle about 1/4 of the way..... and cranked it with the starter...... it ran for about 3-4 seconds and died... this happened several times..... there is gas in the pump glass bowl (full) and the clear fuel filter about 4" from the carb has gas in it too, (half full)..... I don't know why it died after a few seconds..... But I will keep trying. Right now I am charging the Battery.
It only charges up to about 6.3 volts and after cranking, gets down to 5.7- 6.0 volts..... I would like to get some starter fluid tomorrow in town.... and some fuel line to bypass the clear plastic fuel filter near the carb.....
I did check for spark from the big center coil wire, 1/2" from ground... it jumped the gap when I opened the points... and I pulled a few wires and they had spark jumping to the plugs when cranked.....
I did reset the static timing... with #1 valves closed and #6 exhaust valve just closing & intake just opening... But looking at the pointer with a flash light... I can see no ball in sight.... in fact I slowly clicked the starter around the full rotation of the flywheel several times,.... while looking with a flashlight at the pointer... and I could find no ball or bump on the flywheel near the pointer anywhere... so I just went by the #1 & #6 valve positions.... I can Not hand crank the engine, since I installed this new aluminum radiator (it is lower and blocks the crank hole access to the crank pully)..... (It was made for a 1934-36 Chevy truck) But at least , now it fires up and runs briefly..... so I feel I might be making progress...