VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Can't start 39 Deluxe

Hello, I am at my wits end on this car. I bought it two months ago and have not been able to get it started. I installed a NEW battery, coil, fuel pump, fuel line filter, spark plug wires, ignition points, capacitor, rotor, dist. cap. I verified the correct wire order from the plugs to the distributor cap. I did not use the gas tank at any time and am drawing gas from a container I have temporarily placed in the trunk. I took the carburetor apart and gave it a light cleaning, then reinstalled it. I am getting good spark. The engine will not even fire! I tried pouring a little gas into the carburetor but that did not help although the engine turn over sounded like it was just a hair faster. I even tried spraying a little starting fluid into the carb. The engine seems to turn over kind of slow but I assume that is due to being a six volt system. I removed the valve cover and verified all the valves are working. I am presently looking for the correct Carter W-1 420s carburetor to replace the Rochester with. I do not know what to do next. Can anyone offer any sugestions? Any and all help will be very much appreciated. Bob

Check the timing. The ball on the flywheel should be visible when the rotor button is pointing at No. 1 cylinder (in the distributor). I suspect that the spark is either way too advanced or retarded for the fuel to ignite at TDC or thereabout.
Charlie

I'd also take the spark plugs out and squirt some oil in each cylinder. From the sounds of it you have put plenty of gas in without it starting. The cylinder walls are probably washed of all oil and causing the rings to not seal and make compression. If you have a compression tester it would be a good idea to check it once you put oil in the cylinders and turn it over. Don

With regards to your engine turning over very slow, make sure both cables are clean and that the ground connection is free of any corrosion. It also helps to use a larger gauge positive cable such as 00 or larger such as 0000. A good welding shop can make one for you if you do not have any other source to buy one. If someone removed the distributor, it possibly could have been put back in wrong. Have you checked for that? Beamer

Thanks Charlie, This is the first thing I will do as soon as I can get back to the car. Bob

I did not think of that Don. I need to get a compression checker, then I will do as you suggested. Bob

Thanks Beamer, I did not check the distributor for being installed correctly. The thought did occur to me but because I do not know how to do this, I dismissed the thought with hopes that it is ok. I guess I need to do a little research on the topic and put it on my to do list. Your input is appreciated. BTW, I am originally from Rochester NY. I do not know how to send an email to a member. Send me an email, maybe we know each other. Bob

Left click on the user's name and you will see a drop-down menu. Click on "View Profile". At the bottom of the profile you will see either the user's email address or "Send a Private Message". If there is no email address click on "Send a Private Message" and you are ready to go.

Hello Junkyard Dog, I tried your suggestion and it tells me I am not authorized to see this information. This brings to my mind another problem I am having. I sent my membership application and check on June 24. As of today I have heard nothing. I would have thought someone would send me an email. I sent a followup email several days ago but did not get anything on that either. Is this the way things go with registering new members? Just wondering?? Bob

Yep, it usually takes a while to hear back from the VCCA. However, once you are an official member of the VCCA then the site administrator of Chevy Chatter II, or a couple of his elves, will make it possible for you to access the Profiles and the "Members Only" section of this site.

bob, take out No.1 plug and take off cap. put your finger over plug hole and crank engine. Notice where rotor is when you feel compression. chance is your 180 off. Just change plug wires to match rotor location.

Randy, You guys are great! These ideas are helping me to sleep better now that I know I am going to get it started . Thanks for your help! Bob

Bob,
This may seem like a silly question but it's important. Did the car run when you bought it? If not, then the problem may go deeper than just timing and iginition. If it did run, then you should retrace your steps with all that you've done to find the possible source of the problem. Let us know and then we'll be able to offer better advice.

Hello Coachhill, No, it did not run when I bought it. It has been sitting for years. At this point in time I feel confident that the timing and a Carter W-1 Carburetor (to replace the Rochester) that is in transit will get it going. If not then I'll think about deeper things. I am not going to allow myself to think about major engine things yet. Bob

If you have movement with the valves and the distributor is rotating, you don't have major engine problems. You probably should look at the timing issue first. These old motors are dead simple and they are simple to work on.

Great. Keep us posted on your progress. You might want to check the position of the distributor...it's easy to install them 180 degrees out of position. With number 1 cylinder at TDC (and the stainless ball on the flywheel visible at the pointer) take the distributor cap off and the rotor should be pointing to about the 4 o'clock to 5 o'clock position. If it's pointing at 10 or 11 o'clock the distrib is not installed correctly.

Hi 39Chevy1, You do not show an email address in your Profile so I sent you a PM. Sorry for the delay but I was away from 0'dark 30 yesterday until late in the evening and was not on the computer. Beamer

Beamer, Sorry about the email address. That was before I decided to become a member (still haven't heard from the main office on that). I'll correct that right now. Bob

Coachhill, I will definitely check the direction the rotor is pointing when I get started on the car again. Thanks for the good explanation, it will be very helpful when I do it. Bob

This posting is getting kind of far down the list on the new postings list. I do not know if you guys are going to see this or not. If I do not hear anything I'll start a new post. I took a look at the timing of the flywheel to the number one plug. I moved the flywheel slowly around and found no little steel ball. What I did see was a little triangle straight across from the pointer and the rotor pointing at the number one spark plug wire. However at 180 degrees around the flywheel from the little triangle I saw a small circle (could be a zero) then a line and then another small circle (zero??) There was a space between them, which made me think maybe it was the timing mark. That would mean the timing is 180 degrees off. Have any of you seen these marks instead of a steel ball? Or, did I just miss the steel ball. What do you think these marks are? Bob

Bob, I think you may be missing the ball, however I don't recall seeing any of the marks you refer to so maybe it's a replacement flywheel of some sort. Anyway try what I suggested earlier with your finger in the No. 1 plug hole that will quickly and defininately tell you if you are out 180 or even something different. The No. 1 could be any of the six locations around the cap and that is OK as long as you know which one it is. Let me know what you find, I can tell you what to do.

Randy, I did as you said. The number one wire was past where the rotor was pointing so I moved them all back one notch and tried it. I tried rotating the distributor a little this way and that way. It just will not fire. BTW the timing mark on the flywheel is no where in sight. Finally I moved them all back where they were and tried rotating the distributor. No help. Anyway when the number one piston is on compression stroke the rotor is pointing very close to the number one wire. Bob

i would at this time remove the valve cover and see if maybe the valves are stuck. what you are feeling in the #1 spark plug hole might be just the piston moving up and down. just a suggestion... luck!

Did you do the compression test as don suggested? That will surely indicate if the valves are seating. Take the plug wire off a plug and put an old plug on it and ground the plug, crank the engine with switch on and look for spark.

When you have the triangle lined up, you should see the letters UDC for Upper Dead Center. You should set your points to just starting to open and the rotor should be pointing at #1. Also, the two valve rockers on # 1 should be loose and have clearance. If one is tight then you need to rotate the cracnkshaft 360 deg and set the distributor up for #1. This is very important.

Right on OLD216, Bob, you will need a timing light when she fires up. Take the vaccume line off the carb first then adjust to the timing mark. I usually put a little white paint on the flywheel mark so it will show up good. You will likely be off 10 deg. or so.