Hi everyone.

I just put my motor back together after years of sitting, used to run fine but I wanted to regasket everything and I had to replace one cylinder.

I didnt mess with the timing chain or anything but I did resurface the head, did the seats of the valves etc all of the good stuff. Now Ive put it back together and it wont fire up, it did sputter and backfire for a bit but now nothing.

 

I pumped fuel with the manual pump and there is fuel, also took the feed from the carb off and when cranking there is fuel... but looking into the carb when cranking there is no fuel coming in? Also pumping the manual pump I could see fuel coming out the top of the carb for a while but now pumping manually does nothing unless I take the hose off the carb, then it starts pumping again.

 

Also possible electrical issue? I think I have connected everything right, I put the distributor back on the way it was but even when the crank pulley is at 0 the marking on the distributor case is not aligned with the rotor arm? I do have spark.

 

Thanks for any tips.

Check the compression on all cylinders.

Spray some brake cleaner in the manifold if it runs then it's fuel related if it does not then its spark related. Which I actually suspect 

19 hours ago, chargerbandit said:

I pumped fuel with the manual pump and there is fuel, also took the feed from the carb off and when cranking there is fuel... but looking into the carb when cranking there is no fuel coming in? Also pumping the manual pump I could see fuel coming out the top of the carb for a while but now pumping manually does nothing unless I take the hose off the carb, then it starts pumping again.

Do you know how the carburetor works?

Yeah I'm a bit too young to know about carbs, I've build fuel injected engines before and made em run but this is new to me. I've read the Skoda workshop manual and I have a better idea what goes on now. Pretty much pouring fuel or spraying brake clean doesn't make it start... if I pump the carb by hand I can see fuel spraying in the primary but no start. My next step is compression test and timing light to see if it's firing when its supposed to. Spark did seem a little weak, I'm 99% sure I hooked up the coil right but might be a bad ground.

Remember you have full access to the engine. We don't. I have based my advice on your short description. Mainly on "the engine ran before messing with the head gasket and piston".

It can be anything, from bad timing, bad ignition, fuel flooding, to a bad head job. Do more tests.

7 minutes ago, RicardoM said:

Remember you have full access to the engine. We don't. I have based my advice on your short description. Mainly on "the engine ran before messing with the head gasket and piston".

It can be anything, from bad timing, bad ignition, fuel flooding, to a bad head job. Do more tests.

 

I have just done some testing, good compression on all cylinders 130-140psi which means my valve job/piston replacement is good. I havent messed with the timing chain at all. I also tried with another coil and igniter, cap and rotor, ignition cables, there is spark always. Here are some pics of everything I hooked up, I'm concerned with the distributor, when the engine is at 0 degrees the rotor is way off its mark?

 

 

 

 

I also put a bunch of fresh fuel but I guess that doesnt matter too much, even pouring fresh gas into the carb made no difference, fuel filter is clean, all lines are new, the white fuel bowl by the tank is new.

Put a timing light to it while cranking, didn't seem like it was flashing just right, I'm no expert but I couldn't see the crank mark either.

Oh yeah. Bad ignition timing. You have inserted the distributor wrong.

The weird thing is I haven't messed with the distributor itself at all, its only been removed off the engine to be cleaned and put back... how do I get it right? I aligned the little slot on the bottom with the slot inside the case... do I need to loosen the nut on the distributor housing and rotate it?

10 minutes ago, chargerbandit said:

do I need to loosen the nut on the distributor housing and rotate it?

Steps for correct ignition timing:

• put piston 1 to Top Dead Center on compression stroke
• see photos below and follow explanation. It's a fiddly job because when you insert the base of the distributor, the gear will rotate. But you will know what to do to align the distributor rotor.

 

 

2 hours ago, chargerbandit said:

I have just done some testing, good compression on all cylinders 130-140psi which means my valve job/piston replacement is good.

140 psi = 9.65 bar. That is bad.

A new engine has 14 bar of compression.

30 minutes ago, RicardoM said:

140 psi = 9.65 bar. That is bad.

A new engine has 14 bar of compression.

dont forget it has not build oil pressure yet

Well, he can pour a teaspoon of oil in each cylinder and repeat the test. Although on second thought it is very possible the reading of the pressure on the gauge was wrong. Wrong pressure scale?

Ok I loosened the distributor nut and moved it so it alignes, I get sputters and almost starting but it doesnt, backfires a bit. Hows the correct firing order? Looking at engine pictures from google everyone has them hooked up differently and its confusing.

 

This is crank mark at 0 and distributor pointing on the mark.

 

You are getting closer retard it a lot and see if it does get better if it doesn't advance it 

Edited 9 June, 20205 yr by Thefeliciahacker

Whats super weird is I found the picture from the day I removed the engine... My distributor was rotated totally different?

My bad, forget everything I said... did some more reading and figured out the actual top dead center (when 4th cylinder valves are overlapping and its not at 0 degrees, more like -10) and turns out the distributor was 180 degrees off, threw it back on, set the rotor to the mark and it fired right up. Sadly it dies pretty quick if I don't keep giving it gas, I guess its an issue with fuel or big air leak - turns out the carburetor rubber base is pretty destroyed so that is probably my issue?

Edited 9 June, 20205 yr by chargerbandit

46 minutes ago, chargerbandit said:

Sadly it dies pretty quick if I don't keep giving it gas, I guess its an issue with fuel or big air leak - turns out the carburetor rubber base is pretty destroyed so that is probably my issue?

The rubber gasket below the carburetor should make a PERFECT seal. I insist. A PERFECT seal.

If the engine sputters and backfires it is a clear sign of bad ignition timing.

I gave you all the information in previous post. Including a photo of the correct position of distributor when piston 1 is at TDC. I insisted on piston 1 at TDC on COMPRESSION stroke, not EXHAUST stroke.

Edited 9 June, 20205 yr by RicardoM

The way I have it set now runs good when I give it some gas but it eventually dies out... I can see the rubber gasket lifting so i will be replacing that and then trying again.

Here is a video of it running.

https://streamable.com/sntiqn

 

3 hours ago, chargerbandit said:

The way I have it set now runs good when I give it some gas but it eventually dies out

Have a look at the input for the vacuum advance diaphragm. It points totally wrong.

Trust me. I know what is the correct position of the distributor.

On 09/06/2020 at 19:14, chargerbandit said:

Ok I loosened the distributor nut and moved it so it alignes, I get sputters and almost starting but it doesnt, backfires a bit. Hows the correct firing order? Looking at engine pictures from google everyone has them hooked up differently and its confusing.

 

This is crank mark at 0 and distributor pointing on the mark.

 

 

Nice topic. 

 

Just two thing 1- i also had a similar problem once, not during no matter what i did. Turns out that there was a problem with a switch (my car has been fitted with LPG aftermarket).

2- my distributor is also in the same direction right now facing the left wheel. i will try to change it and put it in the original way like RicardoM told (facing the car) when ı will readjust the valves. 

On 15/06/2020 at 16:52, Naboula01 said:

(my car has been fitted with LPG aftermarket)

with lpg you can go assuming you have proper mixtures slightly more advanced than gas

47 minutes ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

with lpg you can go assuming you have proper mixtures slightly more advanced than gas

Yes I agree, but this is a nearly 45 degree angle, and this seems to much for me. I will adjust the valve setting this week (I think it need adjustement because I lost a little bit of power and I have been hearing valve noises- typical click noise at idle).

After Adjusting It I will check If I can move the distributor in Original way (toward car and not left wheel), and keep you guys updated.

Edited 18 June, 20205 yr by Naboula01

12 hours ago, Naboula01 said:

toward car and not left wheel

You mean right wheel.

 

10 hours ago, RicardoM said:

You mean right wheel.

Yes... Right side...